Phono Preamps with "balls" ?

Dear @jcarr : I respect your opinion but bipolars electrically are a better LOMC cartridge. I'm not saying than bipolars are perfect devices ( nothing is. ) but  better match. 

About the Neumann pole exist an advantage and I don't have to explain it to you. The main issue is to have the knowledge level and skills to implement it in the rigth way with out side problems. That Neumann constant must exist in any phono design and has to be the owner who decides if used or not. The cutterheads impedes that the RIAA eq. goes beyond 50khz because burning it self. There is no doubt exist an advantage to listen with than with out it, the issue is how that constant is implemented/designed.

You are not the only one ( @atmasphere here. ) that shares that kind opinion but other designers think the other way around and implemented with good results. Btw, did you try it in your phono stage?
Half-speed?, there are so many " myths " around that kind of recording tool.
@atmasphere , yes you are pickier than me, fine with that.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Hi @rauliruegas : bipolars are better for LOMCs... how? Please substantiate why.

I specified two key areas in which a JFET front-end is superior to bipolar transistors for use with LOMCs, and also spelled out two areas in which JFETs are weaker (but described the countermeasures).

If you want others to accept your claim that bipolars are better for LOMCs, surely you are capable of describing the issues at a sufficient level of detail for EEs such as Ralph and myself to either concede to your superior wisdom, or refute it.

Regarding the extra Neumann constant, yes I have tried it, and have listened to various other phono stages that incorporated it. While it does change the sound, I don't recall ever feeling that it improved the sound.

Let us keep in mind that not all LPs were cut with Neumann cutting heads; Westrex, Ortofon, Haeco are some well-known alternatives.

By the way, what do you feel of the interaction between the Neumann playback constant and DMM-cut LPs?

kind regards, jonathan

@jcarr : There is a real bipolar " problem " against FETs and is that you need perfect matched devices and other problem is to make a precise way for polarization. Designs front end with bipolars is not an easy task and needs more work than with FETS but the rewards makes worth to do it. The unit I'm using is a current fully difirential and totally dual mono design where exist in reality 3 separate circuits: one for MC ( with only two bipolars gain stages. ), one for MM ( this one use MOSFETS not bipolars ) and one line stage.

In design each designer has its own and almost " unique "  skills and as a cartridge designer you know very well that and can understand why the Colibri performs diferent from the Etna or the Ana. All are very good carrtridge designs but are each one " unique "  in its diferent quality level performance. I like all ones but the Colibri makes something than no other cartridge I experienced ( including yours. ) can't do it at the same level and is the precise and clear definition of the very high frequencies. All those 3 designs are different and VDH, you and Ortofon shares the same knowledge levels but different " skills " or the other way around ( I can't find out how to explain those differences. ).

If knowledge and skills levels in designers were evenly then almost all sill sounds the " same " and no one phonopreamp or amps or cartridge or speakers sounds the same.

In cartridges is more complex because the designer must have to do the cartridge voicing and certainly VDH, you and Ortofon uses diifferent system and techniics to do it and with different targets.

Neumann constant: for many years Ortofon used a " golden ears panel " to make several tests to improve its cartridge designs. From many many tests through that " golden ears " panel they concluded that its cartridges must have a peack over 20khz instead totally flat. It was tghrough this high frequency deviation where  that panel agree it was achieved the top quality level performance. Of course that the pannel never knew the frequency response of the different cartridge Ortofon samples they were listening.

Well , the Neumann constant/pole makes that come back the " spark " in the high frequencies that is totally losted with out it and this is what that pannel tell us in a different kind of tests.

I know that you read everything on audio an especially analog and I read too what you posted about the half-speed recording tool.The gentlemans as you that do not like to use the Neumann constant normally never listened and that's why I ask if you did it in your phonopreamp.

@atmasphere : """  I'm not interested in getting it sound like a good stereo. It has to sound like real music. """

me neither. A good SS stereo design always will performs as " real " music, it can't be in other way.

R.

@jcarr, our posts crossing at the same time.

R.

@jcarr : DMM: well it uses Neumann cutter head/stylus that goes not burning due that metal does not burns as normal laquer recordings.

Bwefore I owned my today unit I never really like it the Teldec DMM recordings not even the few digital Telarc recordings and was till I listened the Scottfish recordings that I really appreciated the advantage of DMM . I have to say that I don't remember I tested those recordings with and with out the Neumann constant so I can't tell you in this precise moment but certainly I will do some time in the short future and share my experience about.

You are a LOMC designer so I don't need to enligth you why bipolars are better electrical match than FETs. This is not about wiisdom . It's about design and as you that does not disclose your Lyra new generation " unique " design keys don't ask for it. Please !

R.