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That was in response to me saying, "I have a thing or two to do, and I'll be to bed in a few minutes." She was right.
I turned down the gain a notch on the back of my phono amp(PS Audio GCPH) and found I liked the sound a bit better. Clearer with better transient response. And the imaging is backed up a little more behind the speakers, which gives it a more holographic feel.
Now I'm listening to the results and who knows when I'll make it to bed.
Originally, I'd turned it to 60db and just sort of left it there. I tried 66 before just for kicks and didn't like it as much. But I never really gave 54db a chance until tonight. This is with a Denon 103 that tested at .38/.37mV. But I'm running it balanced, so the 54 is really like 60 anyway.
Maybe I should try 48(which would really be like 54). But I'll leave that until daytime, but the "danger" of that will be too much noise from the gain knob on the front at daytime listening volume. I can't test that at night because I live in a six unit building, four of which are occupied by current or former Chicago policemen, and the other is a former kindergarten teacher that I think might actually be a witch. So best not to tick anyone off.
Follow Ups:
How do you like the PS Audio GCPH overall? Any better or worse than other phono pre's you've had? Have you used more than the Denon with it?
I have been seriously considering it as of late. I built a Bottlehead and absolutely love the sound. However, it lacks two items which I miss very much (on many phono pre's): Mono and Phase. I've got other turntables I can run; so, I might have to be a 2 turntables kind of person, again.
The mono switch is heaven, especially listening to "extreme" stereo (vocals to the right, everything else to the left) type recordings. If doing that creates a phase cancellation scenario... just hit the phase button.
My Revox PR99 has a mono switch. It makes the Etta James: At Last re-issue and my Canadian issue of Johnny Watson: I Cried for You, listenable. With the Johnny Watson, it seems like there might be some phase issues when I go to mono.
I'm hoping the GCPH will be the "archival answer", while retaining the Seduction for everyday listening.
That yes, having a mono switch is awesome. And yeah, I'm getting more benefit from using it with poorly done stereo records than with mono records.
Early Atlantic stereos in particular are terrible, IMO(I'm listening to a stereo reissue of Coltrane's Giant Steps right now). And even as late as '68, McCoy Tyner's "Time for Tyner" has piano, bass, and vibes basically right down the middle, and drums way off to the right. I don't know why anyone would mix it like that, but it sounds way better with the mono switch!
Very insightful! Thanks for taking the time. Ugghh... early stereo extreme mixes... sometimes I run screaming from the room. LOL!!
I'll look for that other thread (and most likely read your comments over a couple times). :-D
Hi,
Sorry it's taken me a day or two to reply. I wish I could be more help, but the fact is, the phono preamp I had before this was a $70 filler until I could buy something better. So, while I can tell you that I like my GCPH a lot, I don't really have experience with much else.
That said, or admitted to, I really do like it. It sounds well balanced to me. It can be quite dynamic. There are records where I wince at certain snare hits(a Japanese pressing of McCoy Tyner's "Expansions" comes to mind). And I don't mean I wince from brightness, just from the sound popping out of the speakers. It definitely gets my toes tapping, so I don't agree with people who say it's uninvolving, but again, they've probably compared it to a lot of other gear that I haven't.
I don't think of it as lacking, but I suspect that some preamps probably do a deeper 3D soundstage. But like I said in the original post, finding the right balance of gain from the back and front helped with the depth of the sound, and kept me up all night listening.
I've been using and loving the Denon 103 on it for the last month and a half or two months, but for the first couple of weeks, I used an Audio Technica 440MLa. I liked it too, and thought it was a decent pair with the GCPH. I know there's an old post in the archives here where the poster and his friend got together with a handful of cartridges and a GCPH and a Bottlehead. If I recall correctly, there favorite of their carts with the GCPH was an Audio Technica AT150MLx. Their favorite with the Seduction was...something with a Jico SAS stylus. You should definitely search for "GCPH Seduction" here and find that thread.
Also, I used my GCPH alone, with no other preamp. And I also use the balanced outs. I've heard both of those things really benefit the sound, and I'm doing both. So I'm probably getting a little more out of it than some people. I also think I just have good system synergy right now, where nothing is really outclassing anything else, and everything fits pretty well. Denon 103, Techincs 1200(rewired arm with damper), GCPH, and my speakers/amps are Mackie Hr824's. They aren't a conventional audiophile choice, but are well respected budget($1400/pr) studio monitors. Their balanced inputs help get the most of the GCPH, and they are +/- 1.5db from 39-20,000hz. I already had them for working on my own music, bedroom studio style. So when I no longer had roommates and needed a system of my own, I just used them.
The GCPH is relatively low-risk, since you can pick it up new from an authorized dealer for $625 on Audiogon, and sell it used for not much less than that if you don't like it. Or you can always buy used in the first place.
So, yeah...I like mine, but consider the caveats my opinion comes with, and definitely search for that comparison of the GCPH and Seduction in the archives.
Eric
She's now my "ex" wife....
Priorities, man.
Jim
Support the AudioAsylum Trader!
Ditto to the ex bit.
Freedom is the right to discipline yourself.
Does your wife know mine?
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