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I am only guessing as to why but the more linear F117 is definitely a better match for the Grado than the Nagra BPS. Still, linear and neutral ain’t the whole story. After all, the E03 did not mate particularly well with the Grado. It might simply be that the F117 operates at even more exalted levels at the lower end of its gain range. Whatever the reason, it was really the first time I completely heard what the Grado can do. As it turned out, more than I had given it credit for. Mostly the sweetness and richness that can be excessive in some associations were very well tamed but not eliminated, resulting in an overall balance very close to the Nagra BPS + Denon DL103 but with better midrange articulation and certainly greater treble extension.

Don't take that to imply that the Nighthawk should only be used with MMs or even that it works better that way. One sample doesn’t make a complete story. It simply was a puzzling observation considering being a first throughout seven reviews. It’s clearly something Grado users should keep in mind. Here is one very fine candidate to find out what their cartridge is made of.


Going back to some favorites on frequent rotation chez Beudot, initial impressions were easily confirmed on Balalaika Favorites (yes I know it’s one of those audiophile-approved re-issues but I actually find the music fantastically engaging and fun to listen to). The Nighthawk made the balalaikas sound more like pinched strings and less like strings on wood. The instrumental body resonances were a little de-emphasized compared to the Nagra BPS while the rush and energy went up a notch. Both phono stages offered similarly wide presentations although the Nagra showed more front-to-back depth while the F117 was a little flatter and two-dimensional.

One of the biggest challenges in vinyl reproduction are large orchestral pieces I find. Take Solti directing the LSO in Mahler's First Symphony or Bernstein at the head of the New York Philharmonic in Shostakovich's Fifth. In either case the amount of information on the record is phenomenal, with layers upon layers of instruments and huge dynamic range. Here again the Nagra and F117 dealt with their omissions differently. The Nagra clearly had the upper hand in tonal lushness and depth of stage while the Nighthawk allowed me to see deeper and detect more nuances between the various parts of the orchestra. The F117's greater linearity removed the emphasis the Nagra puts on the upper bass, providing as a result greater visibility. On the other hand, the Nagra had greater dynamics but the F117 sharper attacks. Neither did full justice to those two discs—-to this day only the Flight Phono and Esoteric E03 have—but they did no wrong either, just picking their omissions differently. Depending on cartridge, system and taste, one will fit better than the other. Depending on budget, the Nagra may just be completely out.

A perfect illustration is that when I paired the Nagra BPS with the Denon DL103 and compared it to the F117 on the Grado Sonata Reference 1, most the differences I just described evaporated. With the Grado, the F117 actually offered one of the most exquisite treble reproductions I have heard from vinyl. I always considered treble excellence one of the last frontiers that pricier cartridges conquer but this association already operated on a very elevated level - surprisingly so I would say.

Outside classical music, the differences continued pretty much unbroken. On Johnny Cash's American IV (The Man Comes Around) and American VI (Ain't No Grave), the Nagra's emphasis on the lower midrange/upper bass just did the trick. It’s flagrant contouring but when it works, it does wonders and Cash's vocal range is perfect for it. His voice came across with greater intensity, more pain but also finer articulation. Don't get me wrong, the Nighthawk still did a very fine job on those two discs. All I had to do was bring back the Clearaudio Nano to inject a good layer of warm mush over the music. The F117 did reveal all the information on the disc. Its slightly drier more linear presentation was simply more reserved and less communicative emotionally than the costlier Swiss.


This predictably flipped completely on ZZ Top's Tres Hombre or U2's The Joshua Tree. The Nagra continued on lush and intense where the F117 freed up these discs from a slight excess of weight. No question that ZZ Top’s guitars were more colorful through the Nagra but they were also a bit slower and with less bite. I could go on but the differences should be fairly clear by now. They were not hard to hear and not hard to describe. Depending on associated gear and music, I at times preferred the Nagra BPS, at times the Ray Samuels Nighthawk. That both came a few hairs short of the best references I have tested but at one third to one eighth of their cost was no minor feat!
I'll leave you then with a reflection on what's in an award. I thought long and hard about which award to give out. A Blue Moon award would have meant that the F117 was amongst the top contenders in the sub $1000 phono stage category - which it is, no ambiguity. Instead I gave it a Realsization award knowing that some readers don’t always take that serious. I have heard back more than once that the realsization stuff is good and cheap but not real hifi.


So let me make this as clear as I can. What realsization means to me is a piece of gear that's priced aggressively and which, in the right context and with the right associated gear, will perform at levels matching or exceeding far pricier gear. I am not calling it a guaranteed home run but if you are looking for linearity, clean transients, great imaging and transparency and a great balance of those qualities, you may not need to spend thousands to find happiness especially with MM cartridges - but not exclusively so.


And, realsization does not mean that the F117 is a giant killer that will successfully replace multi-thou gear in each and every situation.


The F117 does not need this type of over-inflated hype. It is a tremendous phono stage and value in its own right. There’s no need to tout it as something it’s not.



My hat is off to Ray Samuels. He could have taken his circuit, dropped it in a fancy heavy enclosure, added a smart battery system, a few other bells and whistles and charged $2000. I guarantee you that nobody would have objected based on sonic performance. Instead Ray leveraged everything he learnt from designing pocket headphone amplifiers to keep things small, simple and cheap. He then retained his direct distribution model and landed this little baby in our laps at $795, making very good vinyl sound accessible to greater numbers. That really is something to celebrate. Cheers!

Quality of packing: Good.
Ease of unpacking/repacking: Can't be easier.
Condition of component received: Flawless.
Quality of owner's manual: Good.
Website comments: Simple and effective. On-line ordering available.
Human interactions: Helpful and prompt, it’s always a pleasure to deal with Ray Samuels.
Suggestions: Place the F117 in an easily accessible spot to be able to plug-in/unplug the charger (the F117 will not play music connected to the charger).
Remark: It is possible to get better sound but it will cost a lot more. Unless vinyl is your primary or unique source, I would consider the F117 over any other phono stage first. It has no real weakness, sounds sweet, is linear and honest while quite transparent and will free up a lot of your budget to build out your record collection.
Ray Samuels Audio website