2. amps-preamps
  3. 167731-11588

Best preamp with built in phono stage?

I have and love my Atma-Sphere MP-1 preamp with its excellent built in phono stage.  A two box tube unit. I don’t have rack space for a separate phono stage and don’t want another IC. Not to mention the cost of a high end line stage and high end phono stage. The MP-1 was specifically designed to play vinyl. 8 of its 18 tubes are dedicated to the phono. In many ways, it seems to not have competition. Surely, very pricy line stage and phono stage can surpass it but I don’t know another high end pre with built in phono that compares.
mglik

Showing 2 responses by mikelavigne

mikelavigne
2,206 posts
 
darTZeel NHB-18NS battery powered preamp. Swiss; built like a tank if the tank was built by Rolex.

i have owned this preamp in 2 versions since 2006, now with version 2 since 2016. great internal phono stage. my 18NS has 2 of these phono stages inside.

this is the preamp Michael Fremer uses as a reference; he also owned version 1 and version 2.

does not sound like solid state, or like tubes, it sounds like music. very low noise floor, and very micro dynamic for a very lively sound. it uses optical couplers for it's switching and volume attenuation.

best preamp i have heard.
mikelavigne
2,206 posts
 
hi Mike,

here is a link to my system which shows three different tt systems.

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/615

i also have a 4th tt system i’ve not added the pictures yet; an EMT948/Durand Kairos/Miyajima Infinity Mono 0.7 mil stylus.

currently i’m using the darTZeel preamp phono’s with my NVS turntable; one arm is the Durand Tosca with an Etsuro Gold MC cartridge, the other arm is a Durand Telos with a Miyajima Infinity Mono 1.0 mil stylus.

the Atma=Sphere preamp is a high quality piece and i have great respect for it. i’d say the dart gets close to the liquid feeling of tubes, but with a lower noise floor and greater transparency. definitely no solid state dryness or grain with the dart. i do use the BNC 50 ohm ’zeel’ interface between my dart pre and amps.

10 years ago i owned a Dobbins Plinth’d and tweaked Garrard 301 with a Loricraft power supply and absolutely loved it. that 301 experience is why i eventually acquired the Saskia model two idler. i’m a fan of idlers.
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