Nagra VPS phonom stage - how good

Have it in my system now and compares favourably to Audio Note M6 phono stage, takes the involvement and adds detail, soundstage.

One question is the gain, I have a low output (0.14mv) cartridge and it need the electronic gain. So you do need a medium to high output to be able to choose between the low & high gain output.

Thomasheisig : what is your cartridge?

Tim

I think, 0,14mV is too low. I did listen to it with a 0.48mV Zyx cartridge.

Hello all,

Well I listened last weekend and this is my opinion between the AR7 and the Nagra VPS:

The gain of the AR7 is lower than the Nagra VPS; to match them I had to set the volume from 60 down to 50 on my AR Ref3 to match volume levels. When in the no gain with the Nagra VPS, I set the volume at 85 or above to be in the listening range I like.

Music I listened to: Classic Records: The Royal Ballet, Dave Brubeck Time Out & Miles Davis Kind of Blue. MFSL: Saint-Saen Organ Symphony Bernstein NY Philharmonic, The Beatles Abbey Road, & Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon UHQR. Japanese Recordings: Rickie lee Jones, Supertramp, Brother Where You Bound. & Deep Purple Machine Head. DCC: JethroTull Aqualong & Elton John Greatest Hits. Standard recordings: Sufjan Stevens, Illinoise & Van Halen 1984 and others since the weekend.

This is the differences between the two units in my system - I used the same interconnects with both units:

First I will start with what I liked about both units. Both units have an open sound stage, depth and space around the instruments. They both handled complex movements easily.

The AR7 was more laid back in the presentation and treated all instruments with equal emphasis. It did not have the punch and excitement of the music that I expected and wanted. It was better with Jazz & Classical than with Rock. Bass did not go as low as I’d like.

The Nagra VPS was much more forward in its presentation and treated the instruments with equal emphasis also but gave more energy to instruments when needed. There was more punch and excitement, depth and lower bass was better. It was very good with all the music I played. I found my self tapping my toes to the music with the VPS.

I have been using the Pass Alpha ONO before this.

I bought a Nagra VPS recently kinda broke even on it when upgrading to Maxx 2's. (swapped for my BAT VKP10SE superpak which is very good) "tapping my toes" was exactly what I was doing and am doing ever since.

Hevac1 said it perfectly "...treated the instruments with equal emphasis also but gave more energy to instruments when needed. There was more punch and excitement, depth and lower bass was better"

The VPS has a tonally correct sonic signature and feels like live un amplified music quality that is just "right" for me and my system.

Well the Nagra VPS is my new phono stage. Waiting now for the second MC input to show up.