How good is the Vendetta SCP 2a phono amp compared to the newer stuff

Loheswaran

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Dec 19, 2014
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I am curious to hear from those who have or who own the vendetta SCP 2a? I am told it still is an astonishing bit of kit and I am hopefully gonna get hold of one.
 

BruceD

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Dec 13, 2013
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Well Loh, let me say---even though here is the pathway probably to the gallows!:p--that in my 58 years since I bought my first "Hi Fi piece" there has been only two Phono stages that have passed muster with Moi

One is the Mares Connoisseur

The other the Vendetta SCP

I've owned the 2a 2b and currently have the Teflon capped 2T

All I can say is ---if you are thinking of the one for sale in Phoenix-- if its' up to spec --grab it--no brainer

Most Phono stages /outboard/separate/Tube/SS-- I've heard and auditioned up till now have rarely if ever come near the the benchmark of the two mentioned

My opinion -as you requested-- Others out there?--TVMV

BruceD
 

Loheswaran

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Dec 19, 2014
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Hi Bruce
You've seen the same thing as me...
the seller seems a decent guy, and the VR is so damn rare that I can't pass up on this one
I e-mailed John Curl and he said it can be converted to 240 easily without any trouble. He also said not to bother/stress over an upgrade to teflon capacitors. How does the Teflon version compare to the version A?
I have been pondering the DS audio light cartridge - but I will put that on old - I've waited for this one for ages.

I fished out the article by Roy Gregory in HiFi plus and that was quite interesting. He is a big fan of the Tom Evans Groove - I am personally not a big fan of it - I tried it in my system and found it was too forward and lacked depth of field compared to the Whest 0.20. By the same token he put it up there just short of the Boulder and the Connoisseur. I respect his ear on just about everything bar the groove (in my system) - I recall speaking to him and he said the Groove may well have just been 'tto much' of what i already had with the Lavardin Amp and Yamaha speakers.
 

audioblazer

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Never touch any Tom Evans products . Service is non existent & he is not honorable
 

BruceD

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Hi Bruce
You've seen the same thing as me...
the seller seems a decent guy, and the VR is so damn rare that I can't pass up on this one
I e-mailed John Curl and he said it can be converted to 240 easily without any trouble. He also said not to bother/stress over an upgrade to teflon capacitors. How does the Teflon version compare to the version A?
I have been pondering the DS audio light cartridge - but I will put that on old - I've waited for this one for ages.

I fished out the article by Roy Gregory in HiFi plus and that was quite interesting. He is a big fan of the Tom Evans Groove - I am personally not a big fan of it - I tried it in my system and found it was too forward and lacked depth of field compared to the Whest 0.20. By the same token he put it up there just short of the Boulder and the Connoisseur. I respect his ear on just about everything bar the groove (in my system) - I recall speaking to him and he said the Groove may well have just been 'tto much' of what i already had with the Lavardin Amp and Yamaha speakers.

Yes the 240v conversion to the two supplies is easy--JC will send you the instructions--or I have the basic notes how to achieve same if you need .

ha! well I like Roy--spoken to him at shows very personable--I've only heard One Groove that I can recall and it was OK not in the class of the Mares/Vendetta's--or is RG's the Lyra version-- I've not heard the latter but ears I trust say the Peter Mares effort is the jewel in the crown.

Also depends on your MC you must be aware the VR Loading is set variable between 10 and 250 Ohms--JC will have to tell you if you wish outside this Parameter --but can be done--even 47K.

Good Luck

BruceD
 

Loheswaran

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Dec 19, 2014
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Hi Bruce

The same guy is selling a Mares Connoisseur 2 - from my reading of 'that thread' they were the most bespoke - not sure if they were the best. I decided not to go for it for 2 reasons:
1. They are so delicate I cannot take the chance with shipping such a work of art
2. I get the impression that they run hot
3. combining 1 and 2 above I was a bit worried about how long I would have it, and if somebody could work on it
4. It was a bit too expensive for me - not THE MAJOR FACTOR -

I have gone for the Vendetta
I was thinking that when my business takes off John Carr and co would have decided to make a new phono amp by then - one lives in hope
 

Loheswaran

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Dec 19, 2014
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I am so upset and stressed out. Having received my Vendetta I used a step down transformer, and I got sound out of one channel (right). I had only plugged the earth into one channel. I checked the fuses, and they looked fine. I went away for 1/2 an hour and then returned. To my horror I now only got an exceptionally faint rather crackly sound out of the left channel.
I got the Vendetta after a long hard search and I am gutted - I could have got a new JC3 plus for about the same money, or I was gonna get a DS Audio Light cartridge - instead I went to get my holy grail to find it filled with Vineger - can anyone here help me at all?
 

Loheswaran

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Dec 19, 2014
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Quick update - opened the casing - no smell of burning - did a quick voltmeter check - no issues on the phono stage part

BTW just noted one of the tranformer parts were made in South Ockendon in near Grays in Essex - who'd have thought - south Ockendon is a right dive
 
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Loheswaran

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Dec 19, 2014
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Quick update
My sad story of woe is that some electrolytics needed replacing. It overloaded the circuit and managed to damage my lavardin IT to the tune of over £1000.
I got a chap from hear audio in the UK who replaced the caps with Elnas, and put some low noise IC's in there. I first plugged the stage into a cheap Yamaha AV amp that I bought (wanted to make sure everything was safe) and it was special.
Got my Lavardin IT back - and things just keep getting better. I need to reterminate my Nordost Tyr arm cable, so I have been using a cheapo cable. In short the sound has such a luxurious listenable quality that draws you in, and it has such body as well. Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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thekong

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May 10, 2012
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Sorry to hear your problem!

But yes, many Vendettas need caps replacement. We have 4 SCP2a and 2b among the group, and at least 2 of them needed to have the electrolytic caps replaced.
 

Brian Walsh

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Out of curiosity, what was the price on the Vendetta you bought?
 
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bonzo75

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How does the Vendetta compare to newer phonos like FMA 122, Thrax Orpheus, or Thoress?
 

Loheswaran

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Dec 19, 2014
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Hi Bonzo - my only reference is my whest ps 0.2 and an old memory of other stages I tested about 10 years ago. It is a lot more 'organic' than new offerings without losing detail, nor tipping into euphonic
 

BruceD

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How does the Vendetta compare to newer phonos like FMA 122, Thrax Orpheus, or Thoress?


Before one considers A /B comparisons with other/existing MC phono stages ( All the V-SCPs are LOMC ONLY) here is the chart of the models

Good Listening

BruceD

SCP-2A - phase reversed came in 2 boxes
SCP-2B - phase corrected, variable loading, came in a 19" faceplate joining the 2 mono units.
SCP-2C - adds 47K ohm support
SCP-2D - improvement with a drop in distortion, rare and hard to find.
SCP-2T - latest revision by JC, $1500 in mods that will change the wires, FET's, and add expensive Teflon caps, and other proprietary treatments. Need a good unit to get started. The Vendetta and the T upgrade would easily run $4000-5000 now on the used market.
 

Brian Walsh

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Jul 7, 2011
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Before one considers A /B comparisons with other/existing MC phono stages ( All the V-SCPs are LOMC ONLY) here is the chart of the models

Good Listening

BruceD

SCP-2A - phase reversed came in 2 boxes
SCP-2B - phase corrected, variable loading, came in a 19" faceplate joining the 2 mono units.
SCP-2C - adds 47K ohm support
SCP-2D - improvement with a drop in distortion, rare and hard to find.
SCP-2T - latest revision by JC, $1500 in mods that will change the wires, FET's, and add expensive Teflon caps, and other proprietary treatments. Need a good unit to get started. The Vendetta and the T upgrade would easily run $4000-5000 now on the used market.

Indeed, only a handful of 2Ts exist, and JC's declining eyesight - effectively blind in one eye - makes it difficult at best for him.
 

TommyTunes

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Jan 16, 2012
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Just got a Vendetta 2T which was fully updated by John Curl 4 years ago. It will be replacing a Sim Audio phono stage in my second room. I'll be using it with an SME 20/3 with V arm with an Lyra Atlas, which should compliment it nicely. I want to see how it compares to my ARC REF3.
 

Brian Walsh

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Jul 7, 2011
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Does anyone have a contact email for john curl?

Yes, but be aware that he very rarely replies to email. You need to call him on the phone.

Email me (not PM) for his contact info. I just spoke with him yesterday.
 

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