2. analog
  3. 1433254607

Any Herron VTPH-2 Phono Stage Owners out there?

Has anyone recently purchased a VTPH-2? Any thoughts compared to other phono stages costing around the same price of $3,600? That still is a lot of money and a lot of good competition out there. I was also looking at a couple of the Sutherland units (the DUO and the 20/20).

Another concern is that I have a Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP Integrated Amp and was wondering how another tube phono stage would sound with the tube phono stage? Is it better to Mix solid state phono stage with a Tube Amp or keep it all the same (all tubes or all solid state?). My turntable is a VPI Prime with Ortofon Quintet black cartridge. Thanks!
djfst

Showing 9 responses by bpoletti

bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
I'm not using a SUT with my VTPH-2 / AT OC9/II combo. I don't think I'm missing anything.
bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
By the way, I'm NOT Keith Herron, though I do must certainly have known him for at least 20 years.
bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
Spend as much as you want, try all the phono stages you'd like in your system. Broken record or not, I'm here to tell you the VTPH-2 is the very best phono stage I've ever heard. I haven't heard anything better.

I don't mind taking criticism about my choice or my descriptions of Herron phono stages (VTPH-2 or VTPH-1mc). If there are those that are tired of my continuous praises for the Herron, convince me otherwise and I'll change my tune.

Bring on the competition. I'd love to hear something that betters the VTPH-2. But I don't there there's anything that can compete. Got something better, bring it over and let's compare.
bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
BNpd24 - I'm very interested in a Decca cart. How does it sound, especially with the modified VTPH-1?
bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
Lewm - If you live in the midwest, you're welcome to bring over your phono stage or maybe a loaner to compare. But something tells me you live in the Bay area (or I'm confusing you with another "Lew").
bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
Getting back to the OP question, I think it depends on the signature of the individual components and the component matching.

Your integrated amp has an input of 100k ohms. That is sufficiently high to allow upstream components to drive it without problems. OTOH, some solid state components might have a low input impedance which could present problems for some high output impedance tube equipment.
bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
The VTPH-2 can be loaded externally. There is a provision for external loading on the back of the unit near the MC inputs.
bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
Pryso - agreed. And results will probably vary by cartridge.
bpoletti
1,536 posts
 
Lew, call Keith Herron. He can give an explanation of the design. He's easy to talk to.
More to discover