September 2007, Michael Fremer, Analogue Corner, Era Gold
Reflex moving-magnet phono preamplifier and Elevator EXP
moving-coil head amplifier
"If Graham Slee's home is as neat and well ordered as the sound
his new phono preamp delivered through my speakers, he's welcome to
organise my garage any time. The combo of Era Gold Reflex and
Elevator EXP produced an extremely well-organised physical picture
that was as convincing and believable as what I'd heard live a few
hours before. With the appropriate volume level (lower than you
might think), the orchestras were arrayed across the stage with
great precision in all three dimensions: width, height,
depth....
...the orchestras' massed images were tightly compacted
(especially vertically) and superbly focused in three dimensions,
the brass, woodwinds, and timpani appearing subtly but convincingly
behind the strings, which were massed but easily identified in
groupings - as I'd just heard live.
...with my eyes closed and the lights out, the overall sound
still had a ghostly, convincing reality. Harmonically, the Slee
combo got the job done without adding grain, glare, edge, etch,
subtractive muck, softness, or confusion.
Switching to rock, produced the same solid, well-organised
sound, with impressive rhythmic authority, image solidity, and
dynamic punch. The Slee combo was fast and revealing without
sounding mechanical, and harmonically full without sounding
overripe. If anything, the Slees erred on the dark side but never
sounded veiled or closed in. Transparency was never in
question.
It wasn't the Balanced Audio Technology VK P-10SE or the NAT
Signature or the Manley Steelhead, but it was among the most
well-balanced phono preamps I've heard of any technology at any
price. It got out of the way and let the music do the talking with
great clarity and definition.
At this point , the Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex and Elevator EXP
together are, by far, the best $2,300 phono preamp I've heard."
Stereophile Recommended Components
Phono Preamps October 2007
Group A: Era Gold Reflex, $$$
Group A: Elevator EXP, $$$
"Were
Graham Slee infected with the Pander to the Plutocrat mindset of
The High End, he could have easily slapped the Reflex into a 50-lb.
box and charged $5000 for it. But that's not what his company, or
the man, is about. Bravo!"
