Best Phono Stage within 2000 €

Rob Hi, thats a shame I am not asking for your address just a photo of the sytem. I know that 6 walker turntables appeared on Audiogon, after Jon Vallin preferred the small TW!
 
Hi yes Jonathan Vallin, reviewed the Walker proscenium and the TW 'One' in a head to head , in the Absolute Sound I think it was, he thought them both fine tables but preferred the TW.
 
I have found this classified surfing the net .. but I show you because it's related to the Pass Labs Xono

Find on another site:

For Sale Modified Pass Labs Xono (Latest 2 chassis model)

Modifications are :

1. Removed nasty cheap electrolytic caps from MC signal and replaced them with Black Gate N's. Black Gate N's are possibly the most transparent electrolytic out there period.

2. Replaced a few key decoupling caps with Black Gate VK electrolytic.

3. Bypassed final 10uF with 0.22uF TFTF V-Caps. Again TFTF V-Caps are arguably the most neutral caps in existence.

This Xono displays none of the 'transistory' artifacts of the standard model , and is delightfully detailed and pure of sound.
 
Coops - really now. You know the difference between the Raven one and Raven One AC as you bat for the side.

I had the Raven One AC and compared it to the Walker, honestly the Walker was a lot better in every area in my system. The Raven One AC is without a shread of a doubt a killer table and one of the very best at the price...what else is there - well the Amazon Reference is also a killer table and more to my eyes liking. In Germany the Amazon Reference is seen at the same level as the AC but the Amazon wins over for looks.

Luckily the Walker only needs to be setup once!

Arlequen - Yes I have heard that people do plenty to the Xono as quite a few people feel the same way we do about the overall presentation. I don't know whether just changing capacitors and resistors is enough for this design. Everytime i've heard a preamp with Blackgate, Vishay etc changes it has sometimes done nothing for it. I think that a fresh look is better than a revamp.
 
DL77 - what happened to Active distribution ? I heard that Active are no longer. Does that mean the isotek range is also dead?
 
Post a picture of your Walker Rob, we don't get to see many in ths country, we just have pin our faith on reviews, Albert Porter sold his Walker and replaced it with a Technics SP10 mark II .
 
Who's albert porter? And he thinks the SP10 MK2 is as good as, if not better than a TW Raven One AC...wow - LOGIC ;)

Best sell your Raven Coops and get an SP10 Mk2.... you fell into that one yourself my friend.

Go to the Walker website or the positive feedback review, there's a pic of the Walker there. Whether the turntable is in the US, UK or Timbuktu, it will always look the same, and I don't think mine is any different. I actually don't get the facination with looking at other folks equipment, just go to the manufacturers website. It's a bit like people that take pics of audio products at hifi shows.
 
Rob I bought a Mark II made a lead and birch plt plinth for it, and compared it in my system with the TW, same arm and cart on both turntables, it did show promise but I much preferred the TW.
 
Surely that Walker is a great TT but I think it's a perfect Hi-Fi component for those lucky to have a dedicated Listening Room
I don't have a listening room .. just a family "Living Room" in my apt and I think a light and more simple TT like the TW Raven One or similars reach a good compromise to stay in a - not only dedicated - room.

When you have your Hi-Fi nook in a normal house living room you can't have a huge battleship like that Walker with and its accessories

IMHO

casanatale20082kx6.jpg
 
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I am wondering whether anyone has any time with the latest
Whest Audio PS.30R ?

Still not exactly priced for yer Vinylist on a budget ~ However were it to retain enough of the References DNA it might prove to be an interesting piece of kit !
 
Really like the PS 30r read some of the comments both from Rob and me earlier on
Its really clean and is a hard act to beat at any price. When you hear it its hard to imagine there another two further up the range so worth a listen to if you can
 
coops - what does that say about Albert Porters reason for changing his Walker for an SP10 Mk2? Me thinks he needed the cash more than he preferred the MK2. Whilst I haven't spent any time with an SP10, I cannot believe that it's going to come close to a 'proper' high-end table. I do believe it'll sound close if your system doesn't resolves differences, as some systems do. I don't know who Porter is or what he uses, but I do know that my Lamm/Active 150s which are my personal favorites tell me what I need to know at the moment and is the reason why I don't listen to CD, as vinyl is SO enjoyable.
 
Johnj - I've heard some great things about the Terminator. Is it really that good? A friend in California is thinking about buying one to go on to his HW19. He has had his subchassis 'locked' to accomodate a parallel tracker.
 
'coops - what does that say about Albert Porters reason for changing his Walker for an SP10 Mk2?'
Rob I guess it says he prefered the Technics to the Walker, he has a mark III as well now I see.
 
Hi Rob
I love the Terminator with a ZYX Cartridge it has a wonderous sound. I used to have SME 4 Silver wired and its just in a different league. I used to have a HW19 MK 4 before I converted it to a super scout master and added the rim drive and it went really well. You might have to get a new arm board for it, speak to James he managed to get me one. I think the arm is amazing great bass detail etc just does it all well.
I am getting really tempted to go over to active speakers myself as love what they do at low level volumes but also quite tempted by Open Baffles as well
 
johnj

If you have space and like the sound, active ATC50 upwards are great. Open baffles NEED space as they don't work in small spaces. I have a good friend with the Linkwitz Orion+ in a BIG room. They work very well but sound really crap in his smaller room. They are DIY but he's really good at that stuff.

ATCs are more do-able if you can handle that 'pro-I-want-everything' sound. 50's are great, 100's are BIG and 150's BIGGER. They all use the same amp packs but sound so different but with a family sound....if you know what I mean
 

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