LATEST ADDITIONS

Michael Fremer | May 06, 2014 | 47 comments

Please download these four files, compare the sound and vote on your favorite. Then put on an audio reviewer hat and please post a comment about each file containing as much detail as you wish to contribute.

To download on a Mac, hold down the "control" key, click on the file, then select "download the file". Not sure how to do it on Windows but the files are 96/24 so if you don't download it will take quite a long time to load.

The four are the the $99 Nerve Audio PH 1.1 (MM only), the $269 Micromega MyGroov (MM/MC), the $399 iPhono (MM/MC) and the $595 Creek OBH-15 MkII (MM/MC). A future post will let you audition the latter three’s MC sections.

The record chosen for this test, used with composer’s permission, is a new big band project called what’snext (DÜNYA Records). The record is actually more of a promotional tool since it contains selections and not the entire recording. Only 1000 copies were pressed and they have all sold out. Whether or not another run will be pressed is up in the air for the moment.

The composer/arranger Mehmet Ali Sanlikol is a Turkish born pianist/composer applied to study at The Berklee College of Music at age 16 and was accepted but his parents wouldn’t let him attend.

His mentors include the late trombonist Bob Brookmeyer among others. While the opening track was “Ellington-inspired” the composer (who is a classically trained pianist and fan of Brit “prog-rock” as well a Fellow at Harvard and a faculty member at College of the Holy Cross and Emerson College) adds musical elements of his Cypriot and Turkish roots.

The turntable used was the $4180 Zorin Audio TP-S3, a belt-drive, three post “plinthless” design of polished stainless steel and aluminum alloy featuring a ceramic bearing upon which rides a massive machined aluminum 2.25 inch tall platter the underside of which is machined out concentrate mass near the periphery.

The arm is the $2280 Zorin PUS-12, a 12” inverted unipivot design featuring a patented headshell—all of which will be discussed in greater detail in an upcoming review.

The cartridge was the Shure M97xE with the Jico stylus upgrade. Good luck and may the best MM phono preamp win! The four reviews will be posted shortly.