This solution is not cost no object (cost always matters;). It is a non-plus ultra scenario for realistic people. Perhaps the best designed phono stage that had more thought put into it than money-oriented no object designs. Adding the SUT will just kick dynamics into a whole new gear.. their combination is just superb!
I see this path as a straight ticket to audio heaven: Expressive Technologies step up transformer + Hagerman Violin phono stage (tubed, with choke input dual power supplies and separate filament supply. You can choose between 4 RIAA curves, and it has polarity switch, so listening in correct polarity is not an issue anymore). The Violin is an extremely unerrated phono stage, never got fame because Jim sold it waaaay under its performance value. He had to stop making it because he did not break even. Still, the price tag was not cheap, but it was what the unit packs... opposed to "cost no object pricing", inflating the real value by a factor of x10 - x20, and spending more on a shiny chassis than for the goods and technology contained. Just a sad fact of life...I’m always on the look out for "thought no object" designs, where there was serious thought about realistic performance, instead of breaking barriers on unavailability.
I see this path as a straight ticket to audio heaven: Expressive Technologies step up transformer + Hagerman Violin phono stage (tubed, with choke input dual power supplies and separate filament supply. You can choose between 4 RIAA curves, and it has polarity switch, so listening in correct polarity is not an issue anymore). The Violin is an extremely unerrated phono stage, never got fame because Jim sold it waaaay under its performance value. He had to stop making it because he did not break even. Still, the price tag was not cheap, but it was what the unit packs... opposed to "cost no object pricing", inflating the real value by a factor of x10 - x20, and spending more on a shiny chassis than for the goods and technology contained. Just a sad fact of life...I’m always on the look out for "thought no object" designs, where there was serious thought about realistic performance, instead of breaking barriers on unavailability.