Lyra Atlas experiences

raul -

I have read numerous comments and opinions from you over the years.  Some seem reasonable, some interesting, some I don't necessarily agree with. 

I have owned to the Herron Audio VTPH-1 and currently, the Herron VTPH-2.  I have to disagree with your assessment, and description.  I'm not sure where you're receiving the design information or how your performing your own personal evaluation. 

IMO, there is no difference between the sound of the all-tube mm VTPH-2 section and the FET front-end loaded with 47k ohms for extra gain needed for the mc front-end to that all-tube VTPH-2.  No difference.  The FET front-end seems quite transparent and does not contribute a "signature" as you describe or it would be apparent when it is bypassed.  Therefore, to claim that the "sound" of the Herron is based on the FET section and that the tubes are compensating for the FETs is not accurate. 

And further to your post, and particularly toward Herron Audio equipment, I have heard nothing that more closely approaches the sound of a live performance than the combination of the Herron VTPH-2 and VTSP-3a(r03).  Nothing.  At any cost or availability. 

Can the Herron Audio components be improved? Probably. But IMO, nothing exists that is better. Nothing comes close is its cost.

Is there collection of electronics that actually fully replicates a live performance?  No.  All we can hope to do is get as close as possible.  We all have our own listening preferences, but in the end, nobody is actually performing in our respective listening rooms.



 

Dear bpolleti: Are you seriously?, I took Herron as an example and with all respect to you: if you can't hear a difference between a MC circuit with a gain input FET stage and other with out it then something is wrong down there:

- low system resolution,
- analog rig not up to the task,
- non adequated and full proved evaluation whole system test process,
- non educated ears or not know what to look for.

Btw, the higher ( against SS designs. )  output impedance on tube units or hybrids like your Herron gives a higher degradation to the signal that goes to the external line stage and if this is a tube unit then same happens when the signal goes out to the amps.

bpolleti, the Herron in not here under scrutiny ( I'm not criticize the Herron. ), main subject is way different. Stay calm and try to understand the main overall subject.

Just curiosity because tha's not the subject here and could be useless: how do you made the precise two diferent stages evaluation to say both performs the same?. Again, just curiosity and you can email me about if don't want it here and don't want to open another discussion " window ".

regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Raul -

I have nothing to hide in private emails that can't be said in this thread.  I have made my comments public regarding my opinion of Herron Audion equipment.  Those views haven't changed.  When you're going to retract your comments, then it should be made on the forum, not hidden in private email. 

The evaluation was easy. Use the same cartridge into both inputs (the MC input is loaded with 47K ohms) adjusting the preamp level to account for the differences in gain.  

You stated that the Herron Audio phono stage uses a FET section that has a distinct sonic signature and uses downstream tubes to overcome that signature.  But there are no tubes in the actual phono stage itself, just the MC front-end. 

Of all the owners and reviewers discussing the Herron VTPH-2 I've encountered and/or whose comments I have read, none have ever claimed to have heard a sonic signature associated with the FET MC front end.  To the contrary, I can't recall any that have claimed the unit had a signature at all. 

But you must be right.  Thank you for pointing out our failures and shortcomings. 

Dear bpolleti: In the very first page of Herron site of the  model you own you can read this:

"""  "The Herron VTPH-2 gives listeners all the benefits of a tube unit with few of the failings and a text-book technical performance to boot. It offers a level of vacuum-tube engineering (carefully combined with solid-state circuitry) that's rare at any price, unheard of at this one." 
- Roy Gregory hifi+ issue 58  """

the input gain stage ( where the cartridge signal is " touched " for the very first time in the Herron. ) is a FET  ( SS ) gain cicuit and from there amplified signal goes to all the tubes on the Herron design.

In that same Herron site page you can read this:

"""  Tube complement(2 x 12AX7, 3 x 12AT7) - most popular, or
(4 x 12AX7, 1 x 12AT7)Gain MC Mode(2 X 12AX7, 3 X 12AT7) 64 dB 
(4 X 12AX7, 1 X 12AT7) 69 dBGain MM Mode(2 X 12AX7, 3 X 12AT7) 43 dB 
(4 X 12AX7, 1 X 12AT7) 48 dB   """

Enough.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

@bpoletti : Read this post, this gentleman owns the same PS as you. Check the date he posted and the first sentences about:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/mc-cartridge-loading/post?postid=1353089#1353089


R.