New phono stage from SOTA

I got hold of a Pyxi and took it to a friend's place last night where a few others joined in.  One friend, Mike, isn't an audiophile, he has Sonos speakers around his house.  We listened to a track and then switched out the system owner's iFi iPhono 3 with upgraded power supply to the Pyxi, repeating the track.  The difference was stark, and Mike immediately said, "wow, there's a lot more detail with this one."  

The ear knows.  The system owner will be selling an iPhono 3 once he gets his hands on a Pyxi.  Mike was talking about getting a turntable and other decent components when I dropped him off at home.

If you read the thorough white paper written by @wynpalmer4 , one would not be surprised that this phono stage sounds excellent and competes with much higher priced phono stages.  

How do I know?  One of my phono stages uses opamps and it is fantastic.  Competes with the many discrete and tube units I have owned over the years.  The good designers of today will tell you that opamps have improved greatly over the years and I believe they are right.  I would like to try this phono stage.

https://sotaturntables.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sota-pyxi-whitepaper.pdf

We need a blind test to sample a full feedback design vs. the no feedback design.

Maybe use a decent budget mm cart like an AT Vm95en or At vm95ml, and compare a few short samples using the Pyxie and a comparably priced discrete design such as the hagerman bugle or the Darlington labs mm5.

It may help to point out the sonic differences between the two design philosophies - assuming the differences can be discerned.

I have a extensive experience of experiencing through demonstration Phonostages, many of which have been compared using a control measure that keeps one system in use.

I am familiar with a Broad Range of Circuits and Topologies that cover both SS and Tube used with a particular system.

Comparing Tube to Tube, SS to SS or Tube to SS, will usually show a difference to the sonic being produced from the used system. It will be conjecture to suggest the same outcome will be repeated on another system.

What I have learned is that Phon's that share similar circuitry and topology, even though not identical, are quite easy to separate into a family sharing similar traits.

Another lesson learned is that even though I am at present a user of Tube Phon's as my preference, I have discovered SS Phon's that I would not hesitate to use for a owned system demonstration, and do believe these models will quite comfortably be considered as keeper devices.

The thing of interest is that Phon's that have been able to make this impression have been with a cost of less than a £1000 and as much as £10000, with a few models that will cost less than 50% of the most expensive.

Phon's that can make a very good impression can be discovered with a very reasonable cost attached to them. The experiences encountered pretty much suggests if a Phon' is discovered that will close the door on all other options, it will be a Phon' with a high retail price approaching the highest, or a model that is bespoke built to meets ones preferences. 

If the Phon' in question in this thread is proving to be a match for the qualities being described, it won't be long before the 'cat is really let out of the bag'.    

I’m with Raul on this one.  To think we can measure everything the ear/brain system can perceive is Human arrogance.  It was recently discovered that the brain responds to signals above what we can think we can detect.

Some of you probably know this,  but an opamp does not have to be an IC.  I prefer discrete circuits with little or no feedback, particularly of the global kind.

You folks take care,

Robert