Stageline - Which One???

Posted by: Greg Beatty on 22 January 2003

OK -

I'm getting along well with the Nait 5 :-) and have hopefully found speakers that will do the business and that the Nait can drive (Meadowlark Audio Swift or Kestrel 2).

Now, to get my LP12 playing I need a Stageline. My dealer has, of course, recommended other phono stages but does not diss the Stageline in the least - he thinks its likely that it will be preferred in a Naim system and among phono stages at or under $500 USD.

But which Stageline to get?

I'm currently running an LP12 Basic/Cirkus/Akito/K18II so moving magnet boards are needed.

I'm also looking towards the future as the K18II will not last forever and the Stageline is not 'switchable' between MM and MC.

A search of the forum turned up quite a few nice cartridges for under $500 USD - Dynavectors and the AT OC-9 among others.

The Dyns are available in high-output versions, so again, I'm thinking I'm OK with the MM Stageline. I can use my K18II now and upgrade later do a MC high output (from Dynavector or someone else) and all will be well.

Is this a sound plan?

Also, if this is a reasonable way to go, do I order the Stageline with E or N boards?

What boards are you using?

- GregB

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Posted on: 23 January 2003 by Peter Stockwell
Greg,

Glad you like the Nait 5, it'll do you for a while and it'll tell you when you make source improvements.

As I understand it the boards are not changeable in the Stageline, you'll have to trade your MM Stageline for a MC Stageline. That said you might consider going the MC cartrdge/MC Stageline route in one go. It'll probably be cheaper in the long run. Or you could decide that you don't need to go the MC route and stick with High Quality MMs like the Grado Range or indeed the HO Dynavector MCs.

I have no personal experience of the OC-9 but I've read on various internet fora and in magazines that to get the best out of the OC-9 is dificult. It apparently likes a load of 20 ohms and this is not possible with the Stageline range.
Posted on: 23 January 2003 by Laurie Saunders
The "k" version is the best with MC cartridges. Other versions are filtered...this may help if you suffer with RFI...but is not the right solution. K boards sound best because they are unfiltered. If you do get RFI it is best to find the cure in other ways.

Laurie S
Posted on: 23 January 2003 by Greg Beatty
Thanx to all who replied.

I will not go the MC cart/MC stageline route for now due to domestic circumstances - we have a baby who will arrive ANY DAY now. We don't play records that often and I could see replacing a dead K18II with a less-than-$100USD Grado or such. Down the road, if we are still into vinyl, then get Lingo, better arm (only Aikito at present) and MC cart all in one go.

So for now, the N type Stageline seems the way to go.

- GregB

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