Just to point out that both the phono input and the phono cable will inevitably have some capacitance and that both parameters need to be taken into account if you want precise control of the capacitance load. The switches for input capacitance on many if not most phono stages may or may not take into account the inherent capacitance of the input stage. It rankles me that most manufacturers do not provide clear information on that score. All tubes and all transistors have an inherent input capacitance, and within each category some types have much more input capacitance than others. For tubes it's called "Miller Capacitance", and it results from capacitance between grid and anode and between grid and cathode (so far as I can recall) added together. For example, the 12AX7, very commonly used as the input device in tube MM phono stages, has a very high Miller capacitance, because Miller is also a function of gain; the higher the gain of the tube, the more the Miller capacitance. This is actually a very large topic with many variables; transistors can have even more input capacitance than tubes. You two guys probably know about these nuances but others may not. Obviously it is also very important to be cognizant of the IC you are using between tonearm and phono input. Length of cable is linearly related to its capacitance. And yadayada. For sure, capacitance has an effect on frequency response, particularly at the high treble. I generally just try to keep capacitance at a minimum and start from there, with MM cartridges.
Gold Note PH10, Bryston BP2, Clear Audio Smart V2
As listed in the title, I am very interested in hearing views on the above phono preamps in terms of a comparison.
I have been using the Clear Audio Smart V2 preamp for a couple of years with my VPI Ares3 TT, SME Series lV tonearm and vintage Audio Technica AT15ss, now an AT20ss with a NOS stylus I found after 12 years of searching...! The system sounds extraordinary and why I like the Clear Audio Smart is that it has adjustable capacitive loading which is an absolute necessity for MM cartridges.
I have read a lot of amazing reports on how nice the PH 10 plays, however it has a fixed capacitance on MM at 200 pf, which is pretty close to where I have mine set at; I think I am around 250 pf., so it will most likely work fairly well until the new model comes out next year with variable capacitance settings. The Bryston BP2 with the outboard power supply is another option, and it has variable capacitance in 100 pf settings from 100 to 400 pf. I'd have to find out if 200 or 300 pf works best as I found anything too low or too high really alters the sound from the AT20ss.
I'd like to hear what anyone has to say about any of the above units and how they compare against each other. I had one sales guy at one of the big online retailer tell me that the Bryston was too forward and detailed for his liking... he likes warmer.
I also found out that the PH 10 will be released in an upgraded version in a month with new op-amps which reduce the noise floor by 12 db at the same price as the current model... now that would be great; however it is only in the MC circuits, not the MM. So for me, it would make no difference and perhaps I can find a deal on a used PH 10 from a MC guy who wants to get into the new design.
Anyway, I am all ears now ......???
I have been using the Clear Audio Smart V2 preamp for a couple of years with my VPI Ares3 TT, SME Series lV tonearm and vintage Audio Technica AT15ss, now an AT20ss with a NOS stylus I found after 12 years of searching...! The system sounds extraordinary and why I like the Clear Audio Smart is that it has adjustable capacitive loading which is an absolute necessity for MM cartridges.
I have read a lot of amazing reports on how nice the PH 10 plays, however it has a fixed capacitance on MM at 200 pf, which is pretty close to where I have mine set at; I think I am around 250 pf., so it will most likely work fairly well until the new model comes out next year with variable capacitance settings. The Bryston BP2 with the outboard power supply is another option, and it has variable capacitance in 100 pf settings from 100 to 400 pf. I'd have to find out if 200 or 300 pf works best as I found anything too low or too high really alters the sound from the AT20ss.
I'd like to hear what anyone has to say about any of the above units and how they compare against each other. I had one sales guy at one of the big online retailer tell me that the Bryston was too forward and detailed for his liking... he likes warmer.
I also found out that the PH 10 will be released in an upgraded version in a month with new op-amps which reduce the noise floor by 12 db at the same price as the current model... now that would be great; however it is only in the MC circuits, not the MM. So for me, it would make no difference and perhaps I can find a deal on a used PH 10 from a MC guy who wants to get into the new design.
Anyway, I am all ears now ......???