2. analog
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pro-ject tube box 2, vincent pho-8, jasmine LP2mk2

Just plugged in my new Salience / Jasmine LP2mkII. Very impressed with what I am hearing out of the box. Everything is more refined and detailed in the soundstage than my pro-ject tube box II with upgraded electro-harmonix gold 12AX7 tubes. Both create a big soundstage, which I like. I think the Salience's is bigger. I am hearing new things on records that the pro-ject could not bring out. The Salience also sounds a little warmer and relaxed yet still very defined. Bass is less boomy and cymbals sound much more accurate.

I also tried a Vincent PHO-8 about a month ago but sent it back. Did not like that one. Maybe something was wrong with the unit since it sounded smallish and boxed in soundstage-wise out of the box and had a ground loop hum from the start. The Salience is a 2 box design like the Vincent. No ground loop hum with the Salience.

It is very nice that we have some nice phono preamp options in the $500 range. I will keep the Salience if it continues to impress plus. I like the multiple MC settings.

A couple of questions about the Salience:

1. It says Salience instead of Jasmine on both front panels. Why is this? I plan on covering them or taping over the blue lights since they are quite bright. I purchased from h_salience from eBay.
2. Some people have talked about upgrading the xlr-4 power cable but this one seems quite nicely made out of the box. Did they start making nicer ones with the 2.0 version?
3. The owners manual is photo copied. Should I be concerned?
sbrownnw
redglobe
223 posts
 
Hi Sbrownnw, Soldering is not very challenging. I viewed a tutorial on Youtube (desoldering and soldering). I bought a Weller soldering iron for $25 (low wattage version with a very fine tip), some silver-bearing solder from Radio Shack and went to work. If you like, send me an email through the member contact (AG has that facility once again) and I could talk you through the steps.

I have never tried the Silver Jantzen. However, go to Humble Hifi, Cap Test, and see his comprehensive review and go from there. He grades the Silver 0.5 point higher than the Superior. However, it is the nuances that must appeal to you as opposed to a higher score. Once you read the reviews you will understand better what I am trying to convey.
sbrownnw OP
709 posts
 
Still liking the LP2 mkII. Wow, it has a ton of gain, even with my high output MC on MM mode. You have to really make sure your records are as clean as possible since it picks up everything. Just ordered a pair of -12db attenuators.
redglobe
223 posts
 
Sbrown, What is the application for the attenuators?
sbrownnw OP
709 posts
 
For the phono channel since one of my listening volume levels is too little rotation on my AR preamp. At that level on the AR the channel volume level is a little mismatched. The attenuators will fix this.
sbrownnw OP
709 posts
 
My tuner has the same high gain and the attenuators worked great there.
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