Granite Audio 770 Tube Pre-amp & its phono sec.

I have always wondered .....!why is Granite Audio always in the shadow. Yes, Don refuse to pay BIG BUCKS to top mags but so does M. of Supratek. Everyone that I know who owns Granite cables, loves it but very few own his amps or preamps.
I have heard 770fp more then few times but it was not in my budget at the time. Now, it looks like I will be getting a CES demo unite for a fair price.

I have met Don during 2008 CES and really enjoyed hearing about his point of view and take on building a good component and what it should/should not sound like.

Sure there are other fish in the Sea but it might be my
BIG OTTO.

Mariusz, I share your enthusiasm for Granite Audio and Don Hoglund.

I previously owned the tube monoblocks, and was quite happy with them. To me, they sounded their best with the JJ KT88 tubes Don supplies them with, even if I normally prefer EL34 tubes. Only sold them to clear out some space to make my wife happy.

I still have my 657 CD player, and it's also a very nice component.

As I used my various CD players directly into the monoblocks (the volume control on them is a most wonderful feature), I can't comment on the preamplifier as I had no need for it, but I would expect it to be more than competent.

It is a real pleasure to hear from you Joe.

I wasn't aware that you have owned Granite amps and 657 cdp. I am sure that 657 is pretty nice. It is true what you said about volume control...it is sweet....oh yes.
Same with 770fp preamp - realllly nice, quality volume and balance controls are Alps Black Beauties.

Joe, from your experience
how would you describe sound characteristics of Don's designs.
Listening to his stuff is a real pleasure, however my
lock of connection with associated equipment and speakers which were part of the whole system makes me uncertain of the signature sound of Granite Audio.

From what I've heard on more then few occasions is a music........yep.....I was looking for words to describe it...no need. It was not in the way, very enjoyable, relaxed, very nicely balance and extremely quite.....especially true with its phono section (dual Vishay adj. resistors for loading
phono cartridges. They are easily adjustable to match any cartridge, which is big for me). I have spend almost 3 full days in Dons' company and I have to say that I like his way of thinking and admire his knowledge and attention to details.....like the way he deals with noise, components choice and implementation of ideas which are not new but often overlooked or ignored.

I did a little search and found out that there is not a lot of information about Granite products. Very few reviews, not to many listings on AgoN etc. Simply speaking, completely isolated, kept in the dark and unappreciated brand. And I feel it is a shame......Don is a really great, funny down to earth kind of guy.....and NO it is not endorsement. Matter of fact, he probably does not even know that I bought his CES piece. But that is not importent.

Preamp will be here next week and I will surely enjoy it.

Joe thank you again

P.S
Tomorrow ( Sunday ) I will have a Audiophile get together( that is bullsh....t - just 3 guys that love music) in my almost finished house. will try few preamps, cables, RCS, new Pioneer dedicaded cdp/SACD (not mine}, pizza, beer(mine) etc. (PM)
You are welcome to join Joe.

Mariusz

Mariusz, I'm sorry I was out today, and missed your post until now. But, thank you very much for the invite, it would have been really special to be there with you guys. 3 guys getting together is basically an audio club, isn't it?

I did a review here on Audiogon on the Granite 860.1 monoblocks that I owned. I was going to do one on the 657 as well, but didn't get around to it. I've always felt as you described, at a loss to define why Granite isn't more well known in the audiophile circles. A lot of people complain they cannot find a good made in the USA high-end audio brand offering good value, but that point seems difficult to justify to me with the likes of Cary, Manley, Quicksilver, Rogue, etc., and to that list I will add Granite.

The one word that would describe my overall impression about Don's designs is musical. He has the unique ability to skirt that hard to draw line between clinical sound and caramel colored euphony. A few years ago, when I first got the monoblocks, I'd been fighting a brightness problem in my smaller room, and had changed out every other component in the system. The monoblocks allowed me to finally overcome that, and sit down and enjoy the music. Later, the issue was straightened out by addressing the room, but I think that comment I just made speaks volumes about my experience with Granite products.

The 657 is a unique product in that it offers both solid state (fixed) and tube (variable) outputs, and each offers quite a different sonic presentation, while still maintaining that musicality I spoke of. The solid state is richer, more laid back, and offers much better low frequency performance. The tube output is more detailed and engaging, with a nice rosiness that tubes add in the best of circumstances. I'll probably sell the 657 soon, as I'm awash in CD players, and don't get much use out of it these days.

Reliability of both products was perfect. I had one issue with the monoblocks that was giving me a bit of a headache, but after speaking with Don, he instructed me on what it actually was (no problem with the amps), how to fix it, and within about 2 minutes of doing the procedure he laid to me, everything was perfect.

Don is a very upstanding person to work with. He cares about making his customers happy, and actively works at helping people get the most they can out of the products.