Zero Distortion: FM Acoustics, Zellaton, Stenheim, Brinkmann

bonzo75 · Mar 8, 2018

microstrip said:
Did you try just replacing the stock rectifier with a new stock rectifier?

No. But I did that across two systems with same result. I compared stock recti (allnic h3000) to half priced zesto and the zesto won. I was critical of Allnic on the forums, and Myles suggested rolling rectis. When I first visited UK Paul he too had the same Allnic with stock recti, and I didn't like his system with that, while with my Lampi it was sounding delightful. Realizing the Lampi uses the 5u4g recti too (mine is the KR) I put that on to the Allnic and bam, magic. Realized Dcc is also using that with his Allnic.

So I went back to the first place of zesto compare with the KR recti and not only does the Allnic sound much better now, but he also has a twice priced Trulife, and the Allnic with the stock recti sounds worse than that while with the KR sounds better than that.

In both systems with the stock recti you get a prettiness to the highs and lack of bass/midbass, body and dynamics.

Rockitman etc also roll their rectis. I now understand that even the other tubes in the Allnic can be rolled.

The h5000 apart from the same rectifier uses my favorite tubes, the KR 242, as stock. You can also upgrade the diodes in it, as Albert Porter and babybear did. Know a guy who owns the 5000, Dartzeel, IO eclipse, thoress and NAT phonos and various carts and prefers the Allnic. Good enough data points for me.

I am sure Trulife and zesto might respond to valve rolling, but haven't tried that. Zesto for its price is quite a giant killer though

microstrip · Mar 8, 2018

bonzo75 said:
No. But I did that across two systems with same result. I compared stock recti (allnic h3000) to half priced zesto and the zesto won. I was critical of Allnic on the forums, and Myles suggested rolling rectis. When I first visited UK Paul he too had the same Allnic with stock recti, and I didn't like his system with that, while with my Lampi it was sounding delightful. Realizing the Lampi uses the 5u4g recti too (mine is the KR) I put that on to the Allnic and bam, magic. Realized Dcc is also using that with his Allnic.

So I went back to the first place of zesto compare with the KR recti and not only does the Allnic sound much better now, but he also has a twice priced Trulife, and the Allnic with the stock recti sounds worse than that while with the KR sounds better than that.

In both systems with the stock recti you get a prettiness to the highs and lack of bass/midbass, body and dynamics.

Rockitman etc also roll their rectis. I now understand that even the other tubes in the Allnic can be rolled.

The h5000 apart from the same rectifier uses my favorite tubes, the KR 242, as stock. You can also upgrade the diodes in it, as Albert Porter and babybear did. Know a guy who owns the 5000, Dartzeel, IO eclipse, thoress and NAT phonos and various carts and prefers the Allnic. Good enough data points for me.

I am sure Trulife and zesto might respond to valve rolling, but haven't tried that. Zesto for its price is quite a giant killer though

Thanks. This extreme sensitivity of devices to the tube rectifier seems to be a nightmare for consumers and is hard to understand from a technical point of view - it suggests Allnic is using an improperly chosen rectifier, something hard to believe. You are not addressing small changes or fine tuning, but going from sounding unacceptable to the best with a single change!

bonzo75 · Mar 8, 2018

Well, I am sure there are those who bought the component with the stock recti but I can't understand them. I have also given up on reading compare notes unless valves have been rolled. I just think there is a big difference in tubes. Whether 5u4g or 211s. Many manufacturers cannot source good bulk tubes in the same amount that they produce components. Some produce their own (ayon, by buying EML) or use KR like Lampi.

So probably if you buy a component you might end up with psvane, shuguang, etc etc and then have to roll. Going by forum reports, viva set amps work best with their stock shuguang. All others seem to benefit a lot with better valves.

Another guy provided the same feedback on the forum about how the kronos phono, based on Trulife, is planning to progress with better valves because he knows it will thrown in the ring with top quality phonos and without proper valves will lose the battle

wisnon · Mar 8, 2018

My FMA demo session from 2014 (with Matej from Mono&Stereo also in attendance). I thought the sonics were superb!

wisnon · Mar 8, 2018

caesar · Mar 8, 2018

Hi Bonzo,

Outstanding work! As Always!

You ever ponder how much play money it would take to get all cool toys you travel to see into your own lair?

Also, what are your top 5 or top 7 for turntable set ups you have heard?

caesar · Mar 8, 2018

Also, have you heard the multi-towered YG system the "audio press" have been raving about?

bonzo75 · Mar 8, 2018

caesar said:
Hi Bonzo,

Outstanding work! As Always!

You ever ponder how much play money it would take to get all cool toys you travel to see into your own lair?

Also, what are your top 5 or top 7 for turntable set ups you have heard?

This is very difficult to answer, but I think what matters is the arm cart phono match, and it is required to have 2 to 3 types of TTs rather than concentrate your budget in 1. I would rather have a good idler, a good DD and a good belt and optimize each, with one quality SS phono and one valve.

I don't think spending loads on a TT helps. I have seen the same TT sounding bad and sounding good, and usually when it's good, it has been set up by an old veteran, irrespective of price. Get good records instead. This was evident here, the FM phono and the Jan Allaertz match was great with the brinkmann, which by today's high end standards is reasonably priced.

bonzo75 · Mar 8, 2018

caesar said:
Also, have you heard the multi-towered YG system the "audio press" have been raving about?

No but YG are excellent when set up right. Otherwise they sound metallic and hard.

Set up right they have lovely mids and stat like decay. Bass, you can add subs if required

flyer · Mar 8, 2018

bonzo75 said:
Well, I am sure there are those who bought the component with the stock recti but I can't understand them. I have also given up on reading compare notes unless valves have been rolled. I just think there is a big difference in tubes. Whether 5u4g or 211s. Many manufacturers cannot source good bulk tubes in the same amount that they produce components. Some produce their own (ayon, by buying EML) or use KR like Lampi.

So probably if you buy a component you might end up with psvane, shuguang, etc etc and then have to roll. Going by forum reports, viva set amps work best with their stock shuguang. All others seem to benefit a lot with better valves.

Another guy provided the same feedback on the forum about how the kronos phono, based on Trulife, is planning to progress with better valves because he knows it will thrown in the ring with top quality phonos and without proper valves will lose the battle

For anyone interested, I have a customer that sells his Trulife Audio Argo phono preamp. It is only 1.5 years old. PM me if interested.

bonzo75 · Mar 8, 2018

flyer said:
For anyone interested, I have a customer that sells his Trulife Audio Argo phono preamp. It is only 1.5 years old. PM me if interested.

There is a guy named Chris F on the forum who suggested what valves to use with the Trulife, so if anyone buys he can refer to that

flyer · Mar 8, 2018

Great! Thanks.

KeithR · Mar 8, 2018

bonzo75 said:
No. But I did that across two systems with same result. I compared stock recti (allnic h3000) to half priced zesto and the zesto won. I was critical of Allnic on the forums, and Myles suggested rolling rectis. When I first visited UK Paul he too had the same Allnic with stock recti, and I didn't like his system with that, while with my Lampi it was sounding delightful. Realizing the Lampi uses the 5u4g recti too (mine is the KR) I put that on to the Allnic and bam, magic. Realized Dcc is also using that with his Allnic.

So I went back to the first place of zesto compare with the KR recti and not only does the Allnic sound much better now, but he also has a twice priced Trulife, and the Allnic with the stock recti sounds worse than that while with the KR sounds better than that.

In both systems with the stock recti you get a prettiness to the highs and lack of bass/midbass, body and dynamics.

seems you are introducing quite a variable for a source component.

tunes · Mar 8, 2018

Ked
Nice report of your visit. When Gideon had the Zellaton Statements in and had just received a pair of Stenheim Fives, I was able to drop in for a visit. I did the opposite order to you, we started with the Fives and then moved to the Statements. As you noted, both are outstanding, but the Statements require more space and more budget.
The setup was firing down the room rather than across the room like your photos. Also, I think the cart was a modified EMT. Which Allaerts did Gideon use? The boron mk2 or finish or other?
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Chris

bonzo75 · Mar 8, 2018

It was the boron

LL21 · Mar 8, 2018

bonzo75 said:
No but YG are excellent when set up right. Otherwise they sound metallic and hard.

Set up right they have lovely mids and stat like decay. Bass, you can add subs if required

I could believe that. I have heard YG Anat Ref IIs with Ypsilon Ref monos (SET 100 watt), and Boulder pre/DAC, and was surprised to find it crystalline but metallic/hard...I could totally believe that it could have sounded otherwise, even in that room with a slightly different setup/something.

I have also read quite a lot of progress in this regards with YGs over the last few generations.

bonzo75 · Mar 8, 2018

That's not a good match for the YG, it needs proper current and power and the new Hailey and above are better than the older Anat

LL21 · Mar 8, 2018

bonzo75 said:
That's not a good match for the YG, it needs proper current and power and the new Hailey and above are better than the older Anat

Probably right, though i would have thought the Ypsilon would have had quite a lot current? And yes, definitely could believe that based on what i've consistently about the Hailey and subsequent YG Sonjas.

bonzo75 · Mar 8, 2018

Ypsilon Aelius was not good at drive, so not sure the set will be.

Ron Resnick · Mar 8, 2018

A very interesting report, Kedar! Thank you!

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