Paul Hobson, Author at Moorgate Acoustics

How resilient is vinyl?

I thought this article was very interesting. It shows that good set up and a good cleaning regime will mean that vinyl is a great deal more resilient than many of us thought. This includes correct set up of the arm, proper alignment of the cartridge, correct tracking weight and more.

The article can be found on this link for more detail and and answer that might surprise you.

We offer a set up a stylus check facility. If you're in any doubt drop your record player in and we'll ensure everything is set optimally and we'll tell you what your stylus' condition is.

https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/02/many-plays-take-destroy-vinyl-record/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOWw-RleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFjYlBSTFE0WWFYWnl6TXVCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHi9EoCu8dyX6ecXt289EGwEH9Y73rf3er5t43d4O5qlLqbU4KJ973NJFJ_HG_aem_0hCb8hgXj9_LoBGGle0CDw

Uncategorized - 11/28/2025

Rega launch ND9 reference MM cartridge.

With an RRP of £695

The Nd9 cartridge embodies decades of expertise in cartridge engineering and cantilever design, delivering the highest-performing moving-magnet cartridge we’ve ever created. Drawing inspiration from our flagship Aphelion 2 moving-coil model, the Nd9 features a Boron rod cantilever paired with a Fine Line stylus profile. This combination offers exceptional stiffness with minimal mass, enabling lightning-fast response and remarkable playback accuracy. The Nd9 is also available factory-fitted on the Planar 8 turntable.

A master of detail

Each Nd9 is meticulously hand-built by our skilled technicians. Its advanced Fine Line nude diamond stylus is bonded to a Boron rod cantilever to achieve maximum musical detail. This man-made monocrystalline diamond features extremely small radii—just 3µm when viewed from above and 30µm vertically—allowing it to follow even the most delicate variations in the groove. The result is extraordinary detail retrieval from an exceptionally small contact area.

A newly developed generator design, engineered with perfectly symmetrical geometry, ensures highly accurate channel balance. The Nd9 also incorporates an optimised pole gap for enhanced linearity and reduced crosstalk, producing a significantly wider soundstage than earlier models. Inside, miniaturised parallel coils are wound in-house with 38-micron wire and 1,275 turns, creating a low-inductance, low-impedance generator with vastly improved high-frequency performance.

Aligned with our commitment to sustainability, every Nd-series cartridge is supplied in fully recyclable packaging.

Key Features

Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects

Fine Line nude diamond profile

Boron cantilever

Neodymium magnet

Unique generator design

Rega 3-point mounting system

Highly rigid PPS body

Hand-built stereo cartridge

100% recyclable packaging

Available factory-fitted on the Planar 8 turntable

Uncategorized - 11/27/2025

Hegel H150

Winning friends already. Check out this video review of the newest Hegel all-in-one unit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiSc-yH0usY

Hegel say "The H150 Streaming Amplifier is our most impressive value proposition to date. We have nicknamed it the Prodigy because, while being at the entry level in our range, the H150 displays a level of performance and versatility usually reserved for far more expensive models, showing talent well beyond its price point. The H150 draws inspiration from the Hegel reference products, but also adds to the user experience with its own unique solutions. With a wealth of connectivity options and a powerful, articulate amplifier section, the H150 is a true all-in-one music solution. It fits seamlessly into a wide variety of spaces and can confidently drive almost any loudspeaker"

Our take is that Hegel are probably right; this is indeed their best value for money product. Although it is relatively affordable, it gives nothing away to units costing up to twice as much. For a start the 2 x 75 watts are real watts and the class A/B design means that it is potent and fast enough to drive most loudspeakers that are ever likely to be partnered with it (and plenty that won't).

We were thrilled to see a good MM phono stage join the analogue inputs, as well as a TV optimised optical input that gives some rarely seen features and usability.

The inbuilt DAC is far better than it has any right to be and is based on the Mohican tech. And the streamer covers all bases (all the important streaming services) and is Roon ready to boot.

We've spent some time with our demo sample and have auditioned it with three of our current favourite speakers. These are the Linn 119, the PMC Prodigy 5 and finally the Spendor D7.2. It handled each of the speakers very well indeed and we were surprised how easily it drove the Spendor's. It did so without trouble, without any brightness and with an exceptionally detailed and non fatiquing top end.

We could mention one or two more expensive alternatives that are not quite so poised and easy to listen to for long periods of time. But we won't. We'll leave that to your imagination.

One of the assumptions that people have about the Hegel units is often that they are superb amplifiers but the streamer and DAC sections are something of an afterthought. The H150 proves otherwise and does so exceptionally.

Hegel have a real winner here. Come and experience it for yourself.

Specs in full

Power output: 2x75W into 8 Ohms @ 1kHz 1% THD , 100/120/230V AC
Minimum load: 2 ohms
Analog inputs: 1x Balanced (XLR), 1x Unbalanced (RCA)
Phono input: 1 x Unbalanced (RCA) for Moving Magnet (MM)
Digital outputs: 1x Coaxial S/PDIF - 24/192
Digital inputs: 1x Coaxial (RCA) S/PDIF - 24/192, 2x Optical S/PDIF - 24/96, 1x USB B- 24/192, 1x USB A 2.0 - USB Drives, 1x Network - 24/192
Line level outputs: 1x Unbalanced variable (RCA)
Streaming: Spotify Connect (Lossless), Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Apple Air- Play, Google Cast, airable Internet Radio and Podcast, UPnP (Roon Ready pending certification)
Streaming formats: MP3, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, AAC, PCM, Ogg
Frequency response: 5Hz-100kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio: More than 100dB
Crosstalk: Less than -100dB
Distortion: Less than 0.01% @ 50W 8 Ohms 1kHz
Intermodulation: Less than 0.01% (19kHz + 20kHz)
Damping factor: More than 2000 (main power output stage)
Dimensions/weight: 43 x 35 x 10 cm (WxDxH), 9.7 kg
Dimensions/weight US: 17 x 13.8 x 3.93" (WxDxH), 21.4 lbs

Uncategorized - 11/25/2025

Rega and the Art of Vibration: Why They Call Their Turntables “Vibration Measuring Machines”

Few hi-fi companies inspire as much loyalty and debate as Rega Research, the British audio manufacturer known for its minimalist yet deeply considered turntable designs. Founded by Roy Gandy in 1973, Rega’s philosophy has always diverged from the mainstream of high-end audio. Where others add mass, damping, and complexity, Rega removes it. Where others strive for mechanical stillness through weight, Rega pursues speed, lightness, and rigidity.

At the heart of this approach lies a fascinating concept: Rega doesn’t really see their turntables as record players in the conventional sense. Instead, they describe them as “vibration measuring devices.”

This phrase captures the essence of Rega’s engineering worldview — that a turntable’s true job is not to create sound, but to measure the incredibly subtle vibrations engraved in a vinyl record with the utmost precision and minimal interference.

1. The Record Groove as a Measurement System

A vinyl record is, in essence, a storage medium for vibrations. When a record is cut, a lathe translates electrical signals (the music) into minute physical movements — tiny undulations in the groove walls. These modulations are on the scale of micrometers (millionths of a meter), and the playback stylus must faithfully follow these contours to recreate the original signal.

In this sense, playing a record is an act of measurement: the stylus is a sensor detecting mechanical vibrations, and the tonearm and turntable form part of a delicate measurement instrument.

Rega’s perspective follows naturally: if a turntable’s purpose is to measure vibration, then every design decision should aim to preserve the integrity of that measurement.

2. The Enemy: Unwanted Energy

To measure the groove’s vibrations accurately, the turntable must not add or subtract its own vibrations. Yet every mechanical system produces energy. Motors vibrate, bearings resonate, plinths flex, and sound from the speakers feeds back through the air and the support surface.

Traditional turntable design often seeks to combat this with mass damping — using heavy platters, suspended subchassis, and elaborate isolation systems to suppress or absorb unwanted vibration.

Rega’s approach is different. They believe that energy can never be fully damped — only controlled. Instead of trying to absorb vibration through mass, Rega designs their turntables to drain energy quickly and predictably away from the stylus–record interface.

3. Lightness, Rigidity, and Energy Control

Roy Gandy’s design mantra — “mass absorbs energy, rigidity controls it” — defines the company’s aesthetic and engineering language.

Low mass: A lighter plinth stores less vibrational energy, meaning it returns less energy back into the system.
High rigidity: A stiff structure allows vibrations to pass through it quickly and consistently, preventing delayed resonances or reflections that would smear the sound.

This is why Rega’s plinths are famously light and thin, often using a foam core sandwiched between stiff outer skins of phenolic resin. The result is a structure that behaves more like a tuned instrument than a lump of inert mass — responsive yet controlled.

Similarly, Rega’s tonearms (like the iconic RB300 and its descendants) are one-piece castings — another expression of this philosophy. By eliminating joints and using materials with high stiffness-to-weight ratios, Rega ensures that the stylus’s microscopic movements are transferred cleanly into electrical signal without distortion from mechanical instability.

4. The “Vibration Measuring Device” in Practice

When Rega calls a turntable a “vibration measuring device,” they’re emphasizing precision over artifice. Every element of a Rega deck — motor, bearing, platter, tonearm, plinth — exists to serve that single function: to measure the vibration encoded in the groove as faithfully as possible.

That means:

The motor must rotate with extreme consistency (low wow and flutter).
The bearing must introduce minimal friction and noise.
The plinth must transmit energy efficiently without coloration.
The tonearm must allow the stylus to track the groove with microscopic accuracy.

Rega even designs their cartridges and tonearms as integrated systems, minimizing energy reflections at the mounting point and maintaining mechanical coherence from groove to signal output.

5. A Philosophical Position, Not Just an Engineering One

There’s a deeper layer to Rega’s “vibration measuring” idea — it’s also a philosophical stance.

Rega often resists the audiophile industry’s obsession with visual luxury or overbuilt construction. Instead, they view audio reproduction as an act of engineering purity: measuring what’s already there, not coloring it.

In interviews, Roy Gandy has argued that the turntable’s job is not to sound impressive, but to sound correct. A heavier deck might produce a more “authoritative” sound, but if that comes from stored energy being released out of time with the music, it’s a distortion of the measurement — not a truth revealed.

Thus, Rega’s minimalist appearance — the lack of exotic materials or gleaming mass — is not cost-cutting but a manifestation of a belief system: every gram and every component must justify its existence in terms of how it helps the system measure vibration more accurately.

6. Conclusion: Measuring Music

By calling their turntables “vibration measuring devices,” Rega reframes analog playback as a scientific act — one that depends on mechanical precision, not mystique.

The phrase reminds us that at its core, vinyl reproduction is not magic: it’s the conversion of one form of energy into another. A turntable doesn’t play music — it measures motion, and the quality of that measurement defines the quality of what we hear.

Rega’s genius lies in recognizing that truth and engineering around it with relentless consistency for over half a century. The result is equipment that may look simple, but is the product of profound mechanical insight — proof that sometimes, less vibration really does mean more music.

Uncategorized - 11/07/2025

We welcome Gold Note Phono stages

Regulars will know that we're always looking to improve our range and summer tends to be when it mostly happens. This year we were told by two good friends that we should have a look and a listen to Gold Note phono stages.

Gold Note is an Italian high-end audio manufacturer based near Florence, in Tuscany. The company was founded in 2012 by Maurizio Aterini, who had been involved in hi-fi design and engineering since the early 1990s. Aterini’s passion for music and sound reproduction began in his youth during the late 1970s, eventually leading him to establish Gold Note as a company dedicated to merging traditional Italian craftsmanship with modern audio engineering.

From its base in Tuscany, Gold Note designs and manufactures every component locally, maintaining a “Made in Italy” philosophy that extends from sourcing materials to final assembly. The firm’s ethos is to embody what it calls Il Suono Italiano—the Italian Sound—defined as a balance between vivid realism and musical warmth. Rather than focusing purely on technical precision or sentimentality, Gold Note seeks a natural, engaging sound that reflects the emotion and energy of live performance.

The company’s approach to design emphasises the system as a whole rather than isolated components. Each product is conceived to work synergistically with others in the range, ensuring consistency and musical coherence across the chain—from source to speakers. This “systems thinking” underpins their product development philosophy.

Gold Note is unusual among boutique audio brands because it produces a complete ecosystem of products: turntables, phono stages, cartridges, DACs, streamers, amplifiers, power supplies and loudspeakers. Early in its history, the company gained attention for its Bellagio Conquest turntable, which showcased both technical sophistication and artistic design. In 2018, the IS-1000 integrated streaming amplifier marked another milestone, combining high-end amplification with built-in streaming capabilities, representing a bridge between analogue tradition and digital convenience.

As I say our primary interest is in phono stages and here's the current range -

PH5 - £976 MM and MC
The high-quality of Gold Note's phono stages has become affordable.

EQ CURVES3 EQ curves (RIAA, Decca London, American Columbia) all with Enhanced optionGAIN40dB MM to 60dB MC with 4 options [0dB, + 3dB, ± 6dB]
INPUT IMPEDANCE9 options [10Ω, 22Ω, 47Ω, 100Ω, 220Ω, 470Ω, 1000Ω, 22kΩ, 47kΩ]
AUDIO OUTPUTSStereo unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR

PH-10

The extraordinary and award-winning phono stage. £1700 plus optional power supply.

EQ CURVES3 EQ curves (RIAA, Decca London, American Columbia) all with Enhanced option
GAIN45dB MM to 65dB MC with 4 options [0dB, ± 3dB, + 6dB]
INPUT IMPEDANCE9 options [10Ω, 22Ω, 47Ω, 100Ω, 220Ω, 470Ω, 1000Ω, 22kΩ, 47kΩ]
AUDIO OUTPUTS Stereo unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR

PH-1000

The most advanced phono stage from £5900 plus optional power supply.

EQ CURVES Infinite + Custom EQ curves (PH-1000 and PH-1000 LINE) - 36 EQ curves (PH-1000 LITE)
GAIN40dB MM to 65dB (60db LITE) MC with 7 options
LOAD12 options for RCA + 8 options for XLR
CAPACITANCEOFF, 100pF, 150pF, 220pF, 330pF, 470pF, 1000pF
AUDIO INPUTS2 RCA, 1 XLR
AUDIO OUTPUTSTUBE output, RCA output, XLR output + 1 Headphone output
EXTERNAL LOAD Only PH-1000 and PH-1000 LINE

We heard the 10 and the 1000 and were overwhelmed! We will report more when we have the stock.

Uncategorized - 11/07/2025

Innuos Stream 1 and 3

Stream1

The STREAM1 is the new entry-level Hi-Fi music streamer and server that does not compromise on functionality. Innous's most versatile gateway product yet, you can tailor the STREAM1 in different configurations to meet your needs thanks to modular storage and output options, able to flexibly fill both music streamer and server duties. Enjoy it as a fully loaded music player, streaming transport, a storage server or a combination of then all - the choice is yours. Stream is actually a platform that offers you flexibility and meets your requirements for connectivity.

Whether you're a seasoned audiophile with a meticulously curated system or a listener seeking a simple but elegant solution, this music source promises to be the driving force behind your audio experience.

At Innous, they craft both hardware and software in house, fine tuning every detail for unmatched synergy. From precision clocking to advanced noise reduction through power supply architecture and customized firmware, every detail is engineered to allow you to reconnect with your music.

Designed to grow with you, STREAM1 isn't just an introduction to Hi-Fi streaming - it's the foundation of an evolving system. With upgrade paths and modular design, it offers an accessible yet powerful step into superior audio performance.

Whether you already own a DAC or prefer a fully connected streamer, exclusively stream, or wish to build a library of all your local files, this product is designed to be the digital heart of your system. Flexible but not uncompromising in sound quality, STREAM1 is a gateway to rediscovering your music collection.

CX Power
Enjoy a clean and clear sound thanks to the CX Regulator module for extremely low-noise power supplied independently to the Digital Output Module, proving an isolated and low-noise signal fed from a medical-grade filtered external switching power supply.

Storage
Add M2 NVMe SSD storage and create a home to maximise all your digital files and enjoy even more library management features in Sense app with the full scope of a music server. Choose fr4om 2TB or 4TB of factory pre-fitted storage - or simply add your own instead.

LPS1
Take the sound quality of STREAM1 significantly further with the partnering of LPS1, a perfectly matched linear power supply with 150VA toroidal transformer and premium Munford capacitors for even greater clarity in sound. Leverage a second Michigan - regulated DC output to power accessories such as external DACs and network switches.

Compact Design
Small but mighty, the STREAM1 makes no compromises on features despite its compact, half-width design. Enjoy the full scope of all Sense has to offer in a small footprint design with 10mm CNC machined aluminium front fascia and a continuous design with LPS1, weather stacked or placed side-by-side.

Powerful Performance
Enjoy a smooth and responsive system thanks to the new Stream series mainboard, using 13th Gen Intel Quad-Core processing and 8GB of industrial-grade DDR5 RAM for a fast yet efficient platform that exceeds 200% faster processing than its predecessor. Hear the benefits of a low-latency system with the OS carried on a dedicated TLC power-loss protected SSD, featuring real-time Kernel technology trickled down from the Zen Next-Gen series.

Connectivity
STREAM1 is ready for the latest changes in connectivity, equipped with USB-C for the latest high-speed USB drives, DACs, or charging smart devices. Still want to rip CDs to the internal storage? Add your own USB Optical Drive to begin ripping in seconds through using intuitive customised ripping engine. Connect to super-fast network speeds through the new 2.5GB Ethernet ports, with a bridged 'Streamer' output to connect another network device to.

Stream3

STREAM3 is Innous' new top-performance Hi-Fi music streamer and server, designed for those who demand reference-grade performance. Whether you pair it with a world-class DAC or prefer an elegant all-in-one solution, STREAM3 is the ultimate foundation for your high-fidelity journey.

Innous’s top-performance music streamer - also fully capable as a server with optional storage and CD ripping via external USB optical drive - is the defining element of your system. It delivers an uncompromised, pristine signal, meticulously timed and free of sonic artifacts, allowing your DAC to perform at its absolute best, revealing the full depth, texture, and emotion of every note, And for those who embrace simplicity, its intuitive, streamlined architecture provides effortless access to your entire music library.

Equipped with state-of-the-art clocking, ultra-low noise power architecture, 10mm thick CNC-machined bead-blasted and anodized aluminium premium chassis, and further enhanced by Innous's in-house developed software, this streamer takes complete control over your digital audio.

Introducing an expansive modular design. STREAM3 is built for those who, in pursuit of perfect sound, are willing to move to a level of advanced versatile and flexible architecture.

Choose the optimized Digital Output Module that best suits your needs and take your streaming quality to a new level.

STREAM3 is more than just a streamer, it's a portal to a world where music transcends the physical realm. A private concert in your home, where very note weaves a personal narrative and the artist's soul resonates with yours.

ARC6-CX LPSU
Hear the difference of high-end power architecture with the integrated ARC6-CX module, combining 132,000uf Munforf capacitance, active rectification and CX power regulation into a single module to greatly reduce impedance and supply ultra-clean power to the system, sourced from a large 300VA toroidal transformer and medical-grade AC filtering to further reduce noise.

Premium Chassis
Housed in 10mm thick, CNC-machined aluminium, the STREAM3 chassis provides comprehensive vibration dampening and shielding in an elegant design. The inclusion of 4mm grounding port allows for even further possibility in noise reduction, revealing even greater levels of detail.

Optional PhoenixDAC
Turn the STREAM3 into a truly high-end fully integrated streamer with the inclusion of the PhoenixDAC module, adding a direct XLR and RCA analogue output from a premium internal digital-to--analogue conversion stage powered independently by its own accompanying power supply, exclusively designed in partnership with Dr Seam Jacobs.

Storage
Add M2 NMVe SSD storage and create a home to maximise all your digital files and enjoy even more library management features in Sense app with the full scope of a music server. Choose from2 TB or 4TB of factory pre-fitted storage - or simply ass your own instead.

Powerful Performance
Enjoy a smooth and responsive system thanks to the new Stream series mainboard, using 13th Gen Intel Quad-Core Processing and 8GB of industrial-grade DDR5 RAM for a fast yet efficient platform that exceeds 300% faster processing than its predecessor. Hear the benefits of a low-latency system with the OS carried on a dedicated TLC power-loss protected SSD, featuring Real-Time Kernel technology trickled down from the Zen Next-Gen series.

Connectivity
Stream3 is ready for the latest changes in connectivity, equipped with USB-C for the latest high-speed USB drives, DACs, or charging smart devices. Still want to rip CDs to the internal storage? Add your own USB Optical Drive to begin ripping in seconds through using intuitive customised ripping engine. Connect to super-fast network speeds through the new 2.5GB Ethernet ports, with a bridged 'Streamer' output to connect another network device to.

Both of the above streamers are on demo now.

Uncategorized - 10/27/2025

Klimax LP12 on dem

Our demo Klimax LP12 now features Keel SE and Radikal 3. We also have the old machines Radikal modified for comparison. Hear the new turntable at your leisure by droppiong in with an LP.

We'll announce and open day shortly.

Uncategorized - 10/25/2025

Linn Keel gets the SE treatment

Keel SE

Flagship machined sub-chassis and armboard for Sondek LP12

Keel SE is the super evolution of Linn’s highest-performance LP12 sub-chassis.

With Keel SE, Linn’s engineers have comprehensively improved upon the original using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Thanks to this revolutionary technology, Linn has been able to evaluate all limitations of previous sub-chassis designs and break free from them, using a combination of cutting-edge virtual prototyping and their own enhanced in-house machining capabilities. The outcome is a new and visibly improved machined sub-chassis with superior stiffness, optimised resonant behaviour, and ideal distribution of mass.

An intricate bracing structure machined into the underside of Keel SE – designed using a mixture of manual and computer-aided optimisations – has helped Linn achieve their number one goal of increasing sub-chassis stiffness as much as possible. This significant 300% increase versus previous designs means that any vibrations travelling through Keel SE have their frequencies forced higher, and their energy substantially lowered.

Optimised resonant behaviour allows Keel SE to better break up and dissipate problematic acoustic energy, reducing its potential impact on the delicate music signal.

By machining aluminium from calculated areas beneath the armboard, Keel SE has its centre of mass balanced more evenly on its suspension compared to other sub-chassis models. This improves weight distribution between the springs and reduces inertia, improving the critical acoustic isolation properties of any LP12.

Keep an eye on this page for an event where you can here the Keel SE and the new Radikal 3 in our store.
£4250 is the price.

Uncategorized - 10/09/2025

Linn Launch Klimax Radikal power supply

Klimax Radikal

Reference motor control, motor and power supply for Sondek LP12

Linn fans will be familiar with the Radikal and the Klimax machined version of it. This product replaces the Klimax version. It brings it into line with the new reference products visually and also adds the proven and superb Utopik power supply; here used in dual mode for the first time.

Klimax Radikal features hyper-accurate speed management technology; generating sustained, uniform rotation closer to 33⅓rpm than any turntable.

You’ll experience even more of your music, in perfect pitch, thanks to Klimax Radikal's digitally managed motor control, bespoke Utopik power supply, and machined aluminium chassis with exceptional electrical and mechanical isolation.

The Utopik power supply is critical to performance, as it possesses separate, dedicated output voltage rails for each of Klimax Radikal's two specialised tasks: controlling the motor and providing power to Urika internal phono stages. These output rails are separately self-regulating; any sudden, significant draws in power from the motor or controller don't affect the rails supplying Urika, and vice versa. The independence of these rails ensures consistency and quality of power supplied to both the motor and phono stage, improving the performance of each.

Also critical to performance is Klimax Radikal's enhanced mechanical isolation. Weighing in at nearly 14kg, machined from three pieces of solid aluminium, and mounted on high-mass stainless-steel feet with rubber ring inserts, its beautifully machined casework is reassuringly robust in the face of external influences.

£11,500

The new Radikal will be on demo soon and we'll be hosting an event to introduce it. There will also be an upgrade/trade in path and we'll reveal this soon.