The Darlington Labs thread (New 2024 models!)

HD_Dude said:
The Darlington MP7B arrived today, and I am blown away! Here are my first impressions, and please realize, I am not an audio expert like many of you. Just a life-long musician who loves music.

First of all, the Darlington is beautiful. I bought the all-black edition, and it is gorgeous, with a solid heft that communicates quality. I got the ramped-up jacks, and they look strong, purposeful and ready for anything. Good match for the Blue Jean cables.

I have a Thorens TD 403 DD with Ortofon 2M Blue on order....but it's not here yet!

In the meantime I'm using a Thorens TD-402 DD with an AT VM95ML, into the Darlington MP7B, then into my Marantz SR7013, and out to my 30-year old Klipsch towers, and two subs. Up to now, I had been using the Moon Audio 110LP V2 phono stage, which is excellent - but to my ears? The Darlington hits a whole new bar.

The music is phenomenal! My test disc is Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia,' which was mastered with kick-ass love by Sterling Studios. I have heard that record a hundred times - but with the Darlington, it's like the first time.

The bass hits deep and hard with pure musicality, the mids are tight and fun, the highs - with no break in yet - are sparkling...and the soundstage is huge. And the clarity! The tracks on the disc have a lot going on, but it's so clear! You can isolate whatever you want and follow it. And again, the bass! That disco, rapid-fire bass has never sounded better, to me.

Again, no break-in yet. But I'll follow the instructions, and leave it on for a month. The manual says the big sweeping changes should happen between day 3 and 7....with more subtle changes after that.

But again, even before that - this enthusiast feels he made the absolute best decision, considering my gear, my budget, my ears, and my love of music.

I can only imagine how good it would sound with the gear many of you have!


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Oooh… purdy. I’m glad someone picked up a black one. A Darlington will be on the shortlist when I get to that upgrade next year or the year after.
 
HD_Dude said:
The Darlington MP7B arrived today, and I am blown away! Here are my first impressions, and please realize, I am not an audio expert like many of you. Just a life-long musician who loves music.

First of all, the Darlington is beautiful. I bought the all-black edition, and it is gorgeous, with a solid heft that communicates quality. I got the ramped-up jacks, and they look strong, purposeful and ready for anything. Good match for the Blue Jean cables.

I have a Thorens TD 403 DD with Ortofon 2M Blue on order....but it's not here yet!

In the meantime I'm using a Thorens TD-402 DD with an AT VM95ML, into the Darlington MP7B, then into my Marantz SR7013, and out to my 30-year old Klipsch towers, and two subs. Up to now, I had been using the Moon Audio 110LP V2 phono stage, which is excellent - but to my ears? The Darlington hits a whole new bar.

The music is phenomenal! My test disc is Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia,' which was mastered with kick-ass love by Sterling Studios. I have heard that record a hundred times - but with the Darlington, it's like the first time.

The bass hits deep and hard with pure musicality, the mids are tight and fun, the highs - with no break in yet - are sparkling...and the soundstage is huge. And the clarity! The tracks on the disc have a lot going on, but it's so clear! You can isolate whatever you want and follow it. And again, the bass! That disco, rapid-fire bass has never sounded better, to me.

Again, no break-in yet. But I'll follow the instructions, and leave it on for a month. The manual says the big sweeping changes should happen between day 3 and 7....with more subtle changes after that.

But again, even before that - this enthusiast feels he made the absolute best decision, considering my gear, my budget, my ears, and my love of music.

I can only imagine how good it would sound with the gear many of you have!


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I’m still waiting for delivery of my MP7B. Good to see people are taking delivery and enjoying the device.

Did you adjust the settings or just plug and play as delivered?
 
mindhead1 said:
I’m still waiting for delivery of my MP7B. Good to see people are taking delivery and enjoying the device.

Did you adjust the settings or just plug and play as delivered?
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Good question! I asked Keith and the team to lower my gain to match the cartridge I *was* getting to 37db - the Ortofon 2M Bronze. That's it. But that TT didn't work out, so the new TT I've ordered will have the Ortofon Blue....I'll check it out at that setting. I think it'll be fine.

The big picture, though, is that if you have a specific request, Darlington will happily accommodate you. If you would rather not open it up and make the user-adjustable changes yourself - they will do it prior to shipment.
 
HD_Dude said:
Good question! I asked Keith and the team to lower my gain to match the cartridge I *was* getting to 37db - the Ortofon 2M Bronze. That's it. But that TT didn't work out, so the new TT I've ordered will have the Ortofon Blue....I'll check it out at that setting. I think it'll be fine.

The big picture, though, is that if you have a specific request, Darlington will happily accommodate you. If you would rather not open it up and make the user-adjustable changes yourself - they will do it prior to shipment.
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It will be fine. All the 2M carriages run a bit hot to my ears and make me question their published output figures. A bit off the gain may actually be a real positive with them.
 
Joe Mac said:
It will be fine. All the 2M carriages run a bit hot to my ears and make me question their published output figures. A bit off the gain may actually be a real positive with them.
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I think the 2M Black is actually something like 50% higher gain than what's listed. It's nuts. Completely overdrove my amp, needed attenuators.
 
Mather said:
I think the 2M Black is actually something like 50% higher gain than what's listed. It's nuts. Completely overdrove my amp, needed attenuators.
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I think that why the like of pro-ject deliberately chose much smaller magnets on the styli for their oem pick it branded red cartridges. Chopped a fair whack off the published gain.
 
Mather said:
I think the 2M Black is actually something like 50% higher gain than what's listed. It's nuts. Completely overdrove my amp, needed attenuators.
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Popping in to say that just today I adjusted the MM gain on my MP7B from 40db to 37db, because 2M Bronze was punching way too hot. Haven't had a chance to listen with the new settings. Have room to move down one more notch to 35db if need be.
 
Starting to get concerned. I emailed Keith at Darlington Labs a couple of days ago about my order, but haven't received a response. Previously he's been responsive to emails. Anyone had else have comms with Darlington Lab lately?
 
MattHasIdeas said:
Popping in to say that just today I adjusted the MM gain on my MP7B from 40db to 37db, because 2M Bronze was punching way too hot. Haven't had a chance to listen with the new settings. Have room to move down one more notch to 35db if need be.
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Received my MP7B today. Popped it open and read through the instructions and wow. This is not a device for the non-tech geek (ie normal person).

  • How did you figure out the LOMC Gain setting from the MM Gain setting? Looks like both have Green jumpers, but I don't know which is which.
  • Also, I don't see a White jumper to select LOMC or MM mode.
I sent an email to Kieth to get some assistance.

IMG_1400.jpg
 
mindhead1 said:
Received my MP7B today. Popped it open and read through the instructions and wow. This is not a device for the non-tech geek (ie normal person).

  • How did you figure out the LOMC Gain setting from the MM Gain setting? Looks like both have Green jumpers, but I don't know which is which.
  • Also, I don't see a White jumper to select LOMC or MM mode.
I sent an email to Kieth to get some assistance.

View attachment 198107
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mindhead1 said:
Thanks @kvetcha . That would be great to include in the delivered documentation. If that diagram is correct the Gain as delivered is 66DB. That seems a bit high for a MoFi Mastertracker.
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iirc the MasterTracker’s an MM with a healthy output, you’d want something more on the order of 42db. Shouldn’t be set to MC at all.
 
kvetcha said:
iirc the MasterTracker’s an MM with a healthy output, you’d want something more on the order of 42db. Shouldn’t be set to MC at all.
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Note that when shipped, the unit is set to Mode=MM, and with MM gain at +40dB. This means that the extra +26dB (which is the stock "as shipped" setting for the LOMC internal step-up -- there are two separate gain blocks) is not in circuit. The manual contains wording for each combination of settings. But we can help individual clients as needed if they are unclear.
 
krichard2496 said:
Note that when shipped, the unit is set to Mode=MM, and with MM gain at +40dB. This means that the extra +26dB (which is the stock "as shipped" setting for the LOMC internal step-up -- there are two separate gain blocks) is not in circuit. The manual contains wording for each combination of settings. But we can help individual clients as needed if they are unclear.
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Thanks for the clarification @krichard2496. That reference diagram wasn’t included in the printed instructions I received and the ‘factory settings’ weren’t in bold in the copy I received.

This is what confused me on the gain settings.
IMG_1402.jpeg

Also, there are no White jumpers the 4 across the top to the left are all black.

Anyway, enough with the config. I’m going to get this thing hooked up and hear what it can do.
 
Initial impressions of the Darlington Labs MP7B are very positive. Low noise floor, wide, clear, and dynamic sound. A definite step up from my Project Phono Box S2/Power Box S3 setup. Looking forward to hear how it improves over the next couple of weeks.

First 3 records for test purposes:
  1. Charles Mingus - Ah-Um
  2. Horace Silver - Song for my Father
  3. Sade - Diamond Life
 
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