Koetsu and Scott finds at Echo Audio in Portland

I have to admit this one hurts a little because I'm not in the market, but Kurt Doslu at Echo Hi-fi on Portland is currently selling this Koetsu Urushi Vermillion for just $1975. (It retails for $4200.) I sold my own Koetsu Rosewood Standard to Kurt a couple of years ago, and it sold quickly.

The Urushi was always the cartridge I intended to upgrade to when I owned the Rosewood. I was a sucker for the Sky Blue Urushi, which was the rare Koetsu that was wired with pure oxygen-free silver for a more extended high end...but I would have happily taken the Vermillion you see here. There's something about Koetsu cartridges that are quite special (and unequalled). Will I ever own another? I hope so. I've owned three in the past (a Black and two Rosewood Standards), and nothing I reviewed over the years surpassed their ability to capture a lush, romantic yet incredibly detailed sound.

Kurt also has this nicely restored H.H. Scott LK-72 integrated amplifier from the '60s for just $375. I owned the similar Scott 299B amplifier a few years ago (like the LK-72, it also uses 7591 output tubes), and although my ultimate conclusion was that it was a bit unstable during operation, it still offered a sound quality that was unmatched by most SS gear under $1000.

Again, if you're interested, check out echohifi.com for more information.

Naim NAIT 2...getting more expensive all the time!

The legend of the Naim NAIT 2 continues to grow, and I continue to lament selling mine oh so many years ago. Case in point: this NAIT 2, which sports the older-style cosmetics, just sold on Audiogon for $925. I'm not sure what the first generation 2s sold for back in the day, but the newer version sold for $995. I bought mine as a demo unit from Gene Rubin at Gene Rubin Audio for just $695--and it had only been out of its box for six weeks. $925 seems like an awful lot of money for an older unit that has some cosmetic defects on the top of its case.

As I've mentioned before, the Naim NAIT 2 could be found used on eBay or Audiogon for $300 to $400. Then audiophiles such as me started to sing its praises, and the last time I checked they were going for around $700. Now it's such a collectible that sellers are getting close to its original retail price for them. I'm not saying the Naim NAIT 2 isn't worth a grand, but it's no longer the outstanding bargain it used to be.

After all, you can get a brand new Naim NAIT 5i for just $500 more than its twenty-year-old predecessor. For $500 more, you get much better cosmetics, more versatility (you won't have to buy Naim-approved speaker cables or interconnects) and--most importantly--a lot more power. The NAIT 2 only had 15 to 21 watts per channel, while the new 5i has 50 watts per channel, which means you can mate the newer model with just about every speaker on the market. With the NAIT 2, you needed a speaker than had a sensitivity of about 90 dB with an impedence of 8 ohms before you could approach realistic listening levels.

That said, many people (including me) feel that the NAIT 2 is the best-sounding NAIT of all time. I owned a NAIT 5i (note that this was the "i" model and not the current "i" which is supposedly a little better), and I have to admit that it was a slight disappointment...especially since it replaced an LFD Mistral which was another spectacular little integrated amp that I wish I still had. The NAIT 5i was a bit grainy through the treble and sounded a little rough around the edges. The 5i (again note the italics) is supposed to be much better in this regard. My NAIT 2 never sounded grainy. Aside from its relative lack of oomph, it was resolving and detailed and very, very musical. It also had an excellent MM phono section, something its successors lack.

So do I still want to own a NAIT 2? Absolutely, but I have no intention of paying these kind of prices for one. Honestly, I would get the new NAIT instead. I even saw a Naim NAIT 3R for sale at Echo Audio in Portland a few months ago and Kurt Doslu only wanted $600 for it. For that price, you even get a remote!

New turntables at Echo Audio in Portland

I've noticed that Kurt Doslu of Echo Audio has gotten in a lot of interesting turntables over the last week or so, with each one deserving your consideration. First up is the legendary Linn Sondek LP-12. This one has the Valhalla power supply (a level One mod), a Rega RB-300 tonearm, an Ortofon OM-30 cartridge and a Ringmat mat for only $995. This is a great way to get into Linn for a reasonable price. I would keep the arm and then consider a better cartridge down the road, since the Ortofon is more suitable for a 'table like a Rega RP1 or P2 than a Linn. Also, I'm not entirely sure about the Ringmat since the stock felt mats for Linns and Regas usually sound the best.

The next up is an original Roksan Xerxes with the outboard power supply and a classic Zeta tonearm. I remember when Gene Rubin sold these back in the early '90s, and a lot of people would trade their Linns in on this great-sounding TT. Back then they were about $2200 new without arm or cartridge (Kurt says the retail for this particular table and arm was $3250), and this one can be yours for just $825.

If you're looking to spend a little less cash you might consider one of the following vinrtage 'tables. This classic Ariston RDIIs comes with a Sumiko FT3 tonearm and a new Grado Black cartridge (Kurt is a Grado dealer.) Ariston is noteworthy because many in the British audio world feel that Linn stole the design of the Ariston for their LP12s. I know someone who found an Ariston RD-12 at a garage sale for $15, and with a little TLC he transformed it into a first-class analog rig. Kurt is selling this one for just $395.

 Finally, Kurt has this Dual CS-5000 for sale for just $345. Many Dual aficionados consider this the best Dual of all time. I think it's certainly their most modern design. The interesting thing about this Dual is that it runs at 33, 45 and 78 rpm, so it would make an ideal TT for someone who still listens to 78s (and there are quite a few of you out there).

If you're curious about these TTs or any other vintage items, just check out the Echo Audio website at http://www.echohifi.com/. Kurt ships worldwide, and all of his components have been inspected and auditioned.

Beautiful McIntosh MR-67 Tuner!

I was just checking out the website for Echo Audio in Portland (echohifi.com) and just saw this recent arrival. Man, this is a beauty! I flirted with the idea of buying a beautifully restored McIntosh MR-78 a couple of years ago, but the terrestrial radio in Portland was disappointing to say the least. (I was also told by a hardcore Mac fanatic that the REAL tuner to buy was the MR-74, which had a few less features but probably offered the best overall sound quality, all for a price for less than the highly collectible '78.)

Kurt Doslu, who runs Echo Audio, is a good friend, and his store is probably one of the finest there is in terms of used but very desirable audio components. I sold him the better part of my system last year, by the way, and he gave me top dollar. He's also a new dealer for such brands as Grado, Manley and a few others.
He's selling the MR-67, complete with walnut case and owner's manual, for just $545. That's a very fair price for such a great piece of gear!