I really like the Benchmark/Mac Mini, mostly due to the convenience. As for the sound, it is more "sterile" sounding than the Ikemi which to me has always been very warm sounding. Both are good but I now seem to be preferring the Benchmark.
The Neuance is a very good product and I would highly recommend it with the Ikemi.
Thanks for the kind words. I am blessed with a wife who puts up with having the system in the family room. I enjoy being able to view the outdoors while listening.
It was around $1800.00 for the base and the cable isolator which is sold separately. The isolator fits into the base and holds the tonearm cable. There are good photos on the Basis website.
The Calibrator base improved the bass (more "solid") and the overall impression is that the music comes from a more quiet background. Expensive, but worth it in my opinion. Thanks for your kind comments.
Thanks for the kind comments. The drapes do not close in my room (there are blinds in addition to the drapes). I am very impressed with the Basis turntable. In fact I just added the Basis Calibrator base to the table which has definitely improved the performance. I had one vinyl setup prior (Music Hall), so I am not exactly a vinyl expert but all I can say is that the Basis has been perfectly reliable in the two plus years that I have owned it. The sound is very detailed with a large soundstage and good bass. I have heard that the Basis tables are not as good on the lower frequencies as VPI, but in my system I have never wanted for more (so far). The Calibrator base did improve the bass "solidity" to my ears.
The key for me was working with a good dealer who assisted with setup and advise along the way.
I would describe the Scorpio's sound as detailed without being overly analytical. The bass in my setting is deep enough to keep me from feeling that I need a subwoofer. Another quality that I like is that the drivers seem to be integrated very well-meaning that the transitions are smooth. They work well in my system with the types of music I listen to (classical and jazz). The Scorpios are the only Audio Physic products that I have heard, so I can not compare to previous generations. Thanks for the comments on my system.
Thanks for the kind comments. As for tube amps with the Scorpios-my experience is limited only to the Art Audio Concerto Plus monos and previously the Consonance Cyber 800 monos. Both are around 70 watts per channel and both produce excellent bass in my room with the Scorpios. The Art Audio amps are, to my ears, very SET like without the power limitations. I have only listened to the Scorpios once with solid state amplification (Spectron-at the dealer showroom) and to me the tube amps produce more mid range magic and "organic" presence to the music. I listen to classical and jazz but I do have a couple of Tangerine Dream CDs and the electronic bass is quite good through this system-very solid. Bottom line...for me the bass is very good with the tube amps I have tried. Hope this helps.
The other push-pull amps that I tried were all solid state models prior to my SET days. So, to answer your question...none of the mfg.s that you list. I stayed with Art Audio because I had such a good experience owning the Diavolo SET. I have not tried the Quartets but I would really like to at some point. The Concerto Plus amps have been a real pleasure so far. Changing to Ei KT90 power tubes from the Valve Art KT88 has made a huge difference in my system.
Thanks for the comments. In my SET rig I was using the Art Audio Diavolo. It paired very well with the EAR 864. The reason for change was simply to try another approach. The SET experience was one that I enjoyed very much. So far this combination is working well for me but who knows in the long run.
