PS Audio new Stellar Phono PreAmp?

Until one of the Beta testers says something on the PS forum you will have to wait until after the September release.

Yeah - I was following it a bit, mostly out of curiosity

BUT - It does seem to me that they have made a conscious effort to "Sweat the details" within the realm of semi-affordability.
Check out their U-Toobe video on the design considerations, as explained by their Electronic Designer.

How do you like your Stellar Pre/DAC?  It's one of the units on my list to audition if I can.  Sounds like a nice piece for the money, (and I can get one for around 1.1K$)

It was also designed to "match" the Stellar Gain Cell Pre/DAC - so my guess is that the synergy should be EXCELLENT.

But, you'll have to wait a while to hear any useful user feedback - it just became available for Beta-Testing about 2 weeks ago.

geeqner, I also am curious about how the GCD sounds so if smoorenc could come in, if appreciate that.

I just acquired the s-300 amplifier 3 weeks ago and so far I love it. I'm looking for a pre-amplifier with balanced ins and outs. Right now I'm using the single ended ins and outs of my burson conductor V2 plus as a preamp and I can't believe how good it sounds. I'm thinking maybe balanced might take it a step further. I should have my head examined because it sounds excellent right now. Lol. If I do get the gcd I will only use it as a pre-amplifier. My DAC is a Metrum Onyx and I love it, so I just need a pre-amplifier with  balanced. I'm considering the GCD or maybe the Wyred STP.

Does anyone have any input on how the GCD sounds compared to other preamps they've used?

The Stellar GCD sounds so good with the S-300 or stellar mono blocks. I connectthe DAC with XLR cables. It made a huge difference. I also for the digital side use the HDMI cable with I2S connection. I have "Theater Mode" set so I use my fronts (Tannoy XT8F's) powered by the S-300 out of the Onkyo. For digital music (Roon-Tidal), records, CD's (Oppo S/PIF) all just though the Stellar Gain Cell Dac/Pre-Amp. Some pics. I have all on PDF, but I don't know how to share a PDF.  I really like my PS Audio equipment and I am seriously thinking of swapping out the Rogue for the Stellar Phono.
https://4moores.smugmug.com/Other/Stereo/i-BfmnzFd/A
https://4moores.smugmug.com/Other/Stereo/i-bS37N53/A
https://4moores.smugmug.com/Other/Stereo/i-3KksLhc/A

geeqner  "It was also designed to "match" the Stellar Gain Cell Pre/DAC - so my guess is that the synergy should be EXCELLENT. "

My thoughts on why to add the Stellar Phono.

smoorenc:

Hello, I was a beta tester for PS Audio on this device. I thought it sounded exceptional. It was very very good right out of the box. I burned it with a tuner and attenuating reverse RIAA cables and a dummy loads for about 125 hours before I did any serious listening. They certainly gave it the right name. The unit is dynamic, great timing and just has a hint of tube sound, not bloated or rolled off, just that easy musical quality that I sometimes associate moreso with tubes. I did put one of my Audio Magic Bees Wax Ultimate SHD fuses in the unit and that took it further on down the road.

All in allPS Audio should be proud, it is one of the best sounding SS stages I’ve heard and that includes some in the $30k range. 

I would say at 50 hours it started to show  It’s stride. I think it is a monumental value for the sound it creates. It’s not good for $2.5k it is just plain good. If you are in the market for a SS phono stage you owe it to yourself to audition this unit regardless of what your were looking at be it $5k or more in price. 

If I were you I would try to demo one first. I had at least 6 phono pre's in the last 2 1/2 years and the one I settled on is the Modwright PH9.0 if you like tubes in the phono stage going solid state you might be disappointed you will loose mainly sound staging. Yes I also had a Rogue Ares Magnum at the same time the PH9.0 is better less noisy. The best 2 solid state ones I liked were the Parasound JC3 JR and the Musical Fidelity Nu Vista Vinyl

Just ordered the Stellar Phono to compliment the Stellar GCD preamp and M700 mono blocks which replaced a more expensive setup but gave spectacular performance both with analogue and digital sources. 

Currently, the sound stage is very good, and I think this is the result of balanced circuits + good balanced interconnects + class A circuitry in the GCD + class A input stage in the M700s   

The Stellar Phono preamp will be used with two tt setups: Rega Apheta II + Rega RP8; Sumiko Blackbird + Technics SL 1200.  The Stellar Phono has a balanced circuit with class A circuitry. So, I am all hopes I to gain on details and keep or improve the soundstage.

serhan621    Looking forward to your thoughts,  Scott

Good day @ smoorenc
@ Audiofun thanks for sharing your views. Valid and true indeed.

Phono pre-amp arrived yesterday with DirectStream DAC with Bridge II pre-installed, but that will have to be discussed in a different forum. 

I kept all the existing cables unchanged (balanced Van Den Hul 2nd  hybrid) which I have been using for more than 2 decades.  I also decided to assess the phono pre-amp with Rega Apheta II / RP8 low gain setup which would be more challenging for the pre-amp.

Straight from the box, I got hooked.  This is by no means an ordinary piece of hi-fi gear. I could not stop listening until I fell asleep in my chair around midnight!  

I cannot go into tech talk. However, after just 4 hours with the Stellar Phono Premap I realised it sounds nothing like hi-fi.  It brings my LPs to life, especially orchestral and symphonic works that I use to evaluate my analogue setup for instrumental space segregation, instrumental realism as well as sound stage breadth and depth.  Moreover, as many people say, the Stellar has a black background (low noise floor).  I enjoyed   fatigue-free time with the music!  As with other PS units that I have, I expect this to improve within the coming days. 

Hi, how is it going into week #2?  Have you heard it change much?

Hello,
The changes (improvements) in two weeks were subtle.  However, timbre and body of instruments was audible.  I am still enjoying fatigue-free music.  I have to mention that the single ended outputs are noticeably lower than the balanced outputs.  Will report again after connecting the SL1200 + Origin Live Onyx tonearm + Sumiko Blackbird high output MC.

@serhan62, what do you mean "lower"?

thanks for the update!  interested in your progress...

Hello again,

Last night I connected the 25 years old Technics SL1200 MK2 with Origin Live Onyx (OL's second tonearm from the bottom) and the four years old but not overly used Sumiko Blackbird high output MC (connected to MM input).  The result was so good.  Now that is what analogue should sound like:- weight, body, timbre, and air around instruments .  Frequency response was, to my humble ears, exemplary.  I think I have reached a very satisfactory result and this will be my main playback for a long time to come.

Does the Stellar have a mono button?

I would love to hear of any comparisons to the Pass Labs XP 17.

Hello,

Sirhan62, I have the same Rega RP8 and Sumiko Blackbird cartridge. Most people don’t have this combination, but I’m very happy with it. Right now I have an older Graham Slee phono preamp. I’m thinking of trying the stellar gain phono preamp. Have your impressions changed since installing it in your system?

Thank you for any information. 

I just purchased an ELAC PPA-2 phono pre and I am really impressed. Yes, I had a MoFi StudioPhono that sounded very good, however, my unit had some quality defects. I decided to return it and go with the ELAC. The ELAC is an entire different level than the MoFi. Plus, you get a mono switch. I'm sure the PSA phono is excellent. There is a new review of the PSA in one either TAS or SP (I forgot which one). I would consider the ELAC as well.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and successful New Year!
@mdcomdial Please make sure you riase the Rega tonearm at the base by 6 mm to achieve the best VTA for the Blackbird. Great combination but I found the Rega protractor challenging to fix the overhang. The Stellar has limited adjustments (compared to Rega and Musical Fidelity flagship phono pre-amps) but the sound quality and sound stage of the Stellar stand out. I love it.

@aberyclark Stellar phono preamp has no mono button / switch.