Vinyl

A serious Tube Phono preamplifier for serious HiFi enthusiasts.

This is one of those units that are great value. They are hand built units that pay attention to the important stuff but aren't afraid to skimp on some things in order to keep units affordable.

For example this phono stage uses point-to-point wiring that's normally only available on the highest priced units. It uses premium parts like ceramic tube sockets, Nichicon and DuRoch capacitors, 5AR4 tube-rectifier-circuitry and gold-plated, panel mounted RCA input and output jacks.

But it doesn't go silly with controls and features. Keeping things simple, keeps costs down and sound quality high.

 

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This is where the Acoustic Signature Tonearms start to get really really good. We jump up to an anti-skating knob which is capable of much more precise adjustments in anti-skate. And don't underestimate the importance of anti-skate with any reasonable quality cartridge. It can clean up woolyness in the sound. This little feature gets the tonearm to a point where those differences are very noticeable.

The TA-2000 NEO also has better bearings than the TA-500 NEO and the TA-1000 NEO. Acoustic Signature say they are 'almost frictionless ball bearings' and they're not ones to over exaggerate.

The TA-2000 NEO is on display at Carlton Audio Visual.

Also Available in a 12" version $6300

Black add $1900 (extra)

Gold add $4700 (extra)

Black and Gold are special orders. Other prices quoted are for Silver.  

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We are Vinyl lovers at Carlton Audio Visual. The people who work here love Vinyl and without exception have a record player at home...most have multiple! Our customers have also held the torch for vinyl through the long dark years of the nineties and early 2000s when most had forgotten about the joys of a Turntable, we had a dedicated and passionate team of clients and staff who loved their LPs. Since then Turntables have become trendy and people have rediscovered why they were loved for so long.

And when customers are at a point in their journey where the lifelong admiration and obsession with vinyl and HiFi has taken hold, we recommend the Stellar Phono Stage. It will last a lifetime of cartridge upgrades and swaps. It will extract the most out of a $8499 cartridge (Van den Hul Crimson Stradivarius MC is a sensational pairing with this unit) as it will with a $500 Moving Magnet cartridge.

You'll hear control, detail and presence; There's a spatial awareness in the sound and transparency that reveals itself when you plug this into any system. And it performs well above its pay grade. We really believe to better this you'll have to pay $17K for some Audio Research gear and hell...even then, I'd say some people will still prefer this phono stage for it's clarity in the mid range.

The only thing that we find annoying about it...it requires a remote control to operate. You'll need that in the very first instance to turn its mute off in order to get any sound. And then of course all its plethora of settings that give it such versatility for all cartridges are adjusted on the remote. So don't...like us...loose the remote! *

Also, you need to be patient with this machine and run it in. It really is night and day the difference that makes. We even have some Blue Horizon RIAA filters to use as burn in tools on new units so you don't have to put hours on your cartridge burning in the phono stage. We can do that in store for free, for you.

See the PS Audio official site here

Read Stereophile Review here

And one from theaudiobeatnik here

*Remote was found...and we now tape the remote to the unit :/ 

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Cadenza Black is optimized for an amazing tonal neutrality, dynamics and purity of sound.

The Cadenza Black model is using a Nude Shibata stylus with a boron cantilever. The effective mass of the stylus/cantilever system is extremely low due to the use of a very thin boron rod. This material is extremely stiff and even more lightweight than aluminium. It also uses the WRD/Wide Range Damping-system applied for MC Windfeld, MC A90, MC Anna, Xpression and MC A95 cartridges, controlling the high and low frequency damping separately. The coil wire is the famous Ortofon Aucurum wire, which is a gold plated 6NX copper wire. Cadenza Black is high performing on areas like detail, consistency and sound staging.

You may notice we are not always necessarily the cheapest retailer of cartridges but we will ALWAYS include a free professional fitting with all our cartridges. Along with any routine check-ups on your turntable.

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Michell's new entry-level turntable, taking the low-noise DC motor and the impedance-matched platter of the GyroDec, along with an advanced bearing on an elegant solid-plinth design with damped feet. The Michell TecnoDec requires no user-setup or maintenance. Learn More

The H2 model is a high-quality turntable with belt drive and a tonearm with gimbal suspension. The unusual shape of the turntable was chosen to minimize possible interference from the platter bearing on the tonearm. To avoid sound-disturbing influences from the motor or impact sound, a sandwich construction was chosen, with a layer of vibration-damping foam inserted in the center. The chassis is made of solid surface material, which has low resonance due to its high density and physical structure, making it an ideal material for this application. The highly polished surface is produced by a complex process involving 7 grinding and polishing passes, and impresses with its pleasant feel.

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This is a solid piece of engineering invoking that retro turntable feel and sound. Direct drive unit separates this from most of our other Turntable offerings.

This unit does not come with a cartridge.

Pair a Sumiko Blue point special ($1099) with this deck for a clear singing precision.

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The all important component of this of this line stage comprises of two ECC83/12AX7 and one ECC82/12AU7 are run by a multi stage fully regulated power supply.
To back this up the design has an over size shielded power transformer for reduce the interference. An array high grade metalized polipropilene capacitors controlling the audio signal circuits. The MM input stage uses a low noise JFet with a separate regulated power supply with extensive filtering for reducing the interference and noise. Using an ECC82/12AU7 tube on the output stage, gives this unit a very low output impedance without losing signal.
The Roma79DC has easily selectable capacitors (MM) and impedances (MC) for cartridges by a front mounted knob selector which is also shown on the front LCD display.

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Cadenza Bronze is a true high-end reference cartridge, conveying music with supreme precision, impact and dynamics.

The Cadenza Bronze model is using a Replicant 100 stylus and a conical aluminium cantilever. The coil wire is the famous Ortofon Aucurum wire, which is a gold plated 6NX copper wire. Field Stabilizing Element/FSE, is used for optimal linearity especially during complex crescendo passages. Cadenza Bronze stereo imaging capabilities illuminate the farthest corners of the soundstage in all three dimensions.

You may notice we are not always necessarily the cheapest retailer of cartridges but we will ALWAYS include a free professional fitting with all our cartridges. Along with any routine check-ups on your turntable.

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This phono stage hold the incredible electronic pedigree of Musical Fidelity and the M6 range...so it's gotta be good. 

It offers three different inputs for those of us who like to swap and change Record players and/or cartridges. And all three inputs have the kind of flexibility of loading and gain that's only found on the very best. In essence, there's not a cartridge out there that the M6 won't be able to handle.

In creating this beauty, Musical Fidelity's main motivation was to create a phono stage that 'got out of the way' of the music. It doesn't aim to add flavour, it aims to be true to the source. And it's achieved that aim and the music comes through in all its sweet sweet glory.

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The Planar 8 is now available in a Matt White finish as well.

Elegant and skeletal like a ballerina in a skin suit this record player is we believe the best musical performer available for the money.

Add a factory fitted Rega Ania MC cartridge ($900), Ania Pro MC ($1500) or Rega's new Apheta 3 MC cartridge ($2200).

Another killer cartridge with the Planar 8 is the Sumiko Blackbird ($2299)

 

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The base model from which later on The Colibri and The Condor were further developed. It has the coil of a GRASHOPPER III and the frontpole and suspension of a GRASHOPPER IV. This is without doubt the best cartridge available for its price. Standard output of both the copper and gold coil versions is 0.65 mV per channel. The FROG H.O. is the high output version with 2.25 mV per channel. All FROG cartridges have extra magnet modifications applied for the best result possible

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The Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star has been talked about a lot in circles I move in. Yes these are Turntable fanatic circles! This is a Moving Iron, low output cartridge so it does require a pre-amp that is MC (Moving Coil) capable.

I think I will simply let this quote speak for this cartridge...

'The Zephyr Star smoothly handled the toughest vocal sibilants and overall produced liquidity not compromised by a soft finish'...

Michael Fremer (acclaimed reviewer)

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This turntable takes a lot of the good stuff from its bigger siblings, the Xtension 9 & 10 as well as incorporating some new ideas into the Pro-ject inventory.

This turntable has the option for connecting it in a true balanced way to a matched phono stage (Phono Box DS3 B for example). A balanced connection like this serves to dramatically decrease the noise floor of the whole system letting the emotion and the detail shine through. Similar systems are used on some of the most high-end turntables we offer like the Yamaha GT5000.

It keeps true to Pro-Ject form with a high mass plinth and platter paired with a solid bearing design coupled of course with a conical carbon fibre 9cc tonearm. The tonearm has easy adjustability for vertical and horizontal tracking angle resulting in better imaging and fidelity.

 

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If you love a sense of space, lightness and refinement in your music, you can't go past the Starling cartridge from Sumiko. 

With the Starling, you get a naked cartridge body like the slightly cheaper Songbird. But here the cantilever is upgraded to Boron for faster transmission of the vibrations through the cantilever.

The micro ridge stylus of the Starling is also a step up from the Songbird rendering even more precision and detail with transparency and musicality.

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The TA-1000 Neo is one step up from Acoustic Signature's basic tonearm. A stellar performer that tracks brilliantly thanks to precisely made and engineered bearings.

It is very low resonance with its dual layer carbon structure.

In addition to that it is available in a 12" version as well as Black and Gold colour ways.

12" Silver $3900

Black add $1400 (extra)

Gold add $3400 (extra)

Black and Gold colour options are special order.

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Cadenza Blue is true to the music with a tremendous clarity. The Cadenza Blue model is using a Nude FG 70 stylus with a very thin ruby cantilever. The coils are made from 6NX (99.9999 %) pure silver wire. An improved winding process on the armature allows a better channel balance. The soundstage of Cadenza Blue is wide open and grandiose straight out of the box. Micro dynamic and ambience will be evident when listening to complex compositions. It reaches a very high degree of definition in the perspective, which is very present.

You may notice we are not always necessarily the cheapest retailer of cartridges but we will ALWAYS include a free professional fitting with all our cartridges. Along with any routine check-ups on your turntable.

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Building on from the X2, the X2 B has added a true balanced connection as well as tweaking the motor suspension and motor chassis.

Balanced connections are normally overlooked as being too pricey to include on a turntable but Heinz of Pro-Ject has seen the capability and value in adding this extra feature. The Pro-Ject line nnow offers a complete ecosystem to be able to pass the signal through balanced connections from start to ears!

An evolution of what was already a great turntable. 

Available in Glossy Black, Satin Black, Satin White and Walnut

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In a range that includes models costing thousands of pounds, the MC One Special is a relatively affordable example. It's a 'selected' version of the MC10 Special, a hand-built cartridge using silver wire coils and a boron cantilever (the tube that connects the stylus to the coils). Because of the relatively wide sample variations with cartridges, it's not unusual for makers to charge a bit more for selected samples of a particular model - ones that are found to perform better than the rest. Grado is another manufacturer that does this - the Prestige Gold on page 46 is a 'selected' version of the Prestige Silver, for which an additional £20 is charged

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