Tom's place - AN IO's/Kondo's, SPU's and phono stages

[speedysteve]

I was over at Tom's (Montesquieu) yesterday.

A very pleasant listening - lots of great music as usual.

We played his Kondo cart through, AN6 SUT and into a couple of different phono stages.

We also tried my SPU Silver Meister and Royal N (on Fidelity Reseach headshell). The Kondo and Royal N really sang.

Now I need a AN6 SUT I think:roll:

Tom will pop round with it soon I hope to confirm my pain

Inspired I am listening to Hummel Concerto in G major for piano and orchestra on the Royal N. It is sounding very good indeed on this.

I might need to bring the impedance my SUT is presenting down a bit I think based on yesterday.

Here she is on my deck

 

[AmDismal]

We also tried my SPU Silver Meister and Royal N (on Fidelity Reseach headshell).

Wimp. You should have taken your speakers round

 

[speedysteve]

Haha. It would be nice to hear them with Tom's front end. Next time we have a day to spare and a long wheel base transit going spare...

Once I have made 'portable tapped horns' it would be easy.

Tom is apparently dreaming of Royal N's

 

[Guest]

Indeed Steve, I've owned a Royal N before but my guess is it wasn't in the right environment (arm, headshell etc) to give its best. Loaded up at 30g or so in the FR headshell and through both my own Nick Gorham valve phono stage and the cracking new Aurora Sound Vida it sounded pretty wonderful. Indeed (while perhaps not as even top to bottom) the Royal N gave the Io a run for its money in timbre and overall excitement and was never embarrassed at any point. Was an easy winner for me over the SPU Meister Silver. I think I need a Royal N in the headshell rack at some stage. :^

The S6 will indeed be taking the short trip over the M3 to Surrey soon, Steve's horns have gone through a few changes since I last heard them so be very interesting to hear them and the effect of the S6 in Steve's system.

Incidentally the Vida was a revelation, plenty of people have praised my Nick Gorham phono stage (which has toppled some pretty expensive gear) but the Vida rather did rather kick things up a notch.

 

[speedysteve]

Yes, yes, bring the S6 pleeeze.

I didn't want to say anything about the Vida until you did Tom.

It was a revelation indeed. So smooth and yet right under all conditions. Music just emanated from it. Yes the SUT did beat the MC input by some margin as I had anticipated, but in MM mode it was a top sound.

Also the last jazz piece (what was that?), sounded fantastic on your system. The system has def moved on, each much tested and hard won tweak weighing in.

The transformer attenuation of the Tannoy upper mid / HF horn has worked wonders. L-Pads are the devil incarnate in speakers, esp I feel where compression drivers are concerned.