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Would love some feedback / Denon DL-S1 / phono match / cart recomendations

Would love some feedback / Denon DL-S1 / phono match / cart recomendations

- Vinyl newbie and need some help

- Friend has a brand new  Denon DL-S1 for $600 - good deal?

- I have a Mark Levinson No.326s preamp and just bought the dual mono MM/MC Phono module boards. They are the identical boards from the No,32 preamp and read that was a very nice sounding phono preamp.

- No.326s only has a couple settings 42db or 60 db and 47k ohm or 200 ohm load

- I picked up a used Bob's Device 1131 thinking it would help as my No.326s has limited setting options and read the 1131 might not work well with this cart. That this cart is tough to get the most out of but can be great.

- Should I get another cart? Was it a mistake getting the 1131 SUT. I read the No.326s sounded nice with this SUT so went for it but don't know enough to really know better either way but trying to learn.

- The No.326s phono boards has these little gold terminal screws with easy tighten by hand little knobs on the heads of the screws to add either capacitor or resistor to make the phono very adjustable but would have no idea how to figure out how to use that but thought to mention

- just wondering if this is a bad cart for me to try with my phono and SUT set up and any feedback about anything related to a cart would be super appreciated if anyone reads this. Thanks

more info if helpful below but not need to answer my question just thought to add it :)

______________________________________________________________________________________


I just finished up a full system re-fit with some tweaking here and there still to do but I am extremely happy with the sound I’m getting today from my new to me system. I sold my entire old system that was tubes and high efficiency speakers and got new to me: speakers, amp, preamp, speaker cables and upgraded digital transport and got a new turntable. Kept my DAC never changing that. Love my DAC. 

This system is the best I’ve personally ever had. I’m pretty psyched - so psyched I just added a turntable. 

A modern Version of the VPI Prime Aries with HRX Feet, 10" 3D Arm and Base, Prime Signature Platter, Ring and Motor. 

I am looking for a cart and my friend has a new Denon DL-S1 for $600 he also has a  used but good shape Clearaudio Accurate mc cart for a few hundred but i never heard of this one and a  van den Hul blackheart grass hopper which I know nothing of.

I thought because the Denon is new never used that was the best option but any of you know anything about the other let me know please.
  
Would love some feedback / ideas / thought recommendations and help. I’m a digital guy and want to give vinyl and honest to goodness try.

As stated above I just purchased the dual mono Phono board modules for my
Mark Levinson No.326s linestage so it’s now a full function Preamp and added a Bobs Device 1131 SUT and both were attained a very reasonable cost which was great!

Just not sure if these carts will go with my phono and SUT.

Rest of my System:
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5160

- Magico S5 Loudspeakers
- Pass Labs X350.5 Amplifier
- Mark Levinson No.326s Preamp/phonostage
- Bricasti M1 Special Edition DAC
- PS Audio P10 Power Plant
- Kubala-Sosna Emotion SC’s
- Nordost/Cardas IC’s
- Assorted PC's Verastarr/Cardas

- Digital PC based front end that I have been tweaking and evolving:
- Sonore microRendu 1.4
- Full Suite of UpTone Audio Gear
(2) x LPS-1 Ultra Capacitor PS
JS-2 Linear Power Supply
(2) Regens - ISO/Amber
- (8) Canare / Oyide DC cables
- (2) Breeze Audio 12v LPS
- Tellurium Q Black Diamond Reference USB cable
- Curious Regen Link USB Cable.

This Digital Front End beat out: Lumin, Antipodes, Naim and Auralic servers. It needs everything to work so well but man does it work great. My hope is that a turntable can complete and wish some luck I end up liking it better. That’s why I’m asking for help. I want to put my best vinyl foot forward 

** Back Ground info**

** Room is **
14 x 24 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 16 Foot a peak

** Music likes **
Assorted Music but no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else. I listen just loud enough to sound its best but not a loud listener. I enjoy normal levels.

** Likes / Priorities **
Transparency - Delicacy - Linear - High resolution - microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless -some natural warmth and life to the music is key  but love that see through transparency and love precise soundstage - remove as many layers without being clinical - tight bass - hate flab - but don’t need worlds greatest slam but love speed and accurate bass while being musical.

** Perspective **
I’m only a couple months into this new system and I was struggling to get the right Preamp and tried a half dozen or so searching for the right balance and the one that could bring my new system together like only the perfect matching preamp can do. Each system is different so really it must be heard to know it’s what you want. I believe in the Preamp and knew If I could find the right match it would change everything. Well that was the hope.

To make a long story longer the Mark Levinson No.326s preamp did this and more. I was hedging my expectations based on the disappointments of the others I tried and failed but the No. 326s nailed it and honestly it an incredible Preamp and then some. I was so happy I decided to upgrade and add the built in phonostage option and SUT and Turntable here we are trying to chose a cart.

Really appreciate any help you can provide! I know this is kind of long but wanted you guys to know where I’m coming from! If you would like more info please let me know - all comments and feedback are most welcome and deeply appreciated :)




128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,149 posts
 
@fsmithjack not sure if you’ve pulled the trigger on the clearaudio yet but this is a brand of cartridges that has a house sound, one many like but one that others (me included) have never warmed too

frankly if I was in your shoes I’d be sorely tempted by this setup - the tunability feature is very clever and you would also lean a lot about what you are looking for - price is also attractive and in line with your budget
https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/musikraft-denon-dl-103-phonograph-cartridge/

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rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
Dear @folkfreak : """ which is short of the 2.6V rated for maxiumum output for your X350.5. """

the OP speakers are rated as 4ohms and 90db sensitivty. That apm at that impedance puts 700 watts full power. Do you know when the OP will need the full rated power of the Pass with the S1 cartridge?: never.

@fsmithjack linearity is only one characteristic in an active part device but here we are talking of an amplifier or preamplifier not one single/specific part of the amplifier that’s the sum of its parts and excecution quality of the overall design that includes the parts selection.

An amplifier needs to have a really wide and flat frequency, with very low noise and overall distortion levels ( different kind of distortions. ), that can handle with no trouble the complex impedance/phase angle of the speaker curve, steady and both channels measuring and performing identically, enough headroom, trusty always over time, that the input signal does not has to pass for hundred of meters through amp transformers like usually happens with tubes, etc, etc, etc,

@analogluvr , got it?

R.
analogluvr
800 posts
 
Raul yes I got it. And to throw another wrench at your superior knowledge I run otl as well. Even the op who is admittedly not an expert knows that the most linear device is a triode. So remove the output transformer from the equation and it is far more linear and lower in distortion than any solid state amp as long as YOU ARE DRIVING AN APPROPRIATE LOAD. Such as no crazy impedance dips or phase angles and something efficient so the amp is barely working. 
Granted if I were running apogee scintilla speakers I would need solid state, but I would not choose speakers such as that anyway. 
Im just sick of reading your Bs bias against tubes because it is just plain wrong!  You are on here presenting yourself as an irrefutable expert, speaking in absolutes, and minimizing distortions and blah blah blah and unfortunately some folks might believe you!  You don't make any distinctions between the different types of distortions and that is a huge factor!
I know many guys like you, lots of money to throw at audio so you buy everything under the sun. Obviously spending that kind of dough you are going to end up with decent sound at some point and you think that makes you an authority.  
Tubes done properly and driven properly are lower in distortion and sound more realistic to me, and many others, than solid state. 
Vinyl done properly sounds more realistic and has far better emotional involvement, than digital. IMO and many others as well. 
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,149 posts
 
@rauliruegas once again you make a hyperbolic and extreme souffle of nonsense out of some helpful advice.

As you very well know gain matching is not only a matter of enabling the amp to deliver its rated output, if and ever needed, but is also about operating any volume control in the ideal range (i.e. towards the lower half or middle in most cases). In my own system going from a setup that delivered 60% of maximum rated input to one that delivered 300% was night and day -- the latter sounds so much more open and dynamic and allows me to operate the volume control at 30-40% of range rather than 70-80% and actually obviates the need for any gain in the pre-amp at all (i.e. I operate the pre-amp at below unity gain)

Gain matching is a matter of care across the full cascade and it ties one hand behind your back if your cascade cannot deliver full rated input to your amp. My observation was simply to suggest that he might care for a few dB more to guarantee this, not least if he should ever change his pre-amp or more likely decide to switch to a single ended rather than balanced configuration with the commensurate loss of gain across the chain 
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rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
@, it does not matters if OTL design ( problem is not only the transformers and only one additional to everything. ) and when I talk about tubes I'm speaking too of phonolinepreamp that at the end is more near the thread subject than amps. Btw, you did not read adequated what I posted bu matters due that you use tubes and horns that are two forbidden items in music/sound reproduction. Of course your phonolinepreamp is atube ones: which is its output impedance?

Digital?, well is so superior to LP but it's useless to discuss with a well AHEE educated pupil. Shame of the corrupted AHEE.

R.


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