Yes, happy with that review! Good timing too as The Wand EQ Phono Stage is now back in production as of about a week ago. (If struggling to build back orders after a year since Gary got ill). PCB assemblies are still done in NZ, there was some delay getting the key Nichicon capacitors.

The key thing to note in the HiFi Choice Group test is that The Wand EQ is very much the cheapest of the group by a long way (1400 pounds in the UK) and that the most expensive was 4000 pounds. The bulk of the group being towards the latter.
Witchdoctor review coming out soon...


The quality of the sound is mostly of course due to Gary Morrison's good design. I have now added a credit to him on the serial plate and in the User Guide.

Simon Brown
Design Build Listen Ltd,
Makers of The Wand Analogue Products
Distributor of Hana Cartridges

Nice tribute

GM always did do a good phono stage, from his Craft models through to the mighty Plinius M14, did he design the Plinius Koru ?

Don't remember, the old M14 walked all over the then newbie.

Agree with Michael re the ode to Gary..Nice for his family to have that we memory of his engineering prowess.

Gary reckoned that Phono stages were the hardest amplifier thing to design. (Conflicting demands of balancing headroom with low noise etc)
He was very proud of the LV-1 and Cuzzie Wand EQ. Pity he didn't get the chance to apply that learning to a new 'big' phono.

FYI, photo of serial plate (and serried ranks of EQs awaiting assembly, every one gets a multi-point check and a listen currently)
 

Simon Brown
Design Build Listen Ltd,
Makers of The Wand Analogue Products
Distributor of Hana Cartridges

The Witchdoctor Review is now up, giving further credence to this being a great phono stage!

witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2021/11/the-wand-eq-mm-mc-phonostage-review/

Simon Brown
Design Build Listen Ltd,
Makers of The Wand Analogue Products
Distributor of Hana Cartridges

Hi simonb,

Interested to hear what differences did you make to the sound from the PureAudio LV1 to make it more compatible with your arms?

Slow reply as yesterday was moving day. (We are moving from Fairlie to Motueka) And things will be disrupted for a few weeks...
Gary gave me a couple of blinded options of Op-Amps and a second pairing of options of coupling capacitors.
I've got 6-10 friends/ customers who I lend stuff to and get opinions from (Including some on this forum)
I also have made a minor but audible change to the power supply.

Simon Brown
Design Build Listen Ltd,
Makers of The Wand Analogue Products
Distributor of Hana Cartridges

Nov 30, 2021 5:21:13 GMT 12 simonb said:

The Witchdoctor Review is now up, giving further credence to this being a great phono stage!

witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2021/11/the-wand-eq-mm-mc-phonostage-review/

Well done and fully deserved Simon! 

"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]

Excellent review by Andrew.

47k rules - if the rest of your system is up to snuff

What's the difference between 47k MC and input into MM (which is also 47k)?

Gain

Overload margin

Capacitance may change depending on phono stage

anything else ?

Gary Morrison certainly had a personal preference for 47k. I probably go 470 ohms but overall I stick with what I put in The Wand EQ User guide which is to just experiment with what works with your personal taste in your particular system as you can't break anything. I dislike dogma around what you must do here.

Simon Brown
Design Build Listen Ltd,
Makers of The Wand Analogue Products
Distributor of Hana Cartridges

Well said.

Depends so much on cart and system. And even what material you are playing.

Brill, Simon!
Re cartridge loading, a reminder of the excellent page by Hagerman:
www.hagtech.com/loading.html

AMR-iFi R&D

Dec 2, 2021 15:47:42 GMT 12 michaelw said:

Capacitance may change depending on phono stage

anything else ?

Interconnect cables capacitance, pF per foot, etc.

Or other measurement in a metric world;- ?