Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Tom Evans Design The Groove Phono Preamp by Yiangos

Model:	The Groove
Category:	Phono Preamp
Suggested Retail Price:	$4000
Description:	Stereophile Class
Manufacturer URL:	Tom Evans Design
Manufacturer URL:	Tom Evans Design

Review by Yiangos ( A ) on October 16, 2005 at 23:40:19
IP Address: 83.168.63.97

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for the The Groove

Hi guys ,
My English is terrible but i hope you will understand what i am talking about.
I am not actually going to write a review about this product ( i leave this to the professionals) but rather i will tell you my personal experience with it. I have been using the "the groove" for about 3 years now and one day i decided to disconect it from the system and replace it with my previous phono stage a "Audiolab 8000 ppa",a phono stage considered at it's time of audiophile quality. After leaving it turned on for about 24 hours , i tried some lps with it. Well , to make a long story short , compared with "the groove" it sounded as if it was broken ! lol
If Salome (to use comments from reviewers) was dancing there in front of my,she sure had all of her 7 veils on her ! I do agree with most reviewers that the only snag of the "the groove" is a certain lack of decay but trust me,it is not as severe a problem as they let you to believe. Do give it a try and i am sure you won't be dissapointed. Even the cheaper models are very good.

Product Weakness: You have to return it to the manufacturer to re-confiqure it if you want to use a different cartridge.
Product Strengths: sound quality

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Jeff Rowland Model 8 ti
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Jeff Rowland Synergy ii
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	SME Model 20/2 SME Model 5 Aniversary Van Den Hull Grasshoper iv Black Beauty Cary 360/200
Speakers:	ProAc Response 4 - velodyne HGS-18 (pair)
Cables/Interconnects:	Van Den Hull Mc-Silver,Revelation,Mainstreat , Hovland MusicGroove 2
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical , Jazz , 70' rock
Room Size (LxWxH):	17 x 21 x 10
Room Comments/Treatments:	sounds okay as it is
Time Period/Length of Audition:	about 3 years
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Isotek Substation (fully loaded)
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	You have to return it to the manufacturer to re-confiqure it if you want to use a different cartridge.
Product Strengths:	sound quality