Dealer came to my house and professionally installed Soundsmith; he also used shims to adjust VTA. I have always run cartridge at 400 ohms (and going up to 500 doesn't make much of a difference). I think the setup and installation is well done. I'm also already running NOS tubes (GE 12x7 and Siemens 12au7). I used to find tube rolling fun but I'm a bit over it now; there's just too much variability with tubes.
Looking for a phono stage with pleasing coloration
I have recently completely overhauled my analog front end. I
have gone from a Marantz TTS TT-15S1 with a Clearaudio Charisma to a Rega Planar
8 with a Soundsmith Paua II cartridge. There
have been definite improvements; improvements in dynamics, resolution, and spatial
separation. Phono stage is currently a
Tavish Adagio running into a Prima Luna Evo 300 preamp and Parasound JC 5 amp;
speakers are Monitor Audio PL 100 II. I’m overall pleased with the system but I
find it a little too modern sounding; instrument separation, and mid and low
bass are a tad too tight and disciplined. While the Paua generally outclasses the
Charisma; I preferred the tonality of the Charisma. Maybe it’s because the Charisma
has a wooden body but it has more of a warmth and vintage coloration to its
tonality that I like.
I would like to make change to Phono stage to address these issues, so looking for recommendations on a phono stage that has a bit more of a vintage coloration, body, warmth, slightly looser bass and low noise floor and retains good top end extension. I currently have the PS Audio Stellar phono on order for a home trial but every review I have read has praised it for its neutrality but what I really want is added coloration that I find pleasing. I guess I can try tube rolling the Adagio but I don’t want to go down the rabbit hole of trying to find low microphonic NOS tubes. Finally I want to stay under $3K and I’m open to vintage phono preamps (but I don’t want to sacrifice dynamics and sound stage).