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A Night with three phono stages Allnic 1202, ANK and GoldNote PH10

I had the opportunity to listen to three good phono stages this week. The Audio Note Kit ($2200), GoldNote PH10 ($2000), and the new Allnic Audio 1202 ($3800) this was a demo unit from the distributor. We listened in one long evening to all three with the same three records. All were played on an Oracle Delphi table through the phono stage then to an Auto former (passive) and to some very nice custom made 45 tube based mono blocks (2wpc) finally to some custom le Scala speakers (102db). Over all my friends system is very reveling of small changes to the system (not to mention noise and hum). I have to say every one of the phono stages are excellent the two tube units and the one SS unit defiantly had the typical differences from SS and tube. Also all were hum free.

 

 The records of choice for this listening were; a UK first pressing of Pink Floyds Wish you were here out of a collection that had only about 6 plays since new (wow wonderful recording best I’ve heard of that record ever), Santana Abraxas half speed mastered addition another very good recording, and a mix of some Brazilian jazz can’t recall the band but great and some Mark Knofler few random cuts but we used the first three mostly for eval.  

 

 We started with the AudioNote phono stage then the GoldNote and finally the Allnic. Have to say every one of them is top notch and really between the ANK and the Gold Note it was basically boiled down to tube or SS both were comparable. I’d give the GoldNote more in the Bass, slightly better detail with more extension, instrument attack and separation of instruments.  The ANK was slightly more musical and had a really nice midrange it was also very involving.  Both had great PRAT as well.

 

 After those two we stuck the Allnic in. we expected the Allnic to blow away the first two being twice the price but really it wasn’t that much better. I said to my friend after “is that all you get” I didn’t hear the hyp to be honest. This is a bit deceiving as you don’t really hear the difference right off it sort of comes to you after a few records. The Allnic brought more detail, better decay of notes, separation of notes and instruments and a nice warm I’d almost say laid back presentation maybe lush. I think the ANK and GoldNote both had better PRAT and the GoldNote specifically had better Attack. But the Allnic is a pleasant phono stage if that makes sense it’s a pleasure to listen to but IMO not $2k more than either the ANK or GoldNote just a bit different but in a good way.

 

The evening was a great chance to listen to some excellent for the money phono stages I know my friend is wrestling with the idea of selling his ANK and buying the Allnic. I’d keep the money and buy more records if it was my money.

 

+++

 I own the GoldNote PH10 bought it on a whim and after that evening I’m very happy with what it can do. also being the least expensive of the three I would not put it at the bottom for sound quality its defiantly equal to or better then the ANK and I’d say gives the Allnic a run for its money in many areas (PRAT for example).  I’d like to hear what the separate power supply does for the sound maybe in the future.

 

Note all phono stages were broken in, the Allnic was just from a reviewer who lent it to my friend for eval in his system before it goes back to the distributor.  

glennewdick

Showing 4 responses by lewm

lewm
13,577 posts
 
Chakster, Why would it amaze you that my grandparents originated from Russia? Actually, grandpa was from Rumania; grandma from Russia although she was living in Alexandria, Egypt, when she got on the boat to the US at age 17, after having been born to a Russian family then living in Salonika under the Turks. (Or that my paternal grandparents, whom I never knew, emigrated from Poland to the US?)  All of us in the USA, except the true native Americans, came here from somewhere else.  This is why our current president could be regarded as a turd.

Maybe our good friend Nandric will intervene here to tell you about Axel's rebuild of the MC2000.

The MC2000 is not only problematic because of low output. It is also problematic because it weighs a hefty 11 grams to begin with and is high in compliance (as you know).  Thus, ideally, it requires a very low effective mass tonearm to partially compensate for its relatively high mass, if one is taking the math seriously as regards resonant frequency.  From what I can find on VE, the PUA7 has an effective mass of 25g.  That's not optimum for the resonant frequency, but I am not a slave to the math, myself. If yours sounds good, it is good. Yes, by all means try a shorter phono cable, because your present cable may be acting as an antenna for RFI, which is maybe why you hear the hiss. And make sure it's shielded.
lewm
13,577 posts
 
Chakster, The Steelhead and its max 65db of gain "works" with my MC2000, but it depends upon the LP.  Some LPs are encoded with more gain than others.  LPs with higher gain work fine, and I have no hiss problem.  (I do have hiss problem when trying to use the MC2000 with my Atma-sphere MP1 in my other system.  Yet the MP1 has MORE phono gain than the Steelhead, because I have modified it, and because it has a linestage that adds gain to the phono output.  I think the hiss is the fault of my modifications, not inherent to the stock MP1.)  With LPs that have a lower signal level into the Steelhead, the sound gets thin and loses dynamics, although hiss does not occur.  Like you, I am getting away with 65db because the Beveridge amplifiers that I drive with the Steelhead seem to require only very low signal voltage for nearly full output.  (The Beveridge direct-drive amplifiers and speakers have to be considered as a unit; you cannot separate them.) So, the whole chain is marginal but magic with the right LPs.  On the other hand, the MC2000 with the right LP can be very emotionally moving, as it seems to bring out the heart of music.  As a Russian, you know what I mean. (My grandparents emigrated from Russia to US.)  Sorry, this is so OT.

Yes, I would imagine that 68db would work fine with the MC2000.  I'd like just about 3db more gain with the Steelhead. 71db would be a no-brainer.
lewm
13,577 posts
 
Thx, Ketchup.  If 71 db is available, that would handle even an Ortofon MC2000 with .05mV output at the standard stylus velocity.  (Ask me how I know.)  My Steelhead maxes out at 65db and the MC2000 is marginal with that much gain. At those levels, you really do have to consider solid state (or an SUT), although I am a tube-o-phile at heart.

I guess the way it works to adjust gain would be obvious to a user.  From the 45 db setting, which must be MM, you could get to 42, 48 and 51 with the +/- options they mention.  Then, from 65db, which must be the MC setting, you could get to 62, 68 and 71.  Clever.
lewm
13,577 posts
 
Can anyone enlighten me?  I found this sentence in the Gold Note ad copy on AA:
"PH-10 can be set with 4 different GAIN levels [-3dB, 0dB, +3dB, 6dB] to match precisely the output level of any MM or MC cartridge."  That would leave a 9db spread between the lowest gain (-3db) and the highest gain (6db).  That's really not enough spread to accommodate both a typical MM (~5mV output) and an LOMC with less than 0.4 mV output.  So, what do those db numbers mean? Thanks.
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