Neverending Story: Hifi Edition

Been playing with the Sedley. Only on MM because I don’t have access to some kit, cables etc. It also meant using the Revolver with an AT91 so not exactly high end, but not crap either. It’s a decent deck and always was.

The first half hour was typical,of me. In a mood because because I hate wiring stuff up from scratch. It wasn’t helped by what must rank as the worst instructions ever regarding dip switches. Thankfully I downloaded the latest manual which is a lot clearer.

All this was forgotten within seconds because it sounds utterly lovable. Ok, not the most precise description but how do you describe something when all you get is the emotion and you don’t really hear or care about the sound, all I can do is tell you how it made me feel. Same as easing out of your work clothes and tight shoes. Same as relaxing into your favourite chair. Same as slipping into a warm candle-lit bath. In other words it has the Sonneteer trademark of making you exhale with a big “aaahhhh”.

To me that’s priceless. It’s also almost undefinable, but it IS tangible. So I won’t be telling you how it made the piccolo sound on some obscure recording nobody else owns. I won’t even tell you about its bass, treble or midrange. All I can tell you is that it has the same easy “rightness” that I love about Sonneteer. If that sounds like your bag, grab a listen. If not, I hope you find something you enjoy as much,

Cheers, Shane. It came straight from the heart. I’m still listening and still feeling the same. I should’ve knowcked it off hours ago but it’s hard to pull away from. Guess the Iso will be on its way. Never put a foot wrong either. Maybe I will keep it as a spare.

The Sony looks good, what's up with you Westie?    Are you back in the uk?

Good look with that, assume you're not sure which part of the world you finally want to settle.

I got to compare the Iso and the Sedley phono stages today on MC. Both were close, with the Sedley being even quieter than the already quiet Iso. Hand on heart, I still felt the Iso was the slightly more detailed phono stage and the best I’ve heard and used in this respect, although the Sonneteer was close and also does MM as well as being a good match for my other kit. It’s also infinitely adjustable. It’s also (as I said above) just lovable to,listen to and the direct AB comparison doesn’t tell the whole story because long term listening is a different thing to AB comparison.

The differences were more in presentation than anything, with the Iso being a bit more forward and urgent. I do think the Iso has a small edge on opennness and soundstaging. I suspected the Iso would still be more than enough to compete with modern phono stages and I was right. It’s still a belter.

It’s lovely. I just wish they would hurry up and finish the thing. They really do take stealth marketing to a new level. So stealthy it doesn’t appear at all lol.

Oops, small screen! Will fix.

i don't know how many came into the UK, but it was a great 'sounding' turntable and one of a very very few that gave a period LP12/Grace/Supex a run for its money. We had Linn by then ('77-'78), so I don't need to tell anyone what happened after, except to say the 8750 was flogged off in a KJ sale

Yes, I agree.

I spot a rude Jack Russell

S.

No worries.,it’s vastly overpriced. £600;is more like it. Two Ortons have sold for £800 on EBay and another ex dem with a dealer guarantee has failed to sell at £999.

I don’t like taking antpyhting away from stock, so it would mean building another larger plinth. I’d retain the original somno resl hram done. Gotta be rosewood though, it will co- ordinate with the rug

Hmmm...high gloss black lacquer would look good. It’s easier to achieve too.

I really like the thing. Just bought it a few weeks ago, so it will be with me for a while. It does look better in the flesh, but I can’t see it changeing anyone’s mind.