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Would love some feedback / Denon DL-S1 / phono match / cart recomendations

Would love some feedback / Denon DL-S1 / phono match / cart recomendations

- Vinyl newbie and need some help

- Friend has a brand new  Denon DL-S1 for $600 - good deal?

- I have a Mark Levinson No.326s preamp and just bought the dual mono MM/MC Phono module boards. They are the identical boards from the No,32 preamp and read that was a very nice sounding phono preamp.

- No.326s only has a couple settings 42db or 60 db and 47k ohm or 200 ohm load

- I picked up a used Bob's Device 1131 thinking it would help as my No.326s has limited setting options and read the 1131 might not work well with this cart. That this cart is tough to get the most out of but can be great.

- Should I get another cart? Was it a mistake getting the 1131 SUT. I read the No.326s sounded nice with this SUT so went for it but don't know enough to really know better either way but trying to learn.

- The No.326s phono boards has these little gold terminal screws with easy tighten by hand little knobs on the heads of the screws to add either capacitor or resistor to make the phono very adjustable but would have no idea how to figure out how to use that but thought to mention

- just wondering if this is a bad cart for me to try with my phono and SUT set up and any feedback about anything related to a cart would be super appreciated if anyone reads this. Thanks

more info if helpful below but not need to answer my question just thought to add it :)

______________________________________________________________________________________


I just finished up a full system re-fit with some tweaking here and there still to do but I am extremely happy with the sound I’m getting today from my new to me system. I sold my entire old system that was tubes and high efficiency speakers and got new to me: speakers, amp, preamp, speaker cables and upgraded digital transport and got a new turntable. Kept my DAC never changing that. Love my DAC. 

This system is the best I’ve personally ever had. I’m pretty psyched - so psyched I just added a turntable. 

A modern Version of the VPI Prime Aries with HRX Feet, 10" 3D Arm and Base, Prime Signature Platter, Ring and Motor. 

I am looking for a cart and my friend has a new Denon DL-S1 for $600 he also has a  used but good shape Clearaudio Accurate mc cart for a few hundred but i never heard of this one and a  van den Hul blackheart grass hopper which I know nothing of.

I thought because the Denon is new never used that was the best option but any of you know anything about the other let me know please.
  
Would love some feedback / ideas / thought recommendations and help. I’m a digital guy and want to give vinyl and honest to goodness try.

As stated above I just purchased the dual mono Phono board modules for my
Mark Levinson No.326s linestage so it’s now a full function Preamp and added a Bobs Device 1131 SUT and both were attained a very reasonable cost which was great!

Just not sure if these carts will go with my phono and SUT.

Rest of my System:
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5160

- Magico S5 Loudspeakers
- Pass Labs X350.5 Amplifier
- Mark Levinson No.326s Preamp/phonostage
- Bricasti M1 Special Edition DAC
- PS Audio P10 Power Plant
- Kubala-Sosna Emotion SC’s
- Nordost/Cardas IC’s
- Assorted PC's Verastarr/Cardas

- Digital PC based front end that I have been tweaking and evolving:
- Sonore microRendu 1.4
- Full Suite of UpTone Audio Gear
(2) x LPS-1 Ultra Capacitor PS
JS-2 Linear Power Supply
(2) Regens - ISO/Amber
- (8) Canare / Oyide DC cables
- (2) Breeze Audio 12v LPS
- Tellurium Q Black Diamond Reference USB cable
- Curious Regen Link USB Cable.

This Digital Front End beat out: Lumin, Antipodes, Naim and Auralic servers. It needs everything to work so well but man does it work great. My hope is that a turntable can complete and wish some luck I end up liking it better. That’s why I’m asking for help. I want to put my best vinyl foot forward 

** Back Ground info**

** Room is **
14 x 24 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 16 Foot a peak

** Music likes **
Assorted Music but no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else. I listen just loud enough to sound its best but not a loud listener. I enjoy normal levels.

** Likes / Priorities **
Transparency - Delicacy - Linear - High resolution - microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless -some natural warmth and life to the music is key  but love that see through transparency and love precise soundstage - remove as many layers without being clinical - tight bass - hate flab - but don’t need worlds greatest slam but love speed and accurate bass while being musical.

** Perspective **
I’m only a couple months into this new system and I was struggling to get the right Preamp and tried a half dozen or so searching for the right balance and the one that could bring my new system together like only the perfect matching preamp can do. Each system is different so really it must be heard to know it’s what you want. I believe in the Preamp and knew If I could find the right match it would change everything. Well that was the hope.

To make a long story longer the Mark Levinson No.326s preamp did this and more. I was hedging my expectations based on the disappointments of the others I tried and failed but the No. 326s nailed it and honestly it an incredible Preamp and then some. I was so happy I decided to upgrade and add the built in phonostage option and SUT and Turntable here we are trying to chose a cart.

Really appreciate any help you can provide! I know this is kind of long but wanted you guys to know where I’m coming from! If you would like more info please let me know - all comments and feedback are most welcome and deeply appreciated :)




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rauliruegas
13,002 posts
 
Dear @fsmithjack : First than all I want to tell you that the best SUT is not SUT at all.

Your up-dated 326S has enough gain for the very low output in the Denon S1: NO problem at all and wroks fine at 200 ohms. I owned not only this Denon but around 200+cartridges and the Accurate by Clearaudio and this cartridge is really good too as is the Blackheart by VDH.
So not easy to pull the triger for any of them. Forgeret about that Dynavector you name it. 
I prefer the Accurate or the VDH over the S1. Only ask to the seller the operation condition on both cartridges.

Put on sale that SUT you bougth because you don't need it and only degrades the cartridge signal due that that cartridge signal must comes at the input of the great 326s through additional IC cables and obviously additional input and output connectors and the solder used inside those cables. All these and other things destroy the critical/sensitive and delicated cartridge signal and you can't recovery that original signal.

You already own the best option: a DIRECT connection between the cartridge/tonearm, nothing can beats this and with an additional advantage: your 326s does not use internally a SUT to achieve the gain as with tube phono stages.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.




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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Thank you - great info!

Man I could have used the money on the SUT and got a better cart. I didn't have a cart yet and one showed up used on Audiogon for a good price so thought I better grab it. Because I am a newbie a couple of things I read where the No.326s phono is decent but not up to the linestage which is fantastic and that a SUT makes it a little more real and makes the sound nicer and overall improves the sound.

I thought I might have a great bang for buck phono set up with the phono boards being $800 and the Bob's Device being $720 I thought I was cooking with gas. The linestage in the No.326s us truly the best I have ever owned and love it. I was searching far and wide for the right pre, It's a $10k preamp (but bought used paid less then half that) so thought to add a phono for $800 would be great value but then I read some things saying its not that versatile with low output mc carts and that's why I went for the SUT. We live and lean I guess. 
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Guys - I just found this video of my new to me turntable that I will use this Denon S1 cart with. Give you an idea of what I am working to set up.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3spiIqz-zk

It is Kevin Deal / Upscale Audio showing the table I just bought used from the original owner for about 1/2 price. He bought in August 2017 Love clean used gear mostly because I can't afford this stuff for the new prices.

Kevin made a small special order batch of VPI tables he says which is so cool. It looks way better in this video than the pics that I just bought based on. I am now even more psyched!  

The guys who sold it to me said he went into Upscale to get a Prima Luna tube amp and came out with this VPI table and a Manley Chinook phonostage and a Prima Luna integrated.  

He said it was an impulse purchase and he only used a couple times because he owns a Gerrard 401 with SME arm and he said this table is nice but he likes the sound of his 401 better. One mans not good enough is another's best I've ever owned. Works for me :)

. 
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Keep the Cinemag and try it with cartridge into the ML's mm phono input. After a trial listening period (hours, days, weeks) unplug it and try the cartridge into the ML's mc phono input. Go through another listening period. By then you should know which YOU prefer! Rauliruegas's blanket condemnation of SUT's is plainly WRONG!  The World Esteemed Company Ortophon offers the SPU mc cartridge with a pair of transformers built into the integral headshell. I doubt that Mr.R knows as much about building mc cartridges and step up transformers as the engineers at Ortophon! Buy the Denon NOS and stop worrying - ENJOY THE MUSIC!
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Thanks roberjerman - but this is purely about about my learning and there are no worries involved at all. Audio is my hobby and learning about it part of the hobby for me and so never any worries. It does the opposite for me it takes the worries away. With this post I already am a much smarter person about this topic so I am just trying to learn.

We have over foot of snow hitting as I am writing and the Governor just declared a state of emergency and I have the Celtic replay on from last night on and some Chinese food left overs in the microwave and it is a very rare snow day off for me. Have some old school Muddy Waters Honey Bee playing and not a worry anywhere in sight and just enjoying my day. 
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