So how's it sounding (or is it too early to give us folks some initial impressions). Mightilly impressed with this turntable's credentials as i know that arm heard on both yours and Jakes systems sounded fab. so am thinking this could be quite the setup once dialled in.

19 minutes ago, Tubularbells said:

So how's it sounding (or is it too early to give us folks some initial impressions). Mightilly impressed with this turntable's credentials as i know that arm heard on both yours and Jakes systems sounded fab. so am thinking this could be quite the setup once dialled in.

 Come over and decide for yourself! ?

Very happy with it,  too many superlatives to list !

Pitch stability and dynamics plus imaging to die for!

Just went and made a bigger shelf to fit the perspex lid that cradles the deck.

 

Ah, good looking thing Clive, beautiful in fact can hardly wait to have a listen after all this corvid thing subsides.

Have a good one.

Very nice Clive I hope you enjoy

actually not that long a few weeks (if i recall correctly) but due to my personal situation i have delayed the delivery time.

Another package delivery - can't wait to fire it up! ?

 

 

Gee you must have been good this year!

 

Pffttt evil my ass!!!! ?

6 minutes ago, Tubularbells said:

Gee you must have been good this year!

 

Pffttt evil my ass!!!! ?

My wife certainly doesn't believe I'm good! ?

Besides,  this is just a loaner. 

10 minutes ago, evil c said:

  this is just a loaner. 

yep sure...

14 minutes ago, betty boop said:

yep sure...

You doubt my word?? ?

15 minutes ago, evil c said:

You doubt my word?? ?

I know its ... code 

 

that translates to

 

"just wait till i plug it in"  

Don't worry I also have many "products on loan" [permanently] in the church.

46 minutes ago, betty boop said:

I know its ... code 

 

that translates to

 

"just wait till i plug it in"  

On this occasion Simon from design build listen organised a loan of a customer's phono - whether the customer gets it back is a moot point! ?

And beyond my (self) control!

First impressions very favorable, 

From a cold start - Rachmaninoff- Symphonic dances followed by Radiohead - A Moon shaped pool sounded very good. 

Edited June 10, 20205 yr by evil c

The fact you can't spell is also a moot point, now that you have new gear.

7 minutes ago, Gee Emm said:

The fact you can't spell is also a moot point, now that you have new gear.

That's a cheap shot to sling - Graeme ! ?

17 minutes ago, evil c said:

On this occasion Simon from design build listen organised a loan of a customer's phono - whether the customer gets it back is a mute point! ?

And beyond my (self) control!

First impressions very favorable, 

From a cold start - Rachmaninoff- Symphonic dances followed by Radiohead - A Moon shaped pool sounded very good. 

dont worry you are amongst friends  like TB I am similarly guilty as charged... tend to have itinerant visitors that tend to take up permanent residency...  though apparently as long as the box count is maintained is all right in the world  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organized a Thai lunch GTG/ listening session yesterday with well known characters @Tubularbells @Quark @Peter-C @betty boop and @Anatoly Beaver-Hausen.

 

 I was interested in the opinions of learned ears on the performance of the Wand deck plus the phono kindly loaned to me by Simon Brown from design build listen. 

It will be officially released for sale in early July I believe. 

 

The phono I received was the naked version sans wood case and around $300 cheaper.

It can be fitted into a cutout section underneath the Wand deck,  and believe is a bit cheaper if bought together with the turntable. 

 

We compared the Wand and Pass labs Aleph Ono phono's against each other.  

I initially ran the Wand phono and opinions were mainly that I was playing via the Pass!

 

Played a UHQR copy of Supertramp Crime of the century,  and everyone was very impressed with the depth and sparkle in the recording. 

I then played a few tracks of demo albums, (Herbie Hancock Imagine Project , Zero 7 - Simple Things) and swapped between the two Phonos. 

General consensus was the Pass had a tad more width and depth to the soundstage,  however everyone commented that had they not heard the Pass - would have been more than happy with the sound from the Wand!

One mentioned maybe slightly better clarity with the Wand phono. 

 

They all thought remarkable value for a much cheaper unit to be such a close competitor with a phono worth many times that.

Here you can see the Wand phono dwarfed by the massive Pass phono it is sitting on!

Also lot of admiration for the Wand deck,  looks, design and performance wise, plus thought integrating the Phono in the plinth base was a very good idea.  

 

So will call it as a definitive thumbs up!

Myself feeling confident that the Wand deck is a clear step up performance wise over the Linn sondek LP12,  I recently sold and fortunately for me - everyone thought the same! ?

 

good to be over and excellent to check out the lovely gear evilc. my thoughts straight off on visiting were a lighter feel to the sound, not really knowing at that stage another phono stage in the mix  and attributed to the deck. definitely came apparent later to me the more lighter feel to he sound probably some relation to the wand phono. i felt the pass overall felt a more fuller - wholesome - together sound, the wand had that more lighter feel to it... and this could i would suggest also mean more upper end detail, air and such. both quite excellent in sound. folks would be happy with either

 

overall great addition to the system the new deck has been. system overall has gone up some notches id suggest in detail, noise floor and bass control... not that was in anyways shabby to start with ! great update and good you always still keen to explore for further gains  

Congratulations Clive. Looks fantastic, mate! I guess this means @scuzzii and I will have to make an another trip to Evil Springs for tunes, wine and chicken! Damn shame this year’s show isn’t happening!

33 minutes ago, betty boop said:

good to be over and excellent to check out the lovely gear evilc. my thoughts straight off on visiting were a lighter feel to the sound, not really knowing at that stage another phono stage in the mix  and attributed to the deck. definitely came apparent later to me the more lighter feel to he sound probably some relation to the wand phono. i felt the pass overall felt a more fuller - wholesome - together sound, the wand had that more lighter feel to it... and this could i would suggest also mean more upper end detail, air and such. both quite excellent in sound. folks would be happy with either

 

overall great addition to the system the new deck has been. system overall has gone up some notches id suggest in detail, noise floor and bass control... not that was in anyways shabby to start with ! great update and good you always still keen to explore for further gains  

I tend to agree al - initially even with the Pass labs phono I felt early on the Wand deck presented a lighter presentation. 

However after lengthy listening sessions , realised that it was clearer and better definition and imaging to the mix!

15 minutes ago, Doppelganger said:

Congratulations Clive. Looks fantastic, mate! I guess this means @scuzzii and I will have to make an another trip to Evil Springs for tunes, wine and chicken! Damn shame this year’s show isn’t happening!

It is very much so - Greg!

Still welcome any time here, if you guys find another excuse to head down here. ?

16 minutes ago, evil c said:

I tend to agree al - initially even with the Pass labs phono I felt early on the Wand deck presented a lighter presentation. 

However after lengthy listening sessions , realised that it was clearer and better definition and imaging to the mix!

It is very much so - Greg!

Still welcome any time here, if you guys find another excuse to head down here. ?

Forever the host!!

10 minutes ago, scuzzii said:

Forever the host!!

The only person that picture flatters is the guy not in it!

Great to see the Wand turntable up close yesterday. Personally I love the way it looks along with some outside the box features it possesses but seeing it in the flesh demonstrates how well this thing is put together. Also love the the tactile switch and the blinking amber light as it comes up to speed along with the oversized platter which would not only improve platter stability but also increase the torque so id suspect this won't bog down when applying a cleaning brush to the surface of a record.

 

Phono is no slouch either and suggested to Clive that perhaps the small differences we were hearing between this and his existing phono could also be due to loading differences so although I (slightly) preferred the Pass it could be potentially due to the  loading settings so id like to hear again with both having the same loading (and possibly gain if adjustable).

 

 

 

 

Edited June 13, 20205 yr by Tubularbells

1 hour ago, Doppelganger said:

The only person that picture flatters is the guy not in it!

Yeah you'll keep @scuzzii!! ?

I'll be waiting to take a pic of you with your cheeks puffed out with food! 

was just saying I loved being over at your place. Pity the group hug pic didn't come out properly..

 

 

the system was enormous that day, the grub was just as sensational.