Reflex C review from Austin, TX

 

Lest you die from suspense, I'm shocked at what an improvement the Reflex C is over my PS Audio GCPH. I've been on the vinyl upgrade path this fall, beginning with purchasing a Mark V platter and bearing for my venerable VPI HW Mark II. Once that not small task was accomplished, I upgraded my Dynavector 10x5 to a Dynavector 20x2 low output. My arm is an SME IV. Better, but not the magic I was hoping for. Finally, I sprung for the Reflex C after considering many competitors (many! there is a lot of competition at this price point). If it's of interest, I was swayed by the fact this is a single-purpose component--low output MC--and reasoned that other phono preamps were trying to be Swiss Army knives addressing MM and low and high output MC. I also tried to read the reviews carefully and the promise of solid-state design (imperative because of living near eight television and radio broadcast towers) with tube-like warmth was appealing.

 

Of course I plugged it in and immediately put on a record. Ugh. An hour later I tried again, not bad. About six hours in, I wondered if it needed to get better--it sounded great! I have played so many LPs over the last few days and feel like I've finally rediscovered the magic of vinyl. Joni Mitchell of course, Donald Fagen, The Civil Wars, Yes, Bonnie Raitt, Alan Parson, Judith Owen, James Taylor, and Phoebe Snow, just to name a few. I have an excellent digital front end--Bryston BDP1 and Line Magnetic 502--but the vinyl--finally--sounds better. I compared the quite good digital of Phoebe Snow to the vinyl and the vinyl was organic while the digital was simply accurate.

 

I would say that upgrading to the Reflex C has made more difference that going from the $450 10x5 to the $850 20x2, and I would have bet that it wouldn't. And, if all reports are right, it will continue to improve! I'm hearing so much more detail and transparency that I feel like I have a new record collection. And it does the enviable trick of quieting the record as well. I pulled out an old copy of Fleetwood Mac's Then Play On thinking it would be marginal. Instead, I listened to the entire side without getting up.

 

Cheers!