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Accession MM & Enigma PSU
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nemu View Drop Down
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Joined: 12 Jan 2017
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Points: 83 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote nemu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2021 at 1:57am
Hi @Big E!

Congratulations, choosing the Accession MM you made a great choice. I have got my Accession some years ago and enjoy it very much. I listend to and also own a few other much more expensive phono preamps, but always come back to use the Accession. From my perspective of few a phono preamp very much underated by people, probably because of the not so fancy look. But sound is what counts!

Have fun listening to your records.

Regards
Stephan
Accession MM (PSU1), Accession MC (Enigma PSU1)
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Deano View Drop Down
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Points: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (4) Thanks(4)   Quote Deano Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2023 at 11:42pm
G'day,

Just received my Accession MM and Enigma.  This was after a very helpful advice email from John Cadman who put me onto Keith O'Neil, Wyndham Audio, Melbourne.

Not going to write a review as it's all been said.  Powered it up and fully intended waiting a few days for burn in before an audition.  Gave into temptation after a couple of hours and what a revelation.  Was never unhappy with my Ortofon blue and Rega fono but now found I had a whole new collection to listen to.  Even my wife who shows little interest, stopped in passing with a 'wow'.

Could've listened for months with the Ortofon but a hankering to try a new cartridge is what started it all off.  Wanted to try an mc but ended up with a Fideles and Accession after quite a few email conversations and advice from Keith.  So thought I'd better fit it.  Very nice and a good upgrade though without the immediate 'wow' factor the Accession gave.

Want to give a wrap to John for his initial advice and especially to Keith for his help, advice and knowledge.  If you're down under this is a man worth contacting for anything music.  There's not many like these blokes still around.

Cheers

Deano
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Bags View Drop Down
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Points: 125 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Bags Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2024 at 12:29pm
I've had my Accession MM for a few years now.  When the enigma first came out I read Graham's view on it - that he couldn't hear a difference with the Accession MM and so I thought ok that's probably not for me.

I've been aware of Mr Rugby for a few years and take what he has to say with the proverbial pinch of salt given a number of reviews of products I've used where his review of items I have experience of was let's kindly say at odds with mine.  However his Accession MM review got me interested in hearing the Enigma again so I borrowed one under the loan scheme.

Short version is I'm now waiting for my piggy bank to get to the necessary level to order one.

The longer version...  From 'cold' the Enigma makes a huge difference to the Accession, but left plugged in the 'gap' narrows significantly so the psu1 clearly needs time to warm up.  However, even when warm the Enigma gets more out of the Accession as if somehow it gives it more headroom.  That translates into subtly better imaging, improved timing, and a richer tonality with more detail at the frequency extremes.  I listen to a lot of jazz and there's more detail in acoustic bass and cymbal work. The marginal improvements in timing make a positive difference to small acoustic settings be that jazz, string quartets, folk, or choral stuff.

If your diet is electronic music where that interplay between musicians  is often less critical you probably won't get as much from the upgrade but the additional information may make it worthwhile.

As ever the quality of your front end will dictate how much additional value you get from later stages in the information chain.  Fwiw I'm using a pimped gyrodec with an audiomods tonearm and an AT MM cartridge.  For my listening I used the fixed output of the Accession into the my solo ultra linear and a couple of different pairs of headphones...  Unlikely Mr Rugby who used the variable outputs on the Accession - not the most scientific review then Mr R.

I'd also consider cartridge/ stylus pairing when making the upgrade.  I use a AT MM cartridge body and have the ML and Shibata styli.  To my ears the richer tonality of the Shibata for the Enigma is a less good match than the ML stylus which digs out more detail. But has a slightly thinner sound I.e.  If you are an Ortofon user go Bronze rather than Black.

Hopefully that's helpful to someone considering the same upgrade.
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Fatmangolf View Drop Down
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Points: 9695 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fatmangolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2024 at 7:49pm
Good for you for revisiting your previous evaluation. Your experience with the Enigma sounds really promising so I will try swapping my PSU1 connections over to power my AccM with the Enigma when I can. It is a very good point about music that has a real recorded acoustic and separation between instruments.
Jon

Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC.
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Mikeh View Drop Down
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Points: 617 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mikeh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2024 at 8:59pm
Originally posted by Bags Bags wrote:

I've had my Accession MM for a few years now.  When the enigma first came out I read Graham's view on it - that he couldn't hear a difference with the Accession MM and so I thought ok that's probably not for me.

I've been aware of Mr Rugby for a few years and take what he has to say with the proverbial pinch of salt given a number of reviews of products I've used where his review of items I have experience of was let's kindly say at odds with mine.  However his Accession MM review got me interested in hearing the Enigma again so I borrowed one under the loan scheme.

Short version is I'm now waiting for my piggy bank to get to the necessary level to order one.


I'm a few weeks behind your experience, having used my Accession MM with PSU1 for a few years and recently grown inquisitive about the impact of an Enigma following the Rigby review. I picked up a loan Enigma from John C last week and started a few listening sessions over the intervening days. My immediate impression is that for my system, room, and aged hearing there have been noticeable, subtle changes. I get the impression of even greater clarity in treble (e.g. ringing cymbals) and more 'body' to vocals.  However, this all needs further testing as the Enigma fully settles down.
As you say, a piggy Bank raid looks likely.


Edited by Mikeh - 02 Aug 2024 at 2:34pm
Mike

Technics sl1210g with Victor U-2 or Technics EPC-205C mk4
Accession MM, Majestic + Proprius, Solo ULDE
Innuos Zen mini mk3 streamer
Harbeth P3ESR XD paired with 2x REL t5x
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Mikeh View Drop Down
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Points: 617 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Mikeh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2024 at 2:45pm
Had a word with John C today to confirm I'm sold on the benefits of the Enigma. The poor old piggy bank won't be getting fat!
Picking up on James comments, I've been listening to quite a few live recordings recently and I must say the impact of the Enigma is definitely made clear. My listening is in a small room with my little Harbeth P3ESRXDs only a metre or so away, very near field. Whatever the technical reason, the impact makes it an almost immersive experience, very appealing. I don't think this is a wishful audio illusion but a positive benefit.
Mike

Technics sl1210g with Victor U-2 or Technics EPC-205C mk4
Accession MM, Majestic + Proprius, Solo ULDE
Innuos Zen mini mk3 streamer
Harbeth P3ESR XD paired with 2x REL t5x
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alankropp View Drop Down
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Points: 16 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (3) Thanks(3)   Quote alankropp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2024 at 2:04am
I have been the happy owner of an ERA Gold V for almost 20 years now, running it opposite a number of turntable/cartridge combos: Sota Sapphire/Sumiko Blackbird, WTL Amadeus/Zu Audio DL103, and now the latter cartridge on a vintage Sansui SR-838. With the DL103 I also acquired an Elevator EXP, and it is with this TT/cart/Elevator combo that I have recently tried out the Accession.

 

First off, a shout-out to Bruce Kohl @bak for being so responsive and arranging the loan of the Accession!

 

I have always been pleased with the sound of the ERA, as it offered a significant jump in sound quality over the built-in phono preamp for any number of mid level integrated amps I've had over the years. Starting with the Sota, I committed myself to refining my vinyl front end. Maybe a bit of OCD has crept in along the way, as these efforts have now rippled across my whole system. After reading so much about the Accession in various forums over time, I decided to finally see about trying it out in my system. 

 

My A-B testing consisted of one track each from two very different albums: an original mono recording of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Jacqueline Du Pre soloist/John Barbirolli and London Symphony (EMI 1965), and Dif Juz, the 4th track on the “Vibrating Air” side of “Out of the Trees” (4AD 1986). Having listened to both on many occasions, I figured they would make a good test listen. I also liked the fact I could try out the Accession’s mono mode.

 

For both, the difference vs the ERA was quite noticeable, particularly in the upper mids and higher frequencies. Right off, I noticed the sound floor dropped, with much less surface noise. Holding back the surface noise on the nearly 60-year old Elgar permitted much more articulation and presence, with the cello and symphony seeming more distinct. Cymbal crashes seemed to hover longer, before slowly decaying. The Dif Juz track is 80s post-new wave, with a rolling percussion/piano line and higher-register male vocal. Like the Elgar, the vocals, piano and sharp percussion all were well-separated, in a way that made it possible to appreciate each in its own right, before settling back to take in the whole. Switching to mono during the Elgar seemed to tighten up the presentation, maybe by eliminating some stereo artifacts, though the effect was subtle.

 

I am in no doubt that the ERA is still a stellar pre, but the Accession seems to pull more out of the groove, and with the lower noise floor lets the music truly stand out.


Thanks to Graham, Bruce, and everyone associated with this work! 
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