I borrowed a Groove X (I think) for a week or so from a local dealer. It had dip switches for adjusting loading and capacitance.
Initially I found it quite impressive. It was very quiet, detailed, black backgrounds. It had the lowest noise floor I'd ever heard in a phono stage. I was ready to buy it, but I had a nagging doubt. After going back to my other phono stage - an Exposure 13 - I identified what it was. The Groove lacked dynamics. The Groove didn't groove. A plucked guitar string or struck cymbal, while rendered with incredible tonal accuracy, just did not have the speed or impact of the real thing. My Exposure phono stage did not resolve detail quite as well, but made more musical sense. I returned the Groove and am still happily using my Exposure phono stage.
Initially I found it quite impressive. It was very quiet, detailed, black backgrounds. It had the lowest noise floor I'd ever heard in a phono stage. I was ready to buy it, but I had a nagging doubt. After going back to my other phono stage - an Exposure 13 - I identified what it was. The Groove lacked dynamics. The Groove didn't groove. A plucked guitar string or struck cymbal, while rendered with incredible tonal accuracy, just did not have the speed or impact of the real thing. My Exposure phono stage did not resolve detail quite as well, but made more musical sense. I returned the Groove and am still happily using my Exposure phono stage.