Just poking around on the web it seems like about half of the phono preamp makers think the same as you about it being silly to have to remove the cover. I have been using a Project SE for sometime and it has DIP switches outside the box, it's a match for my Grado which certainly isn't high end and my tweaked Revox B790. I haven't shopped around much but it seems like you have to be in the 2-3K range to get multiple inputs and a few of the preamps in that neck of the woods actually let you use a remote to change the values.
Considering a lot of pre-amps and processors don't even include internal phono sections anymore and the record business actually seems to be thriving it might just be a matter of time.
To get somewhat on subject... How's the Candela sound and what are you matching it with?
Doug
Well I had a discussion with Klaus a couple days ago, and he feels the amps are not completely broken in yet (he should know better than I do). Anyway I have new cables being made to further things along, plus a pair of power cords on the way for both cd players.
The amps are Stratos Extreme mono blocs with all his goodies installed. The candela is just the way he shipped it (I see no need to change the tubes out yet). The speakers are Meadowlark kestrel Hotrods, and I use a Marantz 8260 and a Jolida CD100A for the digital devices. I see no need for an upgrade in any of these units. The turntable is an Acoustic Signature Final Tool with a Graham Robin tonearm. The cartridge is a Denon MC feeding a George Wright WP100 phono stage. Going to replace the cartridge with a Grado Reference Platnum soon as I get the time. The Speaker cables are 10ft long Synergistic Alphas, and the IC's are:
8260 / MIT's
Jolida / ZU Gede
T.T. to phono P.A. is a Graham (have a custom made ZU waiting to go in it's place)
phono to Candela / Synergistic Alpha
Candela to amps / MIT (this really smoothed out that connection)
power cords:
both digital devices will get MIT power cords very soon
T.T. is factory OEM
preamp is OEM, but will be getting a Stealth cable this afternoon
amps are Gronenberg
The amps replaced a tube amp in an all tubed system, and tobe truthfull I had some serious second thoughts about doing this. The Candela replaced a Quicksilver line stage that always seemed like it lacked something, but still had a nice sound (cables?). The other pieces were unchanged before switching out the amps and preamp. I also had a Nakamichi R202 tape deck and an Onkyo tuner in the old setup. No longer have a place for the tuner, and of course there's no tape loop. Didn't use either pieces very much anyway.
So how does it sound? Pretty damned good right now, but seems tobe a prime candidate for some minor tweaks. Mostly cables, but have now noticed a very slight feed back problem in the turntable (very slight at most). The amps are plugged directly into the wall receptacle, and I don't like this at all.
The speakers are about two feet too far apart, but that's as close together as I can get them. Still it's not as noticeable as you'd think. They are bi-wired, and just slightly bright in the mids (cables?). The preamp is a killer with a 160 hours on it! Imaging to die for, and really fits in well with the amps. The system is very, very fast, and has more bass than I ever dreamed it could have. Maybe the best acoustic jazz combo I've yet to hear under $7500 (if not $9K). Constantly hearing new things on recordings that I've never noticed before. But it's not there yet! I think we are still in the hunt for the very lowest end of the register in the tenor sax (maybe two octaves). With the S.S. amps the keyboards have now became slightly bright (cables or break in?) Drums are the best I've heard regardless of how much cash spent, and the timing with the brass is a story in itself (I can actually pick up the distance between each piece of brass). The upright bass was very good in the old setup, but maybe getting even better (starting to open up in the S.S. amps). The sound appears tobe coming from about eight to ten feet in front of you (speakers are about ten feet out), so I'd put it four or five rows from the front. Vocals are excellent, but have a real test in the works. I have a local singer dropping by to listen to some new material, and some of her old stuff. So what she has to say will be of great interest.
So I'd have to say at this point that what I felt was burnt in, was not burnt in. But getting there (amps probably have about 450 hours on them). Changes will be done one piece at a time to keep me outta trouble. As I said most changes will be in cables with a pretty good bunch of work in the turntable setup. I may add a DAC to the Marantz sacd player for redbook playback. That's a ways off. The Jolida is going to be re tubed in the next couple weeks, as well as the phono stage (has a tube getting bad).
Good day
gary
