I’ve got the Mimas with on board DAC but I have it on very good authority that the phono stage is stellar. As an integrated amp the Mimas has few peers. Fully kitted out one could classify this as a super-integrated. An extremely fine amp.
Is great sound possible through an on-board, MM phono stage?
I’m considering simplifying down to an integrated amp and curious whether it’s possible to get great sound from an on-board MM phono stage. In the past, I have felt that it’s tough. I ran a Shindo Masseto’s on-board MM stage through a Hashimoto SUT, for example, and it didn’t measure up to my Coincident phono stage. Indeed, the whole business of runnng an interconnect to an external SUT to another interconnect to a tonearm is something I’d love to avoid. Are there any folks out there who felt they’ve found a winning combo with an MM or MI cartridge? Or an SUT combo that’s truly quiet, with a massive soundstage, great dynamics, and smooth performance that doesn’t break the bank? Integrateds i'm considering include the Audio Note OTO SE Signature phono, the Leben CS600, or possibly a Linear Tube Audio integrated.