Heads up!........ifi Phono 2

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by sailfish, Dec 1, 2016.

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  1. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    That's cool. I just use the standard RIAA filter on my iPhono 2 these days.
     
  2. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Here is a quote recently posted by the designer of the NVA where he gives his forthright view on phono stage design and the perceived need for user adjustments.

    "I said that tongue in cheek because there is so much ******** (per usual) written about phono stages. The current ******** is all about matching cartridges without realising that it has basically little to do with the cart it has to do with the design of the phono stage. I have explained many times, now in the archive, it is long explanation so really don't want to go through it every time I am asked. The ******** was created by the fad for SUTs (step up transformers) that are basically useless for the job and were only used because early transistors and especially valves are too noisy for use with MC carts. So now everyone thinks carts have to be matched - wrong! unless you have a SUT or a **** phono stage, all the other just put the switches and different settings on because customers expect it, normal industry ********.

    A properly designed transistor or encapsulated op amp based phono stage should just need two setting one for MM and one for MC. This because a good one should be load rejecting, and the NVA is, because of massive power supplies for the job, creating massive head room, *completely* load rejecting even more than the others. So it only needs sending back to change for MC (low output) to MM or MC (high output)."
     
  3. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    I have no doubt that its a great product. And I'm not even pretending to be an electronics expert or any of that. But why do I have to send it in to have it match my cart as you said in previous postings, if the portion of your quote I highlighted above is true?

    I've been very happy and musically pleased and satisfied with doing it the old fashion way......switches...and having it sound the way I like it, and not forced to settle for the way Mr. Dunn says it should sound.
     
    HiFi Guy likes this.
  4. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    I have asked RD this and got the following reply on HFS forum.

    "Yes they get put off, that is up to them. The voltage is so low and the signal so sensitive to corruption any switch contacts would be a bad thing for the music. Even plug contacts are bad, but you have to have those. Three points on the circuit would have to be switched, each of them interfering. Input load resistance switched from 47kohms (mm) to 470ohm (mc). Input load capacitance switched from none (mm) to 470pf (mc). Gain switch, values wont mean anything to you. So three switches per channel, six switches in all, or a single switch with six contacts, and the accompanying connections, not my way. NVA is about simplicity and music and it is a small cost to pay for the rare change by customers. So far this year I haven't had to do it at all, and last year it was once with well over 100 NVA stages out there, so it is a non problem apart from in peoples minds and due to ******** marketing pressure."

    If you stick to 'normal' MM or MC cartridges you will likely never have to have it changed. Only a problem really with that Grado and people who want to swap regularly between MC and MM and back. There are alternatives out there but you will likely pay a lot more for less sound.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2017
  5. HiFi Guy

    HiFi Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lakeland, FL
    While it does make sense that simpler is better, I'm not sure I agree with the "one size fits all" approach when it comes to phono stages- there are too many variables when it comes to phono cartridges. It's not just Grados that have odd loading requirements- look at the Denon DL-103. Lots of folks load it at 100 ohms and call it a day. But Denon themselves load at 1k ohms, as witnessed by the frequency response printout sent with every cartridge. As the impedance of the coils are 40 ohms on the DL-103, one would think you'd want to load at 400 ohms or so. Apparently that isn't the case either- if it were, I'd think Denon would do that. They don't.

    Remember that NVA is a business too. They have decided to design a different way and will defend their approach.

    Switches or no, the iPhono is a really great sounding phono stage, as long as you've gotten one without issues.
     
    Heckto35 and Nielsoe like this.
  6. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    You completely missed the technical explanation. Loading is not important if you have enough headroom basically. You have different for MM and MC plus varying amount of gain. So apart from the Grado anomaly for the NVA design most MC or MM will be fine without adjustment. This is no different from other MC or MM specific designs in practice except this can be converted if required. This design relies on headroom provided by over sized power supplies and the results are excellent in my experience especially when you consider the purchase price. As I say there are alternatives that cost a lot more, the difference for which you can buy a better cartridge.
     
  7. Vince G.

    Vince G. New Member

    Location:
    USA
    Yeah the two people I talked to while I was there suggested that maybe it was something to do with the iPower unit. Bad batch or something.

    BS. I spent over 6 solid hours trying to ground my system so it would work with the ifi. Plus if the guys at Needle Doctor can't get it to stop buzzing on their expensive set ups in shop, its definitely something on ifi's end. Not the users.
     
  8. Nielsoe

    Nielsoe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Aalborg, Denmark
    I think you're absolutely right. And this just in: the ifi just stopped working. No sound. Back to Amazon, new order.
     
  9. This Heat

    This Heat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    What will you be getting instead?
     
  10. Nielsoe

    Nielsoe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Aalborg, Denmark
    Another try with ifi . I know it's possible to get a good one and I really really like the sound.
     
  11. This Heat

    This Heat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Well don't let it fry your receiver or damage anything. Obviously they have fatal flaws with their power supplies. But, yes, I did like the sound of the two I had that failed-- though not as much as what I have now.
     
  12. RPM

    RPM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Easter Island
    Which is?
     
  13. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    He and I both have the Musical Surroundings Phonomena II+ phono stage. ...great product!
     
  14. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Fella...Just forget it and get the Musical Surroundings Phonomena II+. Once you do, you'll forget all about the iFI. Musical Surroundings Phonmena II+
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2017
  15. Nielsoe

    Nielsoe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Aalborg, Denmark
    Looks nice, but it's 750£ here in Europe. That's a lot more than the 450£ or so the ifi goes for...
     
  16. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Its $750 list price here in the states as well. If you can spare the extra coin its well worth it... its better than the ifi-2.
     
    PATB and Nielsoe like this.
  17. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    So you're now getting a *4th* one? Wow.
     
  18. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    And no doubt more reliable as well. But then again, so are most things, apparently.
     
  19. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Hahahahaha...you got that right!
     
  20. bluemooze

    bluemooze Senior Member

    Location:
    Frenchtown NJ USA
    :shake:
     
  21. Nielsoe

    Nielsoe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Aalborg, Denmark
    That would be 3th but who's counting..
     
  22. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    At £750 there is a lot of competition in Europe/UK. My NVA with two proper linear power supplies (as opposed to a plug top) costs less. Rega have a unit for around that money as well. Quite a few others.
     
  23. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    :confused: :crazy:
     
    Strat-Mangler likes this.
  24. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    We are. Think some of us might start a pool to see how many you'll get before you come to your senses and give up. ;)
     
    bluemooze and Nielsoe like this.
  25. HiFi Guy

    HiFi Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lakeland, FL
    It really is a good stage if you get a good one. I have a few friends that have one. One friend did get a defective unit, and is exchanging. Five of us got good ones.

    It could be as simple as iFi getting a bad part from one of their suppliers. That can happen to any manufacturer.
     
    Nielsoe likes this.
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