Experiences on Tom Evans phono stage ?

Hi Nolitan, I am in the UK and the upgrade cost me a total of about 800 GB pounds say $1300. There were two things that Tom did:
1) upgrade to SRX - this is the thing to go for, less noise and even more detail/music
2) I had the dip switches fitted so that I can load different cartridges instaed of having to return it each time.
I would recommend (1) but not sure that I'd pay an extra $4k - is it really that much more??

Rocketii

thanks for response.
when you go for the upgrade to SRX does it make the system more revealing ? more recordings will sound worst as they are ?
what cart are you using with the SRX ?

cheers.
Nol

I am using a Dynavestor XV1-S. The upgrade certainly gives more detail and I wouldn't worry about making old/poor recordings sound worse. What seems to happen is that it gets more information off of the record, particualrly effective is retrieval of the ambience of the venue. I find that I now actually prefer my older recordings - though whether this is the cartridge or the phono stage is difficult to say.

I once had a chat with Tom Evans and he did tell me that even if one uses the SRX with cheap cart like a Denon 103r, it will still sound very good.

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.