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I need help regarding tube phono preamplifiers

To the Audiogon community. I am currently considering one of three possible all tube phono preamps to incorporate in my two channel system. The three phono stages are 1.Aesthetix Rhea phono preamp 2.Zesto Andros Deluxe II phono stage and 3. Vac Renaissance phono preamp. I will incorporate the stand alone phono preamp into my McIntosh C48 preamp and utilize a Clearaudio Performance DC turntable with a Clearaudio Universal tonearm and Kiseki Purple Heart phono cartridge. If anyone has experience to help me compare the differences between these phono stages I would greatly appreciate the input. Thanks.

andyhifiman

Showing 3 responses by lewm

lewm
12,515 posts
 

Raul’s point about the C48 is well taken.

lewm
12,515 posts
 

Seems like the OP did a bit of shopping before compiling his list of 3.  Evidently the Herron did not make the cut, possibly because it is out of production, or possibly for other good reasons.  But let's not get crazy about the Herron; it most certainly is not the best phono stage ever made. For one reason because no two of us could agree on any one single "best".  By all accounts, it is excellent.  That's a nice category to be in.

lewm
12,515 posts
 

The OP asks for a comparison among 3 choices of phono and got almost nothing but suggestions that he consider a 4th, and there’s virtually no consistency regarding a putative 4th alternative. I’ve owned the Rhea which I converted to Signature status. The Rhea Signature version was way better than the base version. Otherwise I advise the OP to choose on the basis of features, because all 3 on his list are very good, provided that you sub in the Sig version of the Rhea. I have a slight bias in favor of the VAC Ren, but it’s not well founded.

 

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