I had a CDT3 for some years. It was very reliable, never missing a beat! Same can be said for the transport in my current CD 2.1 x/11 player.
How are you getting on? How does it compare to your previous amp?
How are you getting on? How does it compare to your previous amp?
Not a Jinro integrated? It looks like they are a similar price to a Meishu Silver Sig?Hmm, where to start...
The amp itself is fantastic, the phono stage is definitely better than the one in my Oto Sig, it's seems to reduce groove noise whilst letting the music just sound absolutely absorbing. It has better control over the bass and seems to go deeper. The highs are effortless.
It's everything @rabski said in his review, I loved it and would be ordering one soon.
But..
The problem is, I listened briefly to a Tomei Kensai with E Spe he speakers not long before and that has had a profound effect on me, it was just completely jaw dropping. Unfortunately I can't afford one but I'm now considering trying a Jinro (also 211) to see how close I can get to the Tomei sound. If it's what I'm hoping, it'll end up changing my game plan and means being patient.
I'm tempted to go either M3 riaa > Jinro > E Spe he.
Or
M3 phono > Jinro Schochu > An E Spe He.
This is not good for my bank account.
The Meishu is fantastic though and if sanity prevails, I have no doubt I'll own one by Autumn.
Not a Jinro integrated? It looks like they are a similar price to a Meishu Silver Sig?
I would like to think that something like that will be my final amp in around 10 yrs time.
Sounds like you might be selling a DAC?Any users of Audio Note DACs here?
I have one in my headphone system, fits in very nicely with my Stax Headphones and energiser.
The head phone system doesn't get as much use since we went detached. :0)
I'm at the point in the AN hierarchy where whichever way I go, it's going to start getting expensive so time for serious thinking.So many options
If vinyl is your primary source, then I'd have to say that an Io is likely to be a serious step up from the IQ. Unfortunately though, to get that uplift, the SUT is crucial and far from pocket money...
This is exactly what I would do in your position - I am the very happy owner of a pair of AN-E SPe HE - upping the quality of the transducers at both ends of the chain is definitely going to give you the biggest gains IMOSaying all of that, going back to the Oto Sig was ok and I'm still really happy with it, so that says a lot about how good it is.
The other option would be to stick with it, buy the speakers, get an Io1 and sut and buy more vinyl.
I don't disagree. But playing devil's advocate, it's not quite so clear cut when you look at (or rather, listen to) a Meishu and realise how much difference it can make.This is exactly what I would do in your position - I am the very happy owner of a pair of AN-E SPe HE - upping the quality of the transducers at both ends of the chain is definitely going to give you the biggest gains IMO
That's been a feeling all along.This is exactly what I would do in your position - I am the very happy owner of a pair of AN-E SPe HE - upping the quality of the transducers at both ends of the chain is definitely going to give you the biggest gains IMO
Precisely why I'm going to make sure I never listen to oneI don't disagree. But playing devil's advocate, it's not quite so clear cut when you look at (or rather, listen to) a Meishu and realise how much difference it can make.
I have dac 2.1x, by far the best dac I have owned, and I have had a fewAny users of Audio Note DACs here?
I have one in my headphone system, fits in very nicely with my Stax Headphones and energiser.
The head phone system doesn't get as much use since we went detached. :0)
Meishu is ok. It's the 211s that are disastrous.Precisely why I'm going to make sure I never listen to one
This is true however I bought a secondhand IO on here a couple of years ago with an ANS2 for a very reasonable price. AN serviced the IO because of a suspension problem and it was about £150 for the service. AN IO is incredible value if you can buy secondhand and get AN to service it for you. A full refurb I believe is £800 and that is a very low percentage against retail as other manufacturers doing trade-ins only give about a 10-20% discount. So long term it works out very well.I don't disagree. But playing devil's advocate, it's not quite so clear cut when you look at (or rather, listen to) a Meishu and realise how much difference it can make.
That, of course, does lead to an alternative halfway house suggestion: Meishu plus a relatively serious MC cartridge from outside of the AN range. You'll still need a step-up or head amp, but most 'normal' MCs will want to play with a 1:10 or 1:20 ratio and the shopping basket won't need quite as much pound power as for the Io.
I would be inclined to agree. I found that I always enjoy an Audio Note system regardless of the components. Transducers are where it is at for me although I admit that going back to Audio Research amps after many years with a really good Marantz PM11S2 showed me how much of a difference a great amp can make. But even so transducers and crate digging for LPs!!! Best of luck. Happy problem to solve with no downsides apart from money!Saying all of that, going back to the Oto Sig was ok and I'm still really happy with it, so that says a lot about how good it is.
The other option would be to stick with it, buy the speakers, get an Io1 and sut and buy more vinyl.