Comparison of Herron Audio VTPH-2A and Parks Audio Waxwing Phono stages in Linkwitz LX521.4 system

[@hifitommy]

i really liked the Barbarella better on the Waxwing but Day-o better on the tubed unit. that surprised me. the Linkwitz seems like a perfectly behaved system. thankewe.

[@adamgilreath8583]

The waxwing seems like an amazing device. I think I am going to order one.

[@CarlWhitaker-r3h]

Great video, awesome setup. Came for the waxwing.. just ordered one!! Waxwing has less pops and clicks

[@word2RG]

cool! 👍

[@from-the-listening-chair]

Nice video Michael! I feel like we are brothers from another mother, with our very similar systems and music tastes. I hear the ease of the LX521's just like at home. It seems the second samples are a bit louder than the first? Were the levels matched? I agree the pops and ticks are much better. How do you feel about the sound maintaining that vinyl fleshiness after digitization? It's something that can't really come through on a recording played back through KZbin. Does the waxwing need to connect to a computer, network, etc. to work, or could it go directly to a DAC from the digital output?

[@MichaelAmster]

@@from-the-listening-chair I did not level match precisely. I probably should go back and do that. The Waxwing is stand alone. Just use as a phono stage and use the Toslink or Spdif to your DAC of choice

[@MichaelAmster]

I feel it is faithful to the vinyl. It's not flat or dry. I think it's not as rounded as a full tube setup, but the cartridge character is preserved. What did you think from the samples? Did it sound like vinyl to you?

[@from-the-listening-chair]

@@MichaelAmster It does still sound like vinyl to me, even through digitization of the zoom recorder and it coming to me through youtube. That's the funny thing about vinyl. Most of the music I listen to was recorded digitally, but there is still something about a record that sounds more relaxed and easy to listen to. It's easy to hear when recorded. Is it a distortion or deviation from neutral? Probably, but who cares if you prefer it.