We have been burning in the
Artemis Labs PL-1 phono stage and can now claim with
assurance that we have another outstanding phono stage to offer, and
its low price makes it even more remarkable.
Out of the box, it was disappointingly
similar to other tube phono stages we didn't like, syrupy sweet with
a thick lumbering sound. Some may like this type of sound, but
we always prefer higher fidelity - no way, no how, no such
sound allowed.
Replacing the stock 12AX7 tubes on the
Artemis Labs PL-1
with our favorite Tungsols didn't help either. We left it
turned on for one night ... and it was a totally different machine
the next day, it only took one night to open up.
Gone was the thickness and bloat,
replaced by a full yet articulate sound. The wonderful
sonic qualities from a superb tube design were evident - beautifully
natural timbre and tone, a more three-dimensional soundscape,
excellent detail, and of course a lovely midrange.
But that wouldn't be enough for us. Timing and pace are of
utmost importance in music, IMHO, and the
Artemis Labs PL-1 delivered with aplomb. Great !
From RHCP to Slayer, Ella to Heifetz, R.L. Burnside to Rory Block,
and so on, beautiful music flowed through ...
The system was certainly praised by visiting
listeners, but deep inside we thought it may still be better.
We brought in better quality resistors to replace the stock ones
... Resistors ? Seems complicated ? On the contrary, not
at all ... and very affordable too.
Riken Ohm - in darker blue
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On the Artemis Labs phono stages, MC cartridge
loading is optimized by inserting resistors into a 3M TexTool® ZIF
(Zero Insertion Force) Socket, originally designed for the
semiconductor industry.
Very convenient, no soldering required, and
one can try any loading value one wants.
Read more in the Artemis Labs PL-1 User Manual
Sonic
differences between resistors are certainly audible on the Artemis
Labs phono stage. We have tried various resistors and would
recommend 1/4 to 1/2 watt resistors from Riken Ohm1
(was used on classic tube audio circuits like Marantz Model 2,
Mullard 520, Acro, original Williamson, vintage guitar amp designs), which have been great,
at least in our system.
With these higher-grade Riken carbon resistors came even
better body and weight on the highs and in macrodynamics, a more
natural tone. At a
cost of about SGD 7.00 for the pair of Riken resistors, it's a no-brainer.
Shinkoh
Other popular resistors like Shinkoh tantalum
(regarded as the best in the world), or Audio Note UK (not Kondo)
tantalum resistors, did not suit our preferences, with respect to
our system. These impart
a tonal colouration in the mid frequencies (e.g. piano), akin to a
damped sound, resulting in curtailed mid frequency edge and bite.
Shinkoh resistors are approximately SGD 7.00 to SGD 20 each (you
need two).
1 We will
include Riken resistors for Artemis Labs phono stages bought
in Singapore.
In Singapore, Riken resistors can also be bought
from Well Audio Lab (about SGD 2.50 to SGD 5.00 each), or online. |
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12 to 24 months !
