TP Stratos has anyone actually heard one

Posted by: lyndon on 18 May 2018

Si yet another plinth but this time very favourably priced when compared to the equivalent Tangerine

i know there’s been a few reports in the Blue place but that was only in conjunction with the Javelin which none of us are likely to have

would like to see some people’s reviews and thoughts before I jump in

TP have also had the foresight to allow quality tonearm cables such as the Super Sarum, Super Sarum Reference and the Music

Tangerine confirmed to me that these can’t be used with their plinth

why make a Super plinth and super expensive plinth that can only accept a big standard Mogami

I know there’s lots of talk here regarding quality cables, but surely regardless of which manufacturer the Tonearm cable ( the cable from the tonearm to the phone amp ) is the most important, sort that one then look at interconnects XLR-Din, speaker cables, mains cables

Lyndon

Posted on: 18 May 2018 by Chris Dolan

Yes, although I heard the full Tiger Paw Sondek with Javelin and Akula - it was very good indeed. Well worth investigating.

Posted on: 19 May 2018 by J.N.

I called in to my Suffolk dealer 'Signals' this afternoon and had a listen to Stratos/Javelin (sans Tranquility) on a Lingo 4 powered LP12. Cartridge was a Lyra Delos (which I have owned and know) and the phono stage was a one-box Trilogy 906.

Hereafter; things get a bit 'mullet' as this mid-spec LP12 and phono stage was demonstrated via a set of Naim Statement amps and a pair of Kudos 808 Titans.

I am a very happy long-term Aro owner (currently sporting a Kandid and feeding a Urika phono stage), so am naturally interested in the Javelin. There were inevitably a few unknown variables in this set-up for me to deal with.

Some well known vinyl was spun-up and I was thinking that the very high resolution amps and loudspeakers would surely expose anything obviously amiss. The music boogied and engaged, and I tapped my foot. The deliciously euphonic transparency of the Aro mid-band was present and correct, with perhaps more authority/weight in the bass. Some fine detail was missing, but that comment is relevant only to me connecting with an audio-memory related to a superior cartridge and phono stage at home.

Difficult to judge what the Stratos (in isolation) was bringing to the party, but it was surely nothing I didn't like and the whole phonographic caboodle produced organic, layered and engaging music in the way that only vinyl replay can. Trying to listen through the Stratos (and other variables) to the Javelin; the phrase which came to mind was 'Aro with balls', which I believe is what Roger has set out to achieve.

It's great to finally have available, a worthy successor to the Aro for those who are interested in a unipivot tonearm for the LP12 at this price-point (£1,800). A cueing device makes it user-friendly too. I liked what I heard.

John.

Posted on: 20 May 2018 by Chris Dolan

Elegantly put John - I am in complete agreement. Perhaps it could be a call to arms for others?