Stand out phono stages

1 1flat6,

I have only briefly heard the Lyra phonostage and I thought it was terrific--VERY dynamic and lively, and at the same time, harmonically dense and rich (something that is almost never achieved, particularly with solid state). It is too bad that RoHS regulations have made it impossible for Lyra Connoisseur to get the parts to continue to manufacture that item.

Perhaps your second phonostage should be something that offers differing equalization options, like the Zanden, since you are exploring ways to listen to a range of vintage pressings. The Boulder offers different equalization options as well as a host of other features and adjustment options (I don't like the sound of the Boulder at all, but, that is a matter of personal taste).

As for tube-based options, I own, and like very much, the Viva Fono. The downside, for experimentation, is that it offers no adjustability. I have changed loading, but to do so, I opened it up to change the resistor wired across the input jack (primary side loading of the input step up transformer). The Viva is not cheap, but then again, you are looking at some pretty pricey items.

A lot of tube units are basically tube MM stages with a SUT used to provide the higher gain needed for LOMC. Exceptions, like the Aesthetix Io, have a whole lot of tubes to provide more the extra gain through active stages.

I like tube stages with SUT, provided that the transformer is really good. The Kondo is a good example. I think the SUT in the Audionote (uk) units are really terrific too. One can actually buy their transformers separately, though the top model is extremely pricey. I heard a custom-made stage using their best transformer and it is amazing.

I have heard the Naim and it sounded pretty good (in a friend's system). My own preference is for tube electronics, but the Naim was decent sounding--dynamic and lively, and with just a little bit of the artificial "edge" to the initial attack of the note that makes solid state often sound mechanical and fake.

My issue with the Naim was that, in my friend's setup, it suffered from some kind of static electric buildup sensitivity that could not be cured by ANY change to the grounding of the unit, the table and the arm. When the air was dry, playing the unit for a while would, sometimes, lead to a loud pop and the unit would freeze up and have to be turned off for a minute or so before it could be re-booted. This was a big annoyance, and the pop had the potential to be speaker damaging but for the low power employed in this system.