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Welcome to the Graham Slee Audio Products Owners Forum

 

Open to all owners plus those contemplating the purchase of a Graham Slee HiFi System Components audio product and wishing to use this forum's loaner program: join here (Rules on posting can be found here)

This website along with trade marks Graham Slee and HiFi System Components are owned by Cadman Enterprises Ltd

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MattB View Drop Down
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Joined: 12 Jul 2020
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    Posted: 13 Jul 2020 at 8:53am
Hello

Thanks for adding me to the forum. After boring my two children with tales of record players and vinyl, I was bought my first record in over 30 years by my son for Fathers Day!

This has prompted me to try and get my old turntable up and running again. In my teens, helped by my Hi-Fi enthusiast uncle, I bought a systemdek 11X with a LV-V Basik tonearm. He specced a Nagaoka MP11 cartridge and I ran it with an assortment of budget amps from comet and Kef Coda speakers.

After finally swapping to CDs in the mid 90’s and exclusively to streaming for the last 8 years.  My set up consists of a Naim unitiqute2 and Spendor A3 floorstanders. For years, previously I streamed via a squeezebox classic and Rotel RA 04 amp in the kitchen via some small mission speakers.

I’ve bought an entry level Project phono stage just to get the deck set up again and because I want to play it via the Unitiqute. I’m going to get a new MP11 stylus for the cartridge and am hoping to borrow a Graham Slee phono-stage to compare with the project.  

As you’d expect you can read all shades of reviews for any piece of Hi Fi equipment and the GS communicator and SE2 that I have been looking at have had superlative reviews and ones at the opposite end of the spectrum. It’s a bit like looking up medical advice on the internet! 

I’m also considering the Rega Fono Mk111 and Schitt Mani Stages. My budget is very much in this area.  Sorry new to forums in general, so apologies if I should have posted elsewhere.

Any thoughts on stages appreciated.

Cheers
Matt
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Aussie Mick View Drop Down
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Points: 1091 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Aussie Mick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2020 at 10:34am
Welcome, Matt.
  Fabulous that you’re rediscovering vinyl. I think the general advice here is to utilize the loan scheme and judge for yourself, in your own system, for two full weeks. You’ve got some super gear already, and if you’re going to be using the deck frequently, you might like to also try the Reflex and Accession. 
Best of luck,
Mick.
Rega RP8 - Apheta 2 - Accession MC Enigma PS -Solo ULDE (Focal Utopia) - PS Audio M700 - Fical Kanta No2
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Cyreg View Drop Down
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Points: 313 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cyreg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2020 at 10:40am
Welcome Matt, you can see my setup, below in the systemprofile
 
Since 2 years I have the GramAmp2 Communicator (with PSU1) sounding very very good in my stereosystem with the Nagaoka MP110 (newer model > replacement of the MP11)
 
Tried several other phonoamps (also much more expensive ones) and the Communicator for me is coming out on top every time with a clean, detailed enough and rythmic sound with nice ambiance 
 
OK, I do use a PSU1 with it (rare combi) and that makes a big difference of course
But with the Basic PS it's already pretty good ;-)
 
Try out a few GSP phonoamps with and without a PSU1 on the smart loanprogram
 
Good luck with your choice :-)
TecnoDec/RB250/MP110>GramAmp2C/PSU1; Cyrus CD8SE; Cyrus FM7 > Exposure XXXV > Harbeth C7ES-3 '35th Anniversary'
cabling: IC 3x DNM V3; LScable Exposure DMF-two; Furu TP60 + MWaY and AH! powercords   
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Fatmangolf View Drop Down
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Points: 8998 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fatmangolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2020 at 10:21pm
Welcome to our friendly community Matt. FWIW I returned to vinyl and am so glad I kept my all records. In the eighties the Systemdek was on my wish list but out of my reach!

The loan scheme is great because you can hear the gear you want to try. Before the loans I started with Graham's DAK kit Genera which I still own (it's been out in other hi-fi homes!), then worked my way up being very happy with the VFM at each level. I also tried the loan gear and thought the GA2SE was very good value if that helps. I believe it would be a good one to try first against your existing preamp.
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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patientot View Drop Down
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Points: 1525 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote patientot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2020 at 12:05am
Welcome. 

As a former Mani owner I'll save you some time and just say don't bother. That has to be the most over-hyped piece of equipment I've ever owned. The noisiest, hissiest phono stage I've ever owned - the noise was audible in quiet parts of music! It also picked up significant RFI at one point. 

You're much better off trying one of the GS models. The loan program is great. My advice would be to try one model in your budget range and maybe one that is a bit of a stretch to start. That should help you decide what to aim for. 


Edited by patientot - 14 Jul 2020 at 12:07am
SL-1200 MK7 (modified) + Reflex M + PSU-1 used with AT150-40ML, AT VM95ML, Stanton 680mkII + Ogura, and Shure M35X cartridges.
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fluddite View Drop Down
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Points: 416 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fluddite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2020 at 1:22am
Originally posted by patientot patientot wrote:

Welcome. 

As a former Mani owner I'll save you some time and just say don't bother. That has to be the most over-hyped piece of equipment I've ever owned. The noisiest, hissiest phono stage I've ever owned - the noise was audible in quiet parts of music! It also picked up significant RFI at one point. 

You're much better off trying one of the GS models. The loan program is great. My advice would be to try one model in your budget range and maybe one that is a bit of a stretch to start. That should help you decide what to aim for. 

Schitt by name and by nature, eh? (Well, somebody had to say it... Embarrassed)

I absolutely endorse what David says - having recently used the wonderful GS loan scheme to audition both the Era Gold V and the Accession MM, I can testify that both of them left my current Rega Fono eating dust in terms of detail, soundstage, responsiveness, dynamics etc. While I appreciate that they're outside your comparator price range, I imagine that a nicely-warmed-up loan Communicator or 2SE would take less than a fortnight to convince you where to invest your hard-earned... Wink Suffice it to say that I'm now saving up my hard-earned for an Accession! 

f.
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