Solid State Phono Stages

I have just learnt the the Brand Phasemation does not seem to have a supply chain within the USA, so the E-350 Model Phon' is not looking like it is a Stock Item within the Country.

That is a shame, as it does present in a manner that is very attractive.

@jpan The following statement is valuable advice and one that has been experienced by myself today whilst visiting a friend whose designs for HiFi equipment has won much favour.    

"An alternative would be to get the XP-17 and put the rest of your dollars into a good/better interconnect and power cord. (And/or upgrade your phono cable.) Those improvements will yield a significant improvement as well".

My friend has adopted the use of cables using PC Triple C Wire since my introducing these to the system they own.

This friend has also assisted me in my request to have a Tonearm Produced using PC Triple C Internal wiring. There is now after a few attempts and some extended  trials a Tonearm produced into its final guise using PC Triple C Internal Wiring.

Today was about using my owned PC Triple C wire as a DIN>RCA Cable and as a RCA>RCA Cable and the system owners acquired cables with the same wire in the system with the new internal tonearm wire.

To add a curve ball, I also brought along a Power cord / lead made form the same wire and other RCA >RCA  Interconnects that are produced using D.U.C.C wire.

We both have the same TT's and Tonearms and a selection of Cart's attached to same material headshells.

My friend had a 'Old friend cartridge' that he has not owned or used the model for a very long time, but had recently acquired as a model with a sale description that it has close to a 1000 hours of usage on it,  and it was purchased as a Cart' to be a donor to go for a overhaul, to give more expensive owned Cart's a break from usage.

The Cart' in question is a Ortofon Kontrapunkt B (Kb), I own good condition spares of these Cart's,  as well as a model that has been completely rebuilt.

The idea was to work our way through trialling Cables and exchanging Cart's up to the Ortofon Windfeld.

The Plan did not quite go as organised, after a couple of cable configurations, the so called worn out Kb, was superb with a couple of Cable configurations and not quite the same match with other configurations.

The suggestion was made to add the Power Cord / Lead to the Phonostage, which when done was quite something, there was a noticeable change for the better and the Power Cord was agreed to be kept in place.

The Cable of the day in my view was a RCA > RCA SAEC SL-5000, when in use with the Internal Arm Wire and the Power Cord, the SL-5000 delivered in a way that was quite unimaginable, bearing in mind the Cart' in use was supposed to be a donor for a refurb, not one of the attendees wanted the Cart' to be changed, the want was strong to see what was on offer from it from all the LP's brought along .

I have a very little use Kb' that is un-mounted and stored, it has been agreed this Cart' will be brought along for the next session arranged for June and will be compared to the Cart' used today, if it still has wind in its sails, my suspicion is it has been a Lazarus today and has many hours of usage left to go.

Do I regret not trying out different Cartridges, not at all, and as far as I can tell no one else is feeling something was missed either.

The Cables selected allowed a Cart' that was expected to be underwhelming experience to shine and be a Cart' that generated a very positive impression.     

I am a Tube Device user myself and every so often get the chance to listen to very modern designs for Solid State devices..

Recently I have been offered demonstrations of Two Phonostages, one being the Phasemation E-350 and the other being a model referred to as the 'Avalon', it is  Bespoke Built Design by a very accomplished Electronics Engineer with more than 40 years using LP as their main replays.

Each of these Phon's have made a extremely good impression and very memorable and worthy of informing others about.

Neither of the Phon's are going to break the bank, and the price separation between the Two above Phon's has a decent separation.

Even though the Phon's were not compared side by side, the demonstrations were carried out in short succession and the recollected information was enough to produce a assessment that both were very capable and will need a vast jump in design to be seen as easily bettered.

When encountering either of these Models the impression made might be such, that the need to continue a search further may be vanquished.  

complete don't usually promote products

An experienced ear knows what is making a good impression with an immediacy.

Spending time at an event can introduce encounters to devices of interest that are on a shortlist or not.

When an attractor is encountered it is known in an instance, the next hurdle is to learn of how the device is able to be home auditioned.

Laying out considerable sums of money is not necessary to encounter a variety of Phon's.

Selecting a excursion to a event and having a social interaction is a very enjoyable way to make new discoveries and indelible memories.  

My experience is all about being social and interactive with other enthusiasts.

HiFi is a diminishing concern when the younger generations are considered, and I am happy to support any event that might attract some of the younger individuals, as well as be a face to be met and supply support to any queries presented.

Also through this behaviour to get out and interact, I have been fortunate to have come to know accomplished EE's that are not only adept followers of circuits, but known for being accomplished as circuit designers and have designed works for known Brands as well as take on commission builds bespoke produced to the customer.

 A few of these EE's have progressed to having their own growing Brands of which some the sale items have even got a mention on this forum, not too bad for a modern UK Brand. 

It is a nice moment for an individual, when a Company Owner values your own assessment and is keen to receive an evaluation of a work in hand. This is even more of a moment when the designer is willing to loan a prototype for a prolonged assessment.

Most of my devices I own today are commission built or known Brand Models that are subsequently given as a donor to be overhauled by known individuals who specialise with such products.

As I have been instrumental in participating with the majority of my devices that are commission built, it is not a option to have a home demo', but as I have been assessing the work, produced at different stages, and a participant in the trialing of and the selecting of components, I have a very good idea of the SQ being developed for the devices.

This is a method that has suited me, as not only have I acquired items I am making old bones with, and do not intend on separating from, the friendships formed and maintained are as healthy as the admiration of the products produced. 

I would use the dealer rooms to see products, the real benefit is looking to see if it is possible to be meeting with the individuals responsible for a design.

There is the likelihood, when they are met, they can see a real enthusiast is in their presence, and this can be good as there will usually be a meeting where the individual will be quite willing to exchange dialogue.  A event can be a good place to encounter these types of individual.

At the last public event I attended prior to COVID, a similar dialogue developed between a room visitor and a EE who I was with, with the result being a follow up meeting was arranged and a Bespoke Built Phonostage was produced for the individual based on the standard design being demonstrated during the event.

Whatever method is adopted to encounter products of interest, a product tailer made to to deliver the majority of ones own preferences is not too bad a place to arrive at either.  

Enthusiast evolve in their understanding of how to listen to music analytically and for pleasure.

Enthusiast also evolve in their understanding of how the system in use works as an entire set up. The enthusiast will have a good grasp on where the system is in terms of the performance on offer and where they might have a want for it, as it is not quite able to deliver in a certain frequency or perception to the owners unique preferences.

Engineers evolve as well, their hands on experience and interactions hone the skill set, and the hooks that adopt to eek the best out of a circuit becomes their signature.

Keeping in contact with an individual who has skills that one can only dream off acquiring and also one that has a trust in you, at times inviting you along for ypur thoughts to be shared and showing a dependence on your own experiences, is a great place to be. I would not change a thing.

Andy Groves who is the Head Engineer in Audionote and possibly is executive in the Company was the designer of my first owned SS Phonostage.

Andy was also instrumental in the design of my first Valve Power Amp.

Both of these designs introduced me to an EE who I am still good friends with today and we are at present doing a project together once more.

Andy now uses Panzerholz as part of the structure for certain Audionote Circuits, the material might even be used for all the products created at present.

Is this a circuit improvement electronically or is a structure that improves the circuit when in operation ?? It is a hook and is born as an idea and then curiosity has yielded the result where the method is seen as worthwhile and to part of a design.

My own Engineer has developed hooks and he is quite protective of these, he has always requested that I do not make knowledge of his IP known, which I have faithfully honoured.

Another Electronics Engineer friend who has produced Pre Amps and Phonostages,  felt that his HiFi system was maxed, and there was no need to add a device of any type.

They were curious about the interfaces for the umbilical's.The individual has high quality Cables and RCA Plugs, and focused on the Chassis Sockets, as the next parts to be considered to be exchanged.

The swap of the Sockets to another brands Chassis Mount Sockets blew him away at the improvements on offer, I have heard this exchange of parts and the change is detectable and is a method I will be adopting.

Keeping the curiosity and interest is important and being broad minded will go a long way. A look at the simpler things in the system can yield the levels of change in a system, that some part with extortionate amounts of monies to try to correct. 

There is a Phon' that there might be a opportunity to experience in the USA and one that I have received an audition of on a few occasions.

Also it is one that I know is owned in the UK and has maintained a very loyal following, especially when owners have had it compared to very expensive Phon's in their own systems.

My most memorable experience of the Paradise Phonostage has been at a Bake Off event where the host has a system worth approx' £200 000,  one of the UK's renowned builder of the Paradise design was present with their personal model.

The event usually does Valves / Valve Hybrid and Solid State as their own sections and these models are presented in groups governed by Purchase Value. 

The Paradise was entered into the Bake Off at a particular Purchase Value range and was speedily removed from the demonstration by the host of the event, to be entered at a much more expensive purchase price for the Phon's.

When used at the lower purchase value demonstration, the Paradise was noticeably streets ahead in its qualities.

It can be stated that Phon's from a certain price range can sound quite similar and only really separate in their perfomances, if a certain frequency is noticeably accentuated during the performance. I put this down to very similar Topologies for the circuit designs used.

In the end Six Phon's were side by side with the most expensive having a  Purchase Value of £10 000, interestingly a very rarely encountered Modwright 9.0 Valve Hydrid Design was in this selection.

This selection was trimmed to the Paradise and the Music First Reference going Head to Head.

A Commercial £10 000 Phon' ( Music First Ref ) and Bespoke Kit Built £2500 Paradise.

Each are quite unique and not with the same sonic traits as many Phon's in demonstrations had shown previously.

There was a split between the selection and the attendees who were deselecting Phon's throughout the day were not unanimous in their choice, there was no clear preferred choice.

I could have quite happily spent many many hours with either.             

@thiefoflight to discover a device that surpasses and supersedes a trusted device is usually a knock one out the ballpark experience, and only being their can really describe the impact that is made and good impression left.

I have had this twice with Two Phon's across a few years, one that was built for me by the designer who was initially offering it as a kit to be assembled, this was very special and won my favour and others who experienced it, following a Tube Rolling experience, I thought I was finished with the search for  Phon'.

A friend attended a Phonostage Bake Off with myself and demonstrated a Phon' he had produced, and when it was given its demonstration, it was a show stopper.

I was supplying parts and a critical ear during this Phon' design rethink.

The end product took on a few guises throughout a period of a year and the latest design produced solely by this individual is owned by myself.

It is a amazing piece of kit to use, and my search is I believe for now over, whilst my ears are functioning as they are at the present.

The designer is now involved with producing Phon' designs for a well known Company that specialises in ancillaries for TT's.

Enjoy the new information to be revealed from the groove and the wonderment that can follow.  

@thiefoflight 

"i appreciate measurements, but 100% agree that at the end of the day it’s how it sounds to me, and in my room, and that matters the most". 

Your statement strikes a chord, I am wed to, and ensure when I am in the process of learning I get as up close and personal to devices/equipment of interest as possible, and this regularly means I am in a room that is dedicated to the use of the items of interest, this allows a subjective evaluation and reasonably accurate assessment .

For myself, I would class any evaluation not undertaken like the above, especially if a device is not demonstrated, as a fantastical assessment which will most likely be quite flawed.

Having a demonstration, preferably in the home system, is the most important if the enjoyment of listening to a music replay is the priority, ones ears being used in the selected environment for the equipment, are the only methods required to tell if the set up is delivering in a totally satisfying manner for the end user. 

I have on regular occasions been in in a position to experience two phonostages.

I have had the option to use different Tonearms and Cartridges, but experiencing these does not in my experiences, impact on the presentation in the same manner as changing the signal path via the Phonostage.

To work with the impressions that can be made, I have a few resident SUT's but have had the loans of other SUT's and Head Amp's.

There is something about the differences a Phonostage can have on a replay, and the want to learn much about this has led me to be party to numerous demonstrations of devices.

I have come to learn there is a small selection of Phonostages I would be happy to be with, would I like to have them all at home and select one that supersedes all.  No I would not, I like the memory, the recollection and the want to get out and encounter such wonderment once more.

It is very satisfying to be in the company of a device that makes such a positive impression and creates a real feel good factor, but for all these strengths, is not enough to tempt one of their much enjoyed owned devices. The experience of being able to gauge where a system is and know that any alterations will be a change only, but mot a change for the better is a comfortable place to be.

The differences recognised between the devices, and the alternate usage of each device, is almost a selection to suit a mood, and ones mood is usually dictating the Genre selected to be replayed, the alternate usage is certainly not an attempt to improve the system. I am suspecting this is where the OP is finding they have arrived at with their options for the two devices available at present.

From my experience of having listened to New Devices be it a Home Built Design or a New Off the Shelf design, the ones regularly encountered usually takes about 100+ Hours to deliver close to their best.

Additionally, with a Phonostage, especially a valve, but I do know this extends to some degree to Valve Hybrid and Solid State a period of pre warm up, is without doubt beneficial to the SQ that is to become available.   

To allow a minimum pre use time for an assessment on a Phonostage, is limiting to the experience that can be encountered.

A Valve Hybrid, I have as an alternate design of Phon', was quite ungathered in the lower registers for a few weeks before I got a hint of what was to come, later down the line the Bass is as enjoyable as the other owned Phon' even if a little different in the overall presentation.    

Not too long ago, I have made it known, I am a Valve Phon' individual who has come to this place after being a user of SS Phon's.

I do admit the change to a Phon' with a Tube Input/Output, took one to be Bespoke Produced for myself.

Over the past few years, I have been an invited guest to offer a assessment on a SS Phon' Design that has been undergoing R&D as a Prototype.

During this span of time, I have also been invited to be auditioned / demo'd a selection of Phon's, mainly SS, of which some are DIY Builds and one other being the being the Phasemation EA-350.

It was not until I was demo'd the Phasemation, that I could even suggest I was hearing a Phon' had a remote comparison to the Prototype Phon' I have been familiarised with. Without both Phon's side by side compared, my thoughts are only that, merely recollections of two produced sonics with quite some time between each of the experiences encountered.

More recently something happened as a result of having my first demo' of my Pre-Amp' that is being built for me.

The outcome being that I have now developed a curiosity similar to the Threads OP, where I am very curious, to learn how a SS Phon' will present in my system, when supported by my new pre-amp's.

For myself this is quite a profound shift, as I thought I was limiting myself to discovering how a few SUT's from the same designer/Brand were to perform as a home demo'.

The SS Phon' curiosity has evolved in recent days further.

I have discussed with the EE/ Designer and in my case Builder (This Phon' is already available to be purchased a Commercial Sale Item)  a Bespoke end Build for this design of Phon'.

lt will be initially unique from the off set, in keeping with my Pre Amps, as the cases will be produced from Densified Wood.

Where the Bespoke will come, is that I will be suggesting a selection of Components to be used, that I have come to learn as being very valuable when added to a circuit. (I have yet to attain permission from the designer of these hooks for components to be able to use them). The end product will be attuned to my own preference using the design that has already thoroughly impressed as the measure for the changes to the sonic be put in place.

I though I was spent with Vinyl as a Source, where I had a arrived at a place where  my only concern is for the care/preservation of the Source Material and the careful looking after of a Cartridge.

Hey Ho, no more rolled up trouser legs having a paddle, it is back in the water and  having a swim, fortunately in trusted water.  

It is a term used by Guitarists to describe their insights to produce a uniqueness to the sound they are capable of creating.

BB King once stated something like, " If a very well known Guitarist is Front Row  at a show, turn your back on them, as they are there to steal your 'hooks'. "

Jeff Beck is renowned for being the Guitarist who has had most 'hooks' plagiarised.

EE's who I discuss things with use 'hook', it is this terminology that suggests there is experiences being used to produce a sonic, that is manifesting from the creation of a unique circuitry/topology or component treatments that are instrumental in creating a unique sonic signature.

This is where Bespoke Design/Built is difficult to describe, it is not something readily available to be heard in use. Assessments made are for the best, if an experience has been encountered, the impression being made on a listener is then much better understood.        

If that is your understanding at this point, then I will leave it there.

I am much more comfortable with and would prefer to suggest, that in relation to an Audio Device, the Hook is the method used by the very experienced EE, to remove/minimise the perception of a colouration being present in the produced sonic.  

Maybe it will be better identified, if a visit to the last few pages of the Thread covering the recent released design for a 300b.

The Engineers offering descriptions are in my view, whilst also being careful in how they reveal information relating to a Hook or Design founded through their own experiences and specifically utilised for the Circuit/Topology of the 300b Design under discussion. 

I 100% support the protective nature/ring of steel, that an EE's can request to be in place relating to their work.

It is my sensitivity toward these requests and my proven track record for 'keeping mum',  that has been instrumental in my being invited to experience a selection of Prototype Designs being produced over the past years.

From the EE's perspective a set of ears without ulterior motives is surely something valuable to have at hand.

My last few listening experiences have been all about the 300b.

I have been introduced to a P-P 300b produced in the 90's, with an overview of the pre production design carried out by Tim De Paravicini, the Tranx's Winding are certainly being described as TDP Legacy.

I have been demo'd this on three occasions over the past weeks.

Once in the owners system and compared to their VAC Integrated Amp, that the 300b is seemly superseding.

The Second, in the same system but used to present the demo' of recent changes to a Tonearm nearly at its final finish as a design.

The most recent being in another system and compared to the resident Power Amp in this system. The 300b had undergone scrutinization of the circuit and components, and had undergone changes made to the circuit prior to this latest demo'.

Not at any time has it presented a sonic that can be described as unattractive in any way. When driving the Klipsch Jubilees, the experience was something quite special, I was feeling very blessed at the opportunity to be present.

During the last demonstration, the modified 300b Klipsch Horns, was eventually  used in conjunction with my Prototype Pre-Amp being built. I feel confident in claiming the experience was underpinned in a way that was unimaginable.

This Month there is a demo' being arranged in another system using SET 300b Monoblocks.

My 845 Designer/Builder has last year completed a 300b build for a customer with a long term relationship as per mine. The Designer/Builder is keen for me to make an arrangement to meet with this customer and experience this 300b Amp' in use.

I'm a little stretched at present and can't fit it all in.

I still have not arranged to visit the Verismo Owner who kindly offered a demo, or the builder of the DML Panel Speakers I supplied a material sample to for trialing purposes, which went down rather well, and further supplies are being requested. 

Along with this, there is the need for me to be available for supporting the recent decision to invest in to a SS Phon'.

The Trials agreed that can be undertaken, on this design, that is already very attractive in use. Will allow for me to supply components of my choice to be added, with the intention to tweak the design to my unique preference.

The too and from the EE, Will absorb at least Four visits, adding up to approx' 1000 miles in round trips. 

I would really enjoy the opportunity to receive a demo' of the Verismo through this Phon'.  

A friend who has produced a range of electronic designs for audio usage, that have at the debut demo's been thoroughly impressive, makes it known if the extremely expensive EMI protection material they have access to as off cuts in used in the circuit to protect choice components. 

I would like to think their own build experiences has shown just how valuable a local EMI protection being utilised is beneficial to the end sonic.

All members of the local HiFi group have been gifted sample pieces of this EMI Protection material to find their own ideal place for it, if they choose to do so.