Phono stage for second system

I used the SoundSmith MCP-2MK2 for several years and I thought it was great, especially when used with SoundSmith cartridges. I’ve since upgraded to a Modwright PH9.0 x which was an incremental improvement to my ears. I’m also cycling between several carts.

A search for Soundsmith MCP will bring up other discussions here.

I hope this helps!

Has anyone used/heard the Sound Smith Phono stages?

Page 25 in this month’s magazine 

FYI This months Sterofile loved up the PrimaLuna phono stage. I’m somewhat dubious about most reviews but not by John Atkinson. 

Sutherland!

Sota Pyxi. 

Very satisfying for little money.

$300.

I am using the Darlington Labs MP8B which is all solid state. It is a tweaker's dream with movable jumpers to adjust MM capacitance and resistance, MC resistance, gain, and eq for high and low frequencies. I use it as tone controls for my turntable. Sounds great! Check it out.

I have a mint pathos in the groove that is sweat sounding and I will give you a good deal!!

let me know if interested

@rivinyl 

I have the Trumpet in the setup at my office. I thought it was pretty good with the stock tubes and standard power supply, but I think it's exceptional with the SBooster power supply upgrade. I tried upgrading the tubes as well, but that didn't make nearly as much of a difference as the power supply upgrade. It's got better tone and body than my solid state phono stage (DIY LR Phono Stage), but more detail, microdynamics and a blacker background than my all tube one (Bottlehead Eros). I like to think of it as the bowl of porridge that is "just right."

Another vote for GN PH-10. So versatile with on-the-fly loading. Sounds incredible.

I've also really enjoyed the Softone Model4 tube stage.

PS Audio phono stage. 

@mpomerantz

I also built an older Hagerman Cornet and it was very good, probably keep up with $1k stages.

Another person I know went through an Icon Audio and Modwright PH9.0, ended up with the Trumpet and is very happy.

Another vote for Sutherland. Loved my 20/20 with LPS. Solid support from Ron as well in case of questions, etc

+1 on the iPhono3 Black Label

Very small footprint, 85dB noise floor, gain settings from 36 to72 dB, it sounds amazing.

Another Sutherland fan here! Have the Little Loco and Dos Locos. Excellent in their price range. 

Just picked up a used Sutherland 20/20 and so far so good.  Very smooth and dead quiet.  Regular component width and depth size but only 2" high.  Excellent build quality IMO.    

Another thumbs UP for the Gold NOte PH10 - exceptional performance and the ability to tune the capacitance and volume while playing is a huge plus.

Audiogon censorship bureau deleted my post. 

https://www.manley.com/hifi/mss

The phono stages I know of in that range are all full sized or separate power supply types.

I would maybe consider a Hagerman Trumpet MC or Darlington Labs MP8B if room is a deal breaker. I consider both giant killers. I still run a Hagerman Bugle at work. I had an older Darlington MP-7 and it kept up with a Tavish Adagio.

Maybe Lejonklou? Or Lehman (small two box) and Slee?

In some ways, I prefer this to my $8k tube phono stage. I could live happily with it in my main stereo.

iFi iPhono 3 Black Label Phono Stage

I went back and forth on a phono stage upgrade for over a year. Sutherland and the Goldnote ph10 were high on the list and one box solutions. I could do two boxes and just got the Modwright PH9.0 x. Still breaking it in but amazing right out of the box. 

If I was going solid state and one box the Sutherland 20/20 would have been my choice but I have never heard it. It gets great reviews. 

I'm using the Hagerman in my bedroom system. It's fitting in nicely. Found mine, used, on line.

Check Vertere Audio!  

Austin Audio Works Black Swan.  Under $1800, solid state, minimalist design with on-the-fly adjustability MC or MM, balanced or not, complete lack of sonic intrusion. Check website and Barry Thornton, the designer, long time industry guy you can talk to. I love this thing…Stereophile A in latest report.

Goldnote PH10 - $2000 (solid state)

Fezz Audio Gratia Prestige - $2200 (tube)

Just in case you want really cheap and very good, I recently got an Andover Sound Spinstage Phono preamp as a backup for my all-tube phono preamp. For $249 dollars. It is a moving magnet and moving coil preamp. In MM mode, it has so much more flexibility that I have ever seen - able to adjust both resistance and capacitance. In moving coil mode, it uses a transconductance  (transimpedance?) circuit which automatically matches to your MC cartridge without setting impedance and the like. 

I am using it with a Ortofon Synergy G cartridge that is worth 10 times the phono preamp, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how good it is. Michael Fremer reviewed it in his Tracking Angle magazine, and was giddy about it.  

Again, I'm sure you can do better. You probably can't do cheaper and better...

Sutherland Little Loco for medium to low output MC cart

No fiddling with loading and what you  hear  will be your cart 

No other  coloration or  ingredients added

As  I said cart dependent  and I’ve been running a Kleos SL

and the results are killer 

Good luck Willy-T

“space is an issue” 

I would look into Parasound zphonoxxrm. Don’t let its miniature size or modest asking price deter you from trying. I’ve used it in my previous setup (TD124 + Hana ML) and it was pretty impressive in every aspect. 

https://parasound.com/products/zc-zphonoxrm

I have heard nothing but rave reviews about Hagerman Trumpet. Another phono that gets mentioned here often is Simaudio (Moon) 310LP Phono Pre. 

How about a Gold Note PH-10. With a discount it's one of the best versatile units I've heard IMO.

All very heloful.

Has anyone experience with Hagerman Trumpet?  ( was mentioned on an old post)

If patient you can find a late generation K&K Maxxed Out on the used market. Especially with the optional silver Lundahl LL1931 internal SUTs, it will outperform most at twice its list price of $4500 new. I got one for $1800 shipped a few months ago. It rivals my Allnic H3000mkii and my VAC preamp’s excellent internal phono. One box, two tubes, variable loading dial for MC, variable loading and capacitance dials for MM, variable gain options for both, and a mono switch. Excellent resistors and caps throughout. But you do want the last revision to the circuit, which was 2013, IIRC—says on the board. Earlier gens are still excellent (I had one and regretted selling it), but the last is the cherry.

Within your budget I went with a small Luxman 10wpc integrated tube amp with built in Phono, both MM and MC, with remote volume. Sounds terrific.

Luxman SQ-N150

Stereophile Review

I wanted tube sound, but minimum heat in a small room, so went low power, and decently efficient speaker, restored AR-2ax 3 way with 10" woofer and level controls for the tweeter and mid.

I switch headshells, use both MM and MC cartridge, but you are limited to a MC cartridge that works with the Luxman’s specs, 100ohm load is ideal for my mc: 0.3mv; 10 ohm coil

PHONO (MM): 3.0mV/47kΩ
PHONO (MC): 0.33mV/100Ω
LINE: 180mV/47kΩ

I actually got enough volume out of that amp using less efficient Wharfedale 225’s, but they sounded small without a sub

"open to tubes as long as the unit is one box solution."

Good:

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650160664-manley-chinook-phono-pre-amp/

"Better"

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650160529-primaluna-evo-100-tube-phono-preamp/

Both have been demoed in my setup.

Currently using PL which at the price, is easily comparable in sound/build of $4K+ units. Since SQ is personal, build quality unquestionably will be on par-likely better than any $4K+ unit.

Both have a standard footprint, but worthy of consideration based on listed price.

Another vote for Sutherland. If you're using a low output moving coil cartridge, the TZ Vibe is excellent and a small form factor. I'm using it with a Hana ML moving coil cartridge.

https://sutherlandengineering.com/tz-vibe/

Check out Sutherland!

https://sutherlandengineering.com/