Manley Chinook SE MK2

@samzx12 

Updates?

@samzx12 

Turnaround was less than a week for both.

Modwright PH9.0?  Just over $5k with X/T upgrades but good stock.

@samzx12 

I didn't want to say for I have no experience with the Manley, but when I was researching it was almost unanimous that the Modwright was better.

I just did the X/T upgrades and it does take it to a whole different level; soundstage and detail and attack and decay.

Let us know how it goes!

@samzx12 

Check out the Modwright PH9.0 tube rolling thread too.

Good advice and reviews there.  I don't run the stock Sovteks.

I did both upgrades at the same time so I cannot really attest to how much the tube rectifier did to the sound.  Maybe ask around for someone who did the upgrades one at a time.

BTW, I don't want to come off as Chinook bashing.  I'm sure its a fine phono stage.  Back at the turn of the century, Manley was a big deal!  Something I could only wish for.  This time around, now that could actually afford it, I wanted it to make my list, but user experience was just a bit too lukewarm.  I did do a whole lotta research and cross referencing to get to the Modwright.  I actually might have got a Heron if it was available.

I mean it wasn't exactly a drop in the bucket for me and I was selling my Tavish to upgrade so I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing!

As usual, YMMV

@lewm Was either here or SHF. Maybe the also a speaker forum(maybe Polk?), can’t remember which. The one I remember the most mentioned that the Chinook was noisy. Just google Chinook vs. Modwright PH9.0. You may find it often compared to the Rogue Ares Magnum, Tavish Adagio (which I had) and the Heron. I also looked at the Zesto Andros but it was a bit too much. Here’s the post from SHF: "Having owned both I strongly recommend the Modwright. The Chinook was fine in low gain/moving magnet mode, but noisier than a 1970’s window AC unit in high gain/moving coil mode. The Modwright is dead quiet and in a different league sonically. I had my PH 9 further upgraded to the 9.0 X and could not be happier."  There weren't a ton of head to head comparison but I took the ones I found to heart.  Of course one has to take all the comparisons with a grain of salt.

The other thing that swayed me away were the up and down reviews of the Manley while the opinions on the PH9.0 were almost unanimously positive. The folks who liked it, liked it, but the folks who didn't, well didn't. I also changed my mind about having all the adjustments. I found that simple is better for me, something I started to prefer in my phono stage journey.

@samzx12 The thread is here somewhere just do a search. I went with Reflector 6C45s(sovtek) and Mullard 6DJ8s. Consensus was Siemens 6922 but they are kinda pricey.

Thanks

I just put in some Mullards and are liking them. Reflector 6C45s I think are better also. Happy listening!