mprince
Super Member
The SUT is the MCL, the phono preamp is the Simplex.
Edit to add picture (my phone camera does not like the bright blue LED on the Simplex
)
Last edited:
SOTA Pyxi Initial Impressions
- Thread starter mprince
- Start date
Edit to add picture (my phone camera does not like the bright blue LED on the Simplex
)
Thanks!
Just to be clear, the Simplex is the cheapest phonostage I make but I kept the price down by eschewing things like selectable gain options or different load impedance options, and it is MM only. The more expensive Rialto is MM/MC, but the Simplex is exactly the same as the MM section of the Rialto - same circuit and same components.
Anyway, glad to hear the OP is enjoying the sound from the MCL/Simplex and that his fears of "boomy bass" with one particular cartridge turned out to be unfounded.
Anyway, glad to hear the OP is enjoying the sound from the MCL/Simplex and that his fears of "boomy bass" with one particular cartridge turned out to be unfounded.
what line stage/preamp u got there?
mprince
Super Member
It's a ZeroZone PRT-12A ChiFi "homage" to the Cary SLP-90 circuit. Got it loaded now with (4) JJ ECC802's (12AU7). Other than excessive output gain (solved with in-line attenuators), I've been very pleased with it.
oh, illbe damned--thats sold domestically by tubes4hifi/vta as their sp-10!! i just bought a board and transformers. rather than get rid of my arwenalof 12AU7, i bought this and a derelict preamps to gut and replace with the very same board you have.
im thrilled to hear its really good, and i already have a set of inline attenuators!
cool beans.
im thrilled to hear its really good, and i already have a set of inline attenuators!
cool beans.
mprince
Super Member
Well, it's good to my ears, I can't assume everyone hears what or how I hear 
. I have a second board on the way that I am going to build (with some advising/assistance) to try and knock down the gain issues a bit. The board (and components to populate it) were only like $35, so a low-investment project. I may explore upgrading some of the components, not sure yet. I don't do a lot of work with the soldering iron apart from making interconnects, so this will be a fun little project.
As an aside all of my phonostages work well with the preamp (to get this somewhat back on topic
)
. I have a second board on the way that I am going to build (with some advising/assistance) to try and knock down the gain issues a bit. The board (and components to populate it) were only like $35, so a low-investment project. I may explore upgrading some of the components, not sure yet. I don't do a lot of work with the soldering iron apart from making interconnects, so this will be a fun little project.As an aside all of my phonostages work well with the preamp (to get this somewhat back on topic
)