Grandinote Celio

**Kuoppis** · October 9, 2016, 06:00 AM

Anyone familiar with this Italian beauty, coming from a small manufacture in Pavia? Everything very much hand-made. Just went ahead and ordered one.

It is a Magnetosolid Phono Preamp, i.e. it is a transistor amp built based on a tube architecture. I'm really looking forward to it, will report.

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**Kuoppis** · October 13, 2016, 08:06 AM

So, here's the update, got the Grandinote Celio yesterday, so not burned-in, just after 24 hrs warm-up:
- excellent detail retrieval
- frequency extension into the highs and lows superb
- tube like liquid highs
- full and delicious mids, w/o sounding bloated or overly warm
- bass not only better than any tubes I have heard, but better than transistors
- in a combination tube-like highs and transistor-quality bass definition
- phono pre's used this year, EAR 834P, Nagra VPS, ARC PH6 do not stand a chance in any aspect
- analogue now clearly better than digital system
- I have been sitting mesmerized in front of my system since this thing arrived

If you have a chance, I can only recommend an auditioning.

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**joeinid** · October 13, 2016, 04:55 PM

Wow! Very nice. Please keep the updates coming. Sorry I missed this thread.

**Kuoppis** · October 13, 2016, 05:01 PM

Yes, I am indeed impressed with this one. Produces a very nice end result in my system.

It was also tested in German Audio Magazin this summer and got excellent marks and a highlight recommendation (Audio Empfehlung). I thought it might be better than the ARC PH6, but I was surprised how much better it is. Also clearly exceeding what the Nagra VPS can do, which I tested earlier this year.

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**jnk** · October 17, 2016, 12:13 PM

Excellent choice! Grandinote makes some really impressive gear.

**Kuoppis** · October 17, 2016, 01:53 PM

Great to have other people on the forum appreciating Grandinote. As I like the Celio so much I am tempted to try more.

Have you heard any of the pre or power amps?

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**jnk** · October 17, 2016, 02:44 PM

Only a couple of their integrated amps I'm afraid- the Shinai and the double chassis Prestigio; if they were anything to go by, their pre-power offerings must be very special indeed.

**Paul** · October 17, 2016, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Kuoppis

Great to have other people on the forum appreciating Grandinote. As I like the Celio so much I am tempted to try more.

Have you heard any of the pre or power amps?

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I loved it !

Ugly but beautiful sounds....Grandinote Audio from Italy

**Kuoppis** · October 17, 2016, 03:29 PM

I would really like to hear the big Demone monos, I bet they're special.

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**Audiophon** · January 18, 2017, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by Kuoppis

Great to have other people on the forum appreciating Grandinote. As I like the Celio so much I am tempted to try more.

Have you heard any of the pre or power amps?

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Hi,

I'm sorry to discover this discussion just now.

By the end of 2015 I wanted to try the Demone mono amplifiers in my setup and therefore contacted Grandinote (I'm living in Italy so there was no problem). Unfortunatly they did not have a pair of Demone on hand for a demo at my home, but they lent me a Domino pre-amplifier instead. In the 5 years before, I was driving my Pass XA 100.5 directly with my DCS Puccini as I preferred the more transparent and quiter sound compared to passing through the ARC Ref 3 I owned at that time.

The Grandinote pre-amplifier was a great fit in my setup. Putting the Domino in my system brought more air, more space and some improvement of the microdynamics especially at low levels. So, since that day the Domino remained in my system

.

As soon as I have some more time available, I will also do a demo of the Demone at home (they currently have a demo pair available..... maybe compared to some Vitus power-amp which I also admire).

I also talked to two journalists of the German Audio journal and they confirmed me that the Grandinote products are really that good

!

**Kuoppis** · January 18, 2017, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Audiophon

Hi,

The Grandinote pre-amplifier was a great fit in my setup. Putting the Domino in my system brought more air, more space and some improvement of the microdynamics especially at low levels. So, since that day the Domino remained in my system

.

As soon as I have some more time available, I will also do a demo of the Demone at home (they currently have a demo pair available..... maybe compared to some Vitus power-amp which I also admire).

I also talked to two journalists of the German Audio journal and they confirmed me that the Grandinote products are really that good

!

Congrats on the Grandinote pre, happy you like it! On the phono pre side the Celio did better the ARC PH6 really hands down.

I would be very keen to hear your impression about the Demones - they have indeed been receiving glowing reviews :reference level:.

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**Pani** · June 27, 2017, 02:36 AM

Hi,
Do you have the Celio MkIV version ?

Originally Posted by Kuoppis

Anyone familiar with this Italian beauty, coming from a small manufacture in Pavia? Everything very much hand-made. Just went ahead and ordered one.

It is a Magnetosolid Phono Preamp, i.e. it is a transistor amp built based on a tube architecture. I'm really looking forward to it, will report.

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**Kuoppis** · June 27, 2017, 03:06 AM

Hi, yes I do have the mk IV version and I like it.

It has a good balance of PRaT, warmth and detail.

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**Pani** · June 27, 2017, 03:33 AM

Originally Posted by Kuoppis

Hi, yes I do have the mk IV version and I like it.

It has a good balance of PRaT, warmth and detail.

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Thanks. I read this review and comparison of Celio:
http://hifible.blogspot.sg/2016/07/pre-phono.html

It says it can sound a bit soft, especially it has to be loaded above 1000 ohms to get the right sound. Did you also feel the same ? Which cartridge do you use ?

**Kuoppis** · June 27, 2017, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Pani

It says it can sound a bit soft, especially it has to be loaded above 1000 ohms to get the right sound. Did you also feel the same ? Which cartridge do you use ?

I have not experienced that. Of course you need to take in consideration the entire chain.

In my case it's Ortofon Cadenza Bronze loaded at 200 Ohms.

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**bobwah** · July 29, 2017, 01:02 PM

Congrats Kouppis on your Celio.
have you considered getting another one and going mono phono stage?
Nice to have options

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**Kuoppis** · July 29, 2017, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by bobwah

Congrats Kouppis on your Celio.
have you considered getting another one and going mono phono stage?
Nice to have options

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I have thought about it, but do currently not have any serious plans to do it. Maybe if an opportunity arises.

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