Zesto andros

[taters]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

One of the finest phono stages I've ever heard....unreserved recommendation.

I think for the money you can't do better. I have owned ARC phono stages in the past and the Zestos is more musical.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by taters

I think for the money you can't do better. I have owned ARC phono stages in the past and the Zestos is more musical.

I agree.

[Briz Vegaas]

Ok you guys, I'm trusting you lot (and others).

It's overkill for my current table ( digital has been my thing) but my mid level Rega is now moving to the big system and my Zesto arrives later this week.

Will its give my Naim DAC with XPS2 power supply a run for its money. Only time will tell.

[analog brother]

nice one!
please keep us updated.

[Briz Vegaas]

Well, Zesto has been installed in the system a couple of days now.

I was thinking that it sounded very good, particularly as I'm in the upgrade space where the phono is more than I need for my current turntable by some margin. I felt I was hearing the Rega P5 at its best. I thought it was fairly competitive with my digital, if a little small in scale and light on bass. Still, all good proportions, nothing was wrong as such, just less of it compared to my digital.

I was using my "spare" Nordost Red Dawn revision 2 interconnects.

I decided to move things around and took my Valhalla off the Naim DAC and tried it on the Zesto. Of course cables only make minor differences to the sound, if you believe in them at all, so I was expecting a slightly more grow up sound but nothing to write home about.

Dear Mum........

Now I remember why I bought the Valhalla in the first place. Big, full bodied, detailed and refined natural sound. The digital (with Valhalla) is still more refined in some respects (as I would hope for the investment), but remember that relatively the Rega P5 is a mid range table.

Dave Brubeck's Time Out was, on balance, better on vinyl LP with this setup despite the slight lack of refinement. My future plans are a Well Tempered Amadeus down the track, probably with a DV17D3 rather than something more exotic.

The only problem is, where does the Valhalla go. First world problems. I had forgotten what my cables bring to the party in my system.

[turntable]

Ha ha BV

You know the answer to that, buy another Valhalla!

I own two Valhalla ic's and both are on my two phono stages.

When you upgrade your table the Valhalla on the phono stage will give you even more

[analog brother]

it's never ending! now you need a new tt for sure, plus cart and more cables.
only the best for your new baby.
congrats bv!
please do tell us some more. how is the build quality?
you buy from local dist? all went well?

[Briz Vegaas]

Deep Hz Audio is the Australian distributor. They are mostly SVS. It was a pretty simple online purchase and the unit arrived promptly and in good nick. I would post photos but I think you need a photobucket or similar account to do that. Buying on line is not ideal however. I like the shop experience, although chances are even a shop would order in this level of product unless you were lucky.

Build quality is very good and I could not fault it. I'm used to Conrad Johnson and Naim, it's in the same ball park, although is somehow more hand made in style. That suits the type of product I think. I can see it being a much loved component over time, but it takes time to build the appreciation. Ask me again in 12 months when I have the Amadeus that I see in my future.

I think the phono pre and system is only sounding better and I no longer notice any lack of refinement from the table ( or phono run in). For example, double bass played with a bow sounds amazing. For my music the Ortofon Bronze in isolation seems to work just fine. I'm really happy with it actually, and its definitely a nicer listen than my digital ...........it just sounds more right. The minor analogue stuff doesn't seem to matter.

That being said, I have stumbled on a better new unused MC cartridge and I have said to the owner that I will take it of his hands. More on that shortly. The Ortofon will be back up, or my temporary main cart until I trust my vinyl skills to operate a more expensive "needle".

I also need to build my LP collection. I've ordered The new pressing of Beth Orton's Trailor Park. It's my vinyl reference as I enjoy the album and have heard it on vinyl via Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage and was stunned by how good it sounded on a number of levels.

[analog brother]

thank you for your thoughts.
the andros certainly looks like an intriguing unit.
sounds like you are enjoying it immensely and that it will accommodate and see you through some of your next few upgrades as well.
anything you don't like about it? have your expectations been met/exceeded?

[analog brother]

has anybody here seen the internals of the andros?
can't find any pictures on the net and was interested to
know what the internal build quality was like.
seems like there are hundreds of exterior shots, but none of the internals.