Polish audio journalist Marek Dyba published an extensive review of the PW1 on his well known English/Polish Hifi Knights webzine. He outlines the PW1 design and shows some nice pictures of his visit to our factory, but the bulk of the text is spent on his experience while playing many LP’s of all kinds of genres. Among them quite a few live recordings, since he loves “going to concerts to listen to live music”. The review is a great read and we recommend to enjoy the full text here. Some excerpts are copied below.
“The Phono Wizard combined certain features attributed more to tube designs with the strengths of solid-state counterparts. As a result, the vocals of Muddy and Mick Jagger (and others) were beautifully natural, rich, and palpable, which clearly reminded me of some of the great tube phono preamplifiers. So were the rich, beautifully singing electric guitars in the hands of blues and rock’n’roll masters. On the other hand, the pace and rhythm were excellently delivered, hence I couldn’t stop my limbs from tapping, not even for a moment.
(…)
Kudos to the designer, Mr. Peter van Willenswaard, who did an excellent job with this device, and regardless of the gain setting, the noise level was very low.
(…)
What you need to know about the Grimm Audio PW1 is that it is a well-balanced and honest device. It doesn’t sound like a tube nor like a solid-state phono stage, even though it shares several features with both types. It is just a really good preamplifier that focuses on the music and is really good at conveying genuine emotions. Sonic-wise, it is closer to my GrandiNote Celio than to ESE Lab Nibiru, which is rich, deep voicing and more focused on coherence and flow of music than details, clarity, and transparency (none of which is lacking, they are just not at the center of the presentation).
The music genre doesn’t really matter with it. You can play jazz, blues, rock, vocals, or classical music, and as long as the recording and pressing quality is good, the PW1 will do it justice and deliver an immersive experience. Given a chance, it will bewitch you with a beautiful, natural, and realistic rendering of it. Play some crappy vinyl, and it will let you know without hesitation. If you, like me, thought of Grimm Audio as a digital specialist, it is time to change your mind. The PW1 is proof that whatever they do, the good sound and music are at the center of it, no matter the technology.”
“I couldn’t stop my limbs from tapping, not even for a moment.“ Marek Dyba, Hifi Knights
