A week ago I took delivery of a Accession MM and a Reflex M and a pair of CuSat50 Cables,
via the Canadian loaner program.
Let me first thank Godra for sending me these units to demo and especially Graham for
facilitating such a generous program for prospective buyers!!!
Last week I unpacked the box that I received from Raphael and powered up these units, the Ac MM in my main system and the R M in my 2nd system. Moving my Thorens TD 160 to the main system I fired everything up and spun a few albums. I found it difficult to decide on which loading setting was best for my Nagaoka MP-200 cartridge?
After switching back and forth a bunch of times I settled on the 220pf setting. To my old ears, it seemed slightly better.
My first impressions were not that mind blowing, things sounded ok but the sound stage collapsed by about half the width that I am use to with my digital set up. My digital player is a Bryston BDP-2 feeding a Musical Paradise MP-D2 tubed DAC,
I feel this make VERY good sound.
I was not about to give up and decided to let the Accession sit there for a week powered up as I have read that Graham's preamps will sound better left powered up and should sound better after an extended time powered up.
Last night I decided to play a few albums to see if things had settled in over the week. I played my new Acoustic Sounds, Willie Nelson / Stardust and was completely surprised at
how the sound had changed! The soundstage was back to almost what I get with the digital system. When I say almost, I mean very close. The presentation does reveal the good qualities that most analog shows vs. digital. I will not say one is better than the other, just different.
Up next was one side of Metalica's Black album to see how some heavier material would sound. Again, I was impressed with how things were sounding!
This weekend I will play the Accession for a day and then try the Reflex for a day in the main system and see if I first can tell if there is a noticeable difference, and 2nd, which I prefer.
------------- 1st: Sony DVP-NS9100ES, Bryston BDP-2, Sansui, TU-717> MP-D2 DAC> W4S, STP-SE> XP-4080> 2A3 SET, CA-150> FH-1, K-402 2nd: TD 160, DVD 2900> Sansui AU-717> La Scala, Heresy3
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