The best phono stage out there?

Dunno, my Allnic phonos shred, rip, grind, sting and bump with the best I have heard. I have been listening to ZZ Top, Cream, Blind Faith and Santana, never sounded better . Of course, it is always advisable to listen to a particular phono staqe if possible for a particular taste in music.

"For me it seemed to happen with music that had real drive like the Electric pieces from Casino by Al DiMeola remember being told that it must be production on record from dealer"

"Casino" is one of my faves, played it many times on the Allnic 1500, wonderful rendition. All I can say is that my impressions in my own system do not agree that the Allnic doesn't rock or muddles amplified electric guitars, just the opposite, they thrash loud and clear.

Johnjc,

I am sure you heard what you heard when you heard it, it just seems an unfair generalization about the component given my own experience in owning and using the unit for over a year.
Synergies can make or break particular components, even the best, so building systems with components that work in conjunction with each other is tough, as I have learned. It isn't always easy to figure out where the synergy, or lack thereof, comes from. Been listening to Sonny Sharrock on the H 3000, what a blast.

Happy listening!