My thoughts about the Lounge are based on living with two different Hagerman Cornets I built and my current point to point built Ear 834 clone with a no holds bared approach to its build.
Set up used was my nude Tonar Diabolic, Shick arm, Lenco plywood plinth, with PTP top plate, and Mirco idler and bearing.
The Lounge is in my opinion a heck of a value, I dont get out much so to speak, (as in auditioning the latest gear), I got off the train some time back. I think the last visit to a real hifi store was around 1998 maybe. DIY took over my quest.
My impressions are that this had some serious synergy with the Tonar cartridge. I did not have time to whip up a box for my Altec step ups that plug into sockets on my Ear clone, so I juggled back and forth with just the Tonar comparing both pre amps.
The Lounge has tone in spades, very musical and life like. It is dynamic as the cartridge and does not color anything. The Lounges only short fall is sound stage, which by the way is very good. But when going back to my pre that was the first thing noticed every time, but I can say the parts in the clone cost way more than the Lounge.
The Lounge had fatter bottom end and at first listen each time I switched back to it from my pre it seemed a tad polite on the top end.
I never got tired of listening to it, it really does an excellent job, I only wish I had gotten to listen to my Zu 103R though the Lounge also.
I was hoping to get a taste of the LCR flavor and I am convinced. I need to decide if I want to pursue a diy LCR build and pony up for some of Dave Slagle”s iron, or go the lazy man route and by a Lounge.
Set up used was my nude Tonar Diabolic, Shick arm, Lenco plywood plinth, with PTP top plate, and Mirco idler and bearing.
The Lounge is in my opinion a heck of a value, I dont get out much so to speak, (as in auditioning the latest gear), I got off the train some time back. I think the last visit to a real hifi store was around 1998 maybe. DIY took over my quest.
My impressions are that this had some serious synergy with the Tonar cartridge. I did not have time to whip up a box for my Altec step ups that plug into sockets on my Ear clone, so I juggled back and forth with just the Tonar comparing both pre amps.
The Lounge has tone in spades, very musical and life like. It is dynamic as the cartridge and does not color anything. The Lounges only short fall is sound stage, which by the way is very good. But when going back to my pre that was the first thing noticed every time, but I can say the parts in the clone cost way more than the Lounge.
The Lounge had fatter bottom end and at first listen each time I switched back to it from my pre it seemed a tad polite on the top end.
I never got tired of listening to it, it really does an excellent job, I only wish I had gotten to listen to my Zu 103R though the Lounge also.
I was hoping to get a taste of the LCR flavor and I am convinced. I need to decide if I want to pursue a diy LCR build and pony up for some of Dave Slagle”s iron, or go the lazy man route and by a Lounge.