Turntable Reviews

Music Hall Stealth record player Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog sources: Linn Audio Sondek LP12 turntable with SME M2-9 tonearm and Audio-Technica AT-VM95E cartridge; Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable with Thomas Schick 10.5" tonearm, My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent Ex moving coil cartridge. Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC cartridge with Koetsu SUT. Denon DL-103 with Auditorium 23 SUT. Zu Denon DL-103, Ortofon 2M Black, Grado Prestige 78E mono phono cartridges.
Preamplifier: HoloAudio Serene line preamplifier; Tavish Design Adagio, Kitsuné LCR-1 MK5 phono preamplifiers.
Power amplifiers: Parasound Halo A 21+.
Loudspeakers: Falcon Acoustics "Gold Badge" LS3/5a.
Cables: Interconnect: Auditorium 23, AudioQuest Thunderbird, Black Cat Coppertone, Cardas Clear Beyond. Speaker: Cardas Clear Beyond. AC: AudioQuest Tornado, manufacturer's own.
Accessories: AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioner; Harmonic Resolution Systems M3X-1719-AMG GR LF isolation platform (under A 21+ amplifier); Kuzma Platis 65 isolation platform (under Feickert Blackbird turntable). Sound Anchor Reference speaker stands (under LS3/5a's).—Herb Reichert

COMPANY INFO
Music Hall LLC
108 Station Rd.
Great Neck, NY 11023
(516) 487-3663
musichallaudio.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
tenorman's picture
Submitted by tenorman on September 29, 2022 - 2:57pm

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mmole's picture
Submitted by mmole on September 30, 2022 - 6:46am

The Barbarians were famous because their drummer, Victor "Moulty" Moulton had one hand, with the other, lost in a childhood accident, replaced by a hook. Their big break came when they were included in the T.A.M.I. show (which featured the Stones and James Brown). Their song, "Moulty" was basically a monologue by their handicapped drummer about how he kept positive despite the devastating injury. It came out years later that the backing band for "Moulty" was the Hawks (the Band) minus Levon Helm.

jtshaw's picture
Submitted by jtshaw on October 4, 2022 - 10:16am

We returned to vinyl after a 30 year hiatus when my wife agreed that it would be a shame to waste the phono stage in the Luxman amp. I decided to look for a direct-drive turntable, hoping for a pretty much turn-key setup. It became clear quickly that the best prospects were one of the Technics or the Stealth.

Set-up was easy for the Stealth (no “hair-shirt audio” as Roy Hall commented elsewhere). It took me two tries to get the counterweight on the tonearm set properly, and a stylus gauge I had acquired helped with that. The Ortofon cartridge was pre-mounted correctly, and it was a simple plug-in to the end of the tonearm. Herb should have tried the supplied interconnect: I think it is well-constructed and tonally neutral.

The sound of the Stealth through the Luxman amp is marked by clarity with a touch of warmth. Channel separation can be startling good, and Airto Moreira’s percussion on an ECM pressing of the first Return to Forever album is riveting as the Stealth locks down the left-right image. My wife and I both enjoy the musical mind-meld between Chet Baker and Paul Bley on “Diane,” their album of duets on Steeple Chase. The first LP we played was John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” which proved an inspired choice as we start exploring vinyl again.

As always, your mileage may vary depending on your associated equipment and the sound you are trying to achieve. However, I doubt one can appreciably better the Stealth near it’s price point. Stereophile placed it with Class B in the latest Recommended Components, which strikes me as reasonable.

Jack L's picture
Submitted by Jack L on October 18, 2022 - 5:35pm

Hi

"Shame" or not depends on one's music requirement.

I got donated many years back now sleeping in my junk bin: Luxman L-480 integrated amp (with phonostage of course), AM/FM tuner & a tape deck, all in Luxman then typical solud walnut wood housing & in pretty mint condition.

Yes, vintage Luxman audio can be good for family music recreation use.

BUT I would never want to use its phonostage for my LPs solely for sonic reason - way toooo vintage sounding let alone it being solid state, for my tube-spoiled ears.

Listening to tube is believing

Jack L

Herb Reichert's picture
Submitted by Herb Reichert on October 2, 2022 - 5:12am

I can blame this only on geezeritus and too many blows to my head, but after the review was on the newsstands, I went to move the Stealth to the other side of the rack and realized that I had ONLY used the Music Hall supplied interconnect and its attached grounding wire.

Therefore all of my observations were made with the stock wire.

I apologize for the misstatement. .

herb

Jack L's picture
Submitted by Jack L on October 18, 2022 - 6:09pm

Hi

Yup, I heard quite a few hi-end affordable audiophiles back in Technic SL-1200 era when I was young young, complaining the music played on that DD TT did not "fly" - sound compressed & slacking.

Sounds similar to Ivor T's comment: "could not carry a tune".

Listening is believing

Jack L

PS: That said, my second TT on duty is also a vintage DD (made in Japan, but not by Technics) mounted with SME black carbon-fibre S-shaped tonearm/MMC cartridge of Japanese origin. I prefer playing my belt-driven TT though.

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