Reflex M/PSU1 loan

Firstly, I must support all the previous comments about the loan programme and thank everyone involved with making it happen. I recently loaned a Reflex M and being able to try it in my own home was just what I needed to make my decision. It worked  -  I have just placed my order for the Reflex M with PSU1 power supply.

Secondly, I must thank everyone at Graham Slee and all the forum members who answered my (naive) questions and offered advice so willingly and in such a friendly fashion. I can assure you that responses to my questions have not always been so graciously given.  In my quest to achieve the sound I want (more below) I have also been astounded by the lack of knowledge that most hifi dealers have of their products. They have certainly lost my interest and sales through their ignorance, dismissals and heavy-handed sales techniques.  I found none of that with those at Graham Slee or the forum members.  Knowledge, expertise and help have been offered to me without hesitation.  For that, I am also extremely grateful and this is a key part of the Graham Slee enterprise that should be strongly supported.  

My main interest in the Reflex M is to record my large collection of 78 rpm jazz records on to my iMac computer before I ruin them all with steel needles on 1940s gramophones.  Why do I need such good quality equipment to do this is the usual greeting I have received from the hifi "experts". Simple.  Older acoustic 78 records are not up to modern recording standards so to bring out what is left on the disc requires decent equipment. The later electric recordings, however, are comparable in recording quality to early vinyl records  -  so, once again, decent equipment required to hear it at its best.

I use a Rega RP78 turntable with an upgraded RB251 tonearm and RB78 cartridge (this is all Rega equipment designed to play 78s).  From this I input into the digital optical socket of a mid-2011 Apple iMac. I have experimented with a number of phono stages (mainly USB) and, while these do the job at a reasonable price, they do not give anything like the range or clarity of sound that the Reflex M gives. The bass was strikingly clear which is a particular weakness on 78s.

I tested both the PSU1 power supply and the "green" power supply.  There was a significant difference in the quality delivered with the PSU1 power supply to such an extent that I would probably not have bought the Reflex M if the only option had been the "green" supply.

Although the Reflex M I tested was already burned in I did leave it on all the time, as recommended on this forum, and after a few days there was a noticeable improvement  -  once again, particularly in the bass.

So, lots of satisfaction with what I have already heard from the Reflex M and I am now getting impatient to receive my own.

While it would be tedious for members for me to go into all the intricacies of recording 78s (equalisation and the various sound editing software, etc.) I am happy for anyone particularly interested in my experiences and trials to use PM to contact me outside the main forum.  The only thing I would add in helping others achieve the best sound quality out of their old records is that good quality cables do help as, perhaps surprisingly, does a decent, solid turntable platter to stop the needle jumping in (or out of) the grooves of 75year old records.

Once again thanks to everyone for the loan scheme and also for all the advice from forum members that helped me make my decision.  Very happy. Cheers, Bob