The Puffin DSP phono/preamp

[Black Stuart]

It's much more than a simple phono stage and is effectively a preamp as well. There are so many things it does and does very well that it is worth checking out the review on TNT.

Whilst I'm very happy with my Talk Electronics MC3 this thing does so much more @ $399. It doesn't just cater for vinyl any source can benefit.

Shannon Parks previously produced the highly praised Budgie valve phono stage and shocked many when he abandoned analogue and embraced digital. Firmware updates will be available in the future.

This is certainly going to decimate old style phono stages and preamps it's only the first model, certaily worth checking out.

[bob orbell]

Stuart, it seams to me that you have no interest in WD products, and you keep posting and promoting non WD products, why ? after all this is a forum for mainly WD. Bob

[Greg.]

Originally Posted by bob orbell

Stuart, it seams to me that you have no interest in WD products, and you keep posting and promoting non WD products, why ? after all this is a forum for mainly WD. Bob

A very reasonable point. I suspect Stuart is just relating his own personal system development experience whilst disregarding the corporate issue because he doesn’t think that way and is only intent on sharing personal experience he thinks will benefit all. He just wants everyone to have Happy hi-fi. He is happy to share and wants everyone else to have Happy hi-fi. I don’t think his off product posts are designed to be detrimental to WD, albeit a consideration on tact might be appropriate.

[Richard]

I googled the Puffin, interesting, thanks Stuart.

I wish we had a few more posts about anything audio Bob! We have lots of categories and all reasonable chat about our hobby is welcome

[bob orbell]

I was not having a dig at Stuart Richard, it's just that it seams to me that he dismisses WD products, Stuart, please correct me if I am wrong. Bob

[Black Stuart]

Bob,
I was a forum member long before you appeared and bought lots of kits. However Like a lot of original members I moved on. Many who still post on WD have also moved on you should address your comments to them as well.

I always thought that it was a huge miss by the old WAD forum not to embrace audio as a whole. WAD was one of the first audio forums and was an incredibly friendly helpful place but unfortunately a secondary bunch arrived who were anything but and became a toxic deterrent to an awful lot of the original members who then left, never to return.

I think you are being very hypocritical - you keep banging on about your Stax gear - have you ever built and used the HD83? Have you ever built and used any of the WAD amps?

I understand that the present forum owner has to deal with economic reality. Designing from scratch new products, finding components, chassis he can buy at a good price. He has to know at least roughly how many units he will sell. DIY has declined noticeably in the UK whilst still very popular in Germany, Netherlands, USA etc. On the plus side financing a forum is pennies.

Many audio forums are virtually moribund because the focus has been too narrow. I with my Dutch friend Harry started a forum some years ago now with a very broad vision. We were more than happy to have people join that had zero interest in audio. Food and drink, info on places of interest abroad provided by those who lived there in response to **** Advisor and a no holds barred free for all forum.Sadly the initial members were a bunch of fan boys and a few klootzaks and it folded.

Social media I believe is another reason that many forums have died - so it goes. Many forums and not just audio get taken over by a clique that has a very narrow focus and just become pathetic 'backslappers clubs'.

I believe there is a very real niche spot for a properly designed Dark Voice 336SE. I repeat 'a properly designed version - properly specced potted mains Tx/ an Alps Blue supplied with it's own mini PCB for shunting/ a chassis that allows for bigger, higher o/put caps/a chassis that has the depth to use a PC fan underneath and a top plate that thus allows for a real airflow - supplied as a kit and built. Hundreds could be sold in the USA alone. For every diyer there are 20 who want to buy a finished product - that is a value added product.

The Puffin and others that will follow are going to wipe out the traditional phono/preamp market, surely that is worth investigation by WD?

If I was younger I live in a country that would finance a small forward looking venture that would provide employment away from the big city. Sadly this is not the case in the UK - so it goes

[Greg.]

Some interesting points raised, Stuart. I have to say the Puffin does not appeal to me. I’ve had a so called modern and small phono stage (Ray Samuels Audio, Nighthawk) and the performance, despite all the rave revues was, IMHO, mediocre. Not a patch on the WD Phono 2/3. Neither would I want my Phono to be subject of a sound processor. A bit like using a graphic equaliser. I’ll stick with my Long Dog Audio (Nick Gorham who is a member here, but was hounded out back in the day, but started his journey with WAD) valve output MCJ3 Hybrid Phono Amp.

Indeed WAD and WD owners move on to other kit. That is the nature of the hobby because we are all (mostly) chasing a better sound and if WD can’t offer something better, we have to leave the marque. That does not however mean a removal of loyalty to the marque, it’s owner or this forum. A while back, apart from sources all my kit was WAD. Now all I have in my system are my upgraded KLS3 Mk3’s which frankly, I don’t ever expect to change. Nevertheless, I love the brand, hence me setting up the build instruction archive. Also, I continue to work on other people’s kit in terms of upgrading, repair and even conversion from power to integrated amp. I’ve been doing in with both old WAD and new WD kit.
It’s good to keep the iron hot and my hand in.

I agree with Richard. A wider discussion on HiFi and particularly DIY HiFi would be welcome. It remains a shame that years ago, Nick felt the need to set up Audiotalk which, at the time took away the bulk of our contributing membership.

[Black Stuart]

Greg,
on looking back what harry and I tried to achieve was something akin to 'social media' with Spartacus, we launched before Facebook but a wilful troll form Headfi, the infamous Beau from New Zealand,banned by every forum known to man and a corrupt Greek created a toxic atmosphere which was a shame.

diyaudio has thrived because it had a huge base of truly experienced scientific types from all over the world. I remember getting hooked for days and nights at a time on the NOS DAC thread when I was dealing with horrendous sciatic pain, helped to keep me sane.

Re. the Puffin - all the reviews I've read are not from fanboys but dedicated music lovers. They too were sceptical about the digital 'sound mixer' element. It's creator was a died in the wool valve man and many were shocked when he abandoned analogue for digital echoing the dismay when Quad abandoned valves so long ago.

My Talk Electronics MC3 gives me loads of settings to configure virtually any cartridge MM or MC, not many were made and contain i/cs that are no longer available, it's great and there is only one change that I would contemplate and that is using SMD Z foils for the RIAA.

The Puffin according to those who actually use it it is, that it introduces no artifacts at all, that it allows one to change/reconfigure virtually all aspects of one's system - your cartridge is too bright, not enough or too much bass ouput - change it. Your CDP is too bright dial it down - I actually found that i/connects are largely responsible for this.

@ $399 I will probably try this out. I know you personally had all kinds of problems with your then version of the Stereo Coffee, I'm waiting to receive a third edition of the power supply board from Chris put together with a Sound Devices ADC I should be good to create a digital library of my LPs.

I love my vinyl but to be able to simplify my music and shed a load of equipment is really appealing - I'm completely mobile now at an age when many have let themselves turn into physical slobs but there must come ma time when pushing a button, clicking a mouse will become a necessity not a choice. Listening to top quality musical reproduction is one of the blessings available now to good old boys like never before. Anything that simplifies this I am for. There are those who one day will find that lifting/sorting out a heavy valve amp will be beyond them, bending down to select an LP or the whole palava is using an RCM is a real pain - I think the Puffin or an even better clone is part of the solution.

The h/amp is gaining more and more popularity for very good reasons amongst both young and older music lovers, the DV is crying our for a makeover, the market is huge. Like it or not the ready built market is a whole order greater than DIY.

[Richard]

I'm doubtful as vinyl enthusiasts are usually analogue fans. Putting the analogue signal through an ADC, changing the gain and response, then putting it back through a DAC seems overkill unless there's something very amiss with the system to start with.

[Black Stuart]

Richard,

I've seen denial syndrome over the decades leaving the elderly really depressed when ultimately they have to face up to their reality. Maybe I'm very lucky I have good hearing still and reaction timing, can still walk fast and maybe, just maybe can get back to jogging if not running soon. I take my two dogs out for an hour early every morning for a fabulous walk partly on the GR36 and detours through amazing woodland at a fast pace.

In the supermarket car parks I see mainly old men still driving that can hardly walk with reaction timing that means they are a very real threat to anyone else using the roads or just walking. How many of these 'vinyl enthusiasts' are going to find themselves in just such a sorry physical state - you havn't addressed this at all.