Stand out phono stages

Two years I bought a new Asthethix Rhea. After all my reading and a garranteed return if not happy, I bought Asthethix tube phono pre-amp. Yup, a match made in heaven! Flawless construction, 8 tubes never need anything, no adjustments swapouts. It is a perfect match match for my Myabi 47 MC cartridge. This is connected to my SME 345 arm on my Oracle Delphi. And my pre amp is a Cary SLP-05 driving a PassLabs XA100. Monoblocs. Yes expensive I know, but, in my defense, after 45 years of compromizing with mama this it! I play album everyday and for the first time I bring one album after another and guess what? No noise, click, pops, nothin but music. The synergy is just right. NOW, while I have thought of it, I have not decided to spend another 2500 to send in my Rhea to have it upgraded to signature. Maybe I'm afraid to approach mama! Supposedly from reading they say it is well worth the investment. Then again, I still got to see my wife everyday! She's my investment of 42 1/2 years. No corrolation gentlemen!

In my humble experience I go with the Asthetix Rhea. Being a tube unit it seems to convey so much of the music by puuling out the heart and soul of the material that keeps listening for hours and hours with no listen fatique. Very little click and pop from records regardless of age. The most difficult part of determining what phono stage is "better" really comes down to whether one is dryer and analytical while the other is warmer with more mid range. The Rhea is good that I'm saving nickels and dimes for the signature upgrade. After all is said and done I truly believe that a tube based unit is the key. It all comes down to your ears and you hear and what you like to hear.