Comparison ZYX Artisan against Tom Evans Groove ?

Dear Thomasheisig & Kha - Very nice comaprison and thanks for sharing your findings.

Would you be so kind as to further detail the following:

a) the lps used for the comparisons
b) if you used ICs and speaker cables different from the XLO (IC) and Purist Audio Venustas (speaker cables), which are listed as part of Kha's system
c) all the changes/adjustments you made on the Klyne when compared against the Groove +
d) all the changes/adjustments you made on the Klyne when compared against the Artisan

TIA!

Very interesting. If the G+ sounds broken, one possibility is that there may actually be something wrong with the uni. Needless to say your finding is quite unusual. Which cart. was the G+ set up for, and was it run in and warmed up? I have heard the latest version (lithos 7) against quite a number of top contenders, and it usually has an extra layer of detail and speed. If one doesn't like that effect, then of course it all depends on personal taste. THe G+ not my personal favourite, but it is an incredible piece of equipment, and I know of a number of very experienced audiophiles with world class systems that have it as a key to the sound they produce. I certainly haven't heard anything that would make it sound broken.
Agree of course that matching to cartridge is critical. The Raven is an excellent turntable. I heard it in London with a Schroeder/Allaerts and was very impressed.

Ebarker,

Having owned a Groove my guess is that they couldn't adjust the Groove properly to match the cartridge. In the end that is why I sold mine. It will sound broken of the load is wrong, but so will any phono preamp.

The G+ imo is a big step forward from the original G. Yes of matching is important, but I'm also less than happy with a break in the signal path at such a crucial point to accomodate changes.

i recently had a chat with tom evans about the loading issue
and was told that he has developed a variable loading module
for all versions of his phonostages
by all accounts he has found a way of doing this
without compromises[his words not mine].
i think this is GOOD NEWS as i own more than one cartridge but absolutely love the performance of the groove plus.
when optomised this is one staggeringly good piece of kit
and many will find it too revealing in thier systems
especially many valve users
im not knocking valve users
but to get the best from any te product phase linearity of matching ancilliarys is critical
synergy as always in audio
is the key
best regards
terry