Audio Research Reference Phono 3 versus Nagra Classic Phono
I am on the market to upgrade my phono stage. My current one is a ARC PH7, with NOS Siemens 6922. The front end is a SME Model 20/12 with a Graham Phantom III tonearm and a Lyra Atlas Lambda ( Non SL) cart. The preamp is a ARC REF5SE and the power a ARC REF 150. Loudspeakers are Wilson Sophia 3. I run a long (5m/15 ft) transparente reference cable SE between Phono and preamp.
In the future, I pretend to run 2 tonearm one with a mono cart and the other with a stereo cart.
My favourite carts are the Lyra Atlas and Etna (non SL, because with my current phono preamp don’t allow for them), the Air Tight PC1 Coda, the koetsu urushi Blue.
I have 2 options on my radar. Audio research reference phono 5 SE and Nagra classic Phono
On one side, the REF5 phono looks like a better choice and has perhaps a synergy on all the system that must be taken into account. It is based on JFET/ tubes and has a gain of 45db / 67db. It will manage everything from MM to MC, except from the very low MC. Is is compatible with all the carts I love. I believe it might be a little short on the Lyra SL and everyone tells me they run better with a SUT. Using a SUT is ideal with an all tube based phono preamp rather than a JFet/ tube. An external SUT is not, I believe, a good option for the REF5 phono.
The Nagra is based on SUT and tube only. It only has on the base version one MM and one MC input. The gain is 54/64 db on MC. to use a second MC an additional SUR is needed, either from Nagra or from another brand, more tuned with the cart.
It has an internal switch to select a true mono cart. II think it is more flexible than the ARC, having a gain more compatible with the 0,5 mV of the atlas.
Has anyone on the forum compared these two phono preamps? What are your thoughts about this?
