Aro V Ekos (Kinda' Brief)
Posted by: Andy Piercy on 19 November 2002
Aro V Ekos
I know this has been done to death but i had the pleasure of hearing these two side by side on Saturday. The winner to be an early xmas pressie.
Records played : Oscar Peterson Trio - We Get Request's and Paul Weller - Wildwood
My LP12\Ittok\Valhalla\circus\17d2 (rest of system included my 72, the shop's 200
and a tall pair of B&W speakers) kicked off the demo just so we could get a feel
for things. It sounded it's usual jolly self, no surprises there then!!!
Next up was the Ekos which was installed onto my deck. The amount of detail that
this arm retrieved from the record was very impressive, but it lacked something.
Then came the Aro on a different LP12 but with the same spec as mine. The decision
was made within seconds.
The Ekos may dig out all the detail, but the Aro plays the music.
Andy
Posted on: 19 November 2002 by Andy Piercy
Infidelity in Kingston/Hampton Wick.
Controversial, i hoped i was just being honest(and brief) I can see why many like the Ekos, exciting to listen to but not to my taste
Andy
Posted on: 19 November 2002 by Bob Edwards
Andy--
Exactly right!
Bob
Posted on: 19 November 2002 by Paul Davies
I realise that my views on this subject are a little unfashionable, especially on this forum, but when I did the same comparison (back in 1990) I got the opposite result. The Ekos played music. The Aro sent me to sleep. Disappointing really, because the Aro was quite a bit cheaper than the Ekos.
The demo was conducted in Robert Ritchie's dem room so, no, I don't think that incorrect set up caused this result.
My point in presenting this contrary experience is to advise prospective purchasers to listen with open ears and an open mind before they part with their cash.
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Rockingdoc
I think anyone on this forum already carries too much information baggage to make an unbiased judgement. The only valid demonstration would be a blind-test where we didn't know which was being played. I think many of us would be afraid to buy on the basis of a genuine blind audition, i.e. where we parted with the credit card before knowing which item we had chosen.
malcolm
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Roy T
Is not part of the fun of buying new kit having your previously held views confirmed by a good demo? IMHO this helps you feel so very, very good about then parting with the cash.
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Andy Piercy
I suppose one type of blind testing would be having somebody with you who had no idea what equipment you are listening to. My wife Nikki is such a person, no idea which arm was Ekos or Aro. All she knew was that we were going shopping for an arm.
Nikki preferred the Aro also, saying so before i told her which one i preferred and before i told her it was cheaper...
The Ekos is a top arm and if you like what it does then great. I've heard the Ekos in many different systems with and without Mana, but the Aro does it for me every time.
Nice to read about other experiences as well.
Andy
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Ulrich Hohn
I have heard a LP12/Troika/Lingo/Ekos over 1000 hours and a LP12/Arkiv/Lingo/Ekos over 2000 hours. I have changed the Ekos vs Aro, the Lingo vs Armageddon, the Arkiv vs VdH Grasshopper vs VdH Black Beauty and now Ortofon status. As a vinyl fanatic a Prefix/Supercap (or Prefix on 552) is a must. And now I am happy!
Ulrich
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Paul Ranson
Changing the Valhalla for a Lingo would be cheaper than changing to either arm and much more beneficial. I'm surprised the dealer didn't suggest this as a first step.
Paul
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Andy Piercy
quote:
Originally posted by Paul Ranson:
Changing the Valhalla for a Lingo would be cheaper than changing to either arm and much more beneficial.
So are you saying that Lingo or Geddon\Ittok is better than Valhalla\Aro or Ekos???
Andy
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Phil Barry
Linn ideology is that the Lingo is the first step, the Ekos is the 2nd, and the cart is the 3rd.
Naim ideology is the ARO comes before the 'geddon.
Paul is right for people who like the Linn turntable sound. He's wrong for those of us who like the Naim version of the TT. I prefer a Valhalla/ARO to a Lingo Ekos.
And BTW, an ARO is a good deal less expensive than a Lingo + Ekos.
Regards.
Phil
[This message was edited by Phil Barry on THURSDAY 21 November 2002 at 01:50.]
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Paul Ranson
quote:
So are you saying that Lingo or Geddon\Ittok is better than Valhalla\Aro or Ekos???
I've little direct experience of the Armageddon, but if Armageddon/LP12/Akito isn't better than Valhalla/LP12/ARO then the Armageddon isn't a very good PSU. Lingo/LP12/Akito would be better than Valhalla/LP12/Ekos, and rather less expensive.
(I chose Lingo back when Armageddon was a 'dealer and special Naim friends only' package including the PSU, what became Prefix and a changed mounting for the Ittok)
IMO in a mechanical environment like a turntable the hierarchy applies ruthlessly.
Anyway, if you had a budget for an Ekos but have chosen an ARO you presumably have enough cash left to go for an Armageddon! Smiles all round!
Paul
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Paul Davies
quote:
Originally posted by Phil Barry:
Paul is right for people who like the Linn sound. He's wrong for those of us who like the Naim version. I prefer a Valhalla/ARO to a Lingo Ekos.
The other Paul begs to disagree. Given that the rest of my system, from the Prefix that's attached to my Ekos, via my 52 (passing by my CDS II en route) to my active SBLs is all Naim, I think that I'm entitled to classify myself as one of the club that "like[s] the Naim version." I prefer a Valhalla/Ekos to a Valhalla/Aro. I also prefer a Lingo/Ekos to a Valhalla/Ekos. Though I have never done a direct comparison, so I can't be 100% certain, I think that I can reasonably conclude that I probably would prefer a Lingo/Ekos to a Valhalla/Aro.
You pays your money and you takes your choice, though it's probably best to listen first.
Posted on: 20 November 2002 by Phil Barry
Paul D: I've edited my post to say 'Linn turntable sound'.
Paul R:
If I limited myself to Linn offerings, I would get the Cirkus before the Lingo, and the Lingo before an Ekos. But my gut and my ears told me to upgrade from Akito to Ittok with the Valhalla, and to buy an ARO with a Valhalla.
Numerous people have made similar choices - upgrading the arm to an ARO before upgrading the PSU. Some people have actualy bought Turntables without Linn badges, thereby turning their backs on both Ivor and Julian (RIP).
The turntable hierarchy simply does not apply in all cases.
Regards.
Phil
