Can you pick out what is what?

As long as a phono stage provides low noise and an accurate RIAA response, I’m not certain you realy need an uber expensive one. Sure you can spice things up with fancy circuitry or tubes etc, but ultimately, they don’t necessarily sound better, but different, as has been said an abundance of times.

One never needs an expensive anything but sound quality greatly improves with better equipment - especially phonostages. Most people who disagree have never owned expensive gear - they don’t think its worth it and decry the cost for those who do. I've owned an ARC PH 2SE, PH5, PH7, PH8 and now a REF 2SE over the course of 20 years and each time the improvement was significant until I got to the REF 2SE and it's AWESOME. I'm still blown away by its massive architecture of sound, extraordinary detail and sheer musicality.

Sure you can spice things up with fancy circuitry or tubes etc, but ultimately, they don’t necessarily sound better, but different, as has been said an abundance of times.

Remembering that better is different from worse.....

audioguy85, the video download pack also contains examples of the same cartridge on the three very different Phono stages.     I will not be giving away my findings just yet, but let me just say I am not disagreeing with you! 😉

 

As long as a phono stage provides low noise and an accurate RIAA response, I’m not certain you realy need an uber expensive one. Sure you can spice things up with fancy circuitry or tubes etc, but ultimately, they don’t necessarily sound better, but different, as has been said an abundance of times. Also, concerning cartridges, I’ve adopted Avid hifi’s take on the matter, the foundation (turntable) matters most. You’d be surprised how well a so called cheap cartridge can sound on a very well made turntable.

wolf_garcia, I want to get inspired by other people.  If you say you like spicy food and I do too, I would be inclined to listen if you then told me you would recommend me to try some food I never tried before.  Would`ent you too?

Kind Regards, 

Morten

Running a post on Vac Tubed Headphones....Kickstarter post I saw, interesting but I've happy without such, and have a pair received as gift from SO...

Posted just to amuse/inform/let y'all weigh in on it...

Yays 'n nays....one way within a world....*S*

Yeah, basically....I will look at reviews, 'ho's', commentary on a whole range of items, if only to help make a yay/nay on a plethora of this 'n that....

Case in point...

Spouse 'n self in a Costco on Sat., saw an LG washer posted at what seemed strangely low for what it was.
GF commented on Fri. we need a new one...(finally...🙄)  old one is 20+ yrs., works, but is noisy about it...
Looked into it Sat. night....$1.2K retail, but they only appeared to have the one.
Chatted her up Sun. AM, ran down the road 1hr. at flank speed for 10AM open.
Still on floor, but price card down and moved to one side...with another, still in packaging, no box....

Inquire: Still for sale @ price? Yes, one of 2 only.

Bought packaged one for 600$, 52% of retail.
Opened one was a display, 2nd leftover stock.

Worth the 3 hr. r/t for a front load stacker we'd normally say 'ummm No'

Well reviewed....'other peoples' humble opins'.... with a doubled warranty.

Food, places, audio....more or less what you or the others have or had a dog in...;)

Long winded ( or many fingered keys ) later.... 

Beats best guess....right? ;)

So that's a yes.

@wolf_garcia ...spouse will prep a dish based on a recipe....we’ll try a restaurant or a food truck from ’word of mouth’ or a review.....

True, it’s just another’s opinion but we’ve had generally better results than random select, but it’s another means of making one’s way through it all... ;)

Do you buy food based on what other people say it tastes like? 

@stjernholm 

nice to see you posting here

i enjoy your you tube vids very much, they are entertaining, with excellent humor, and informative

keep up the good work!

😀 That why download packs are provided, so you can listen on your own system in high resolution.  Interesting now?

Kind Regards,

Morten

While possibly interesting, Youtube videos suffer audio degradation that will likely mask subtle differences of the better gear.