Tube or solid state phono stage?

@big_greg,

I've never thought about adding AR to my system protection!

Audio Research Reference phono stage. If in your budget a 6SE or used 6. Exceptional phonostage and synergistic with the rest of your system. This is what I have and would not change it out. I have had Audio Reseach phonostages for over thirty years. At each juncture reasearch and listening has immediately led me back to stay with Audio Research. Also, I discovered the synergy of Sonus Faber, Audio Research and Transparent completely independent of the adage. 

I’m worried a tube phono stage may make the vinyl too warm sounding and not dynamic enough.

@stewartgr Dynamics only comes from the signal. If it seems to come from the electronics, its because of distortion.

Its much harder to build solid state phono sections that don't have problems with RFI. The reason this is important is LOMC cartridges generate RFI while playing. If the phono section can't handle it (and it can be as much as 30dB higher level than the signal itself) then it likely won't sound right. This has resulted in the use of 'cartridge loading resistors' which are really for the benefit of the phono section because they kill the RFI.

So if the manufacturer has a front panel 'loading' switch there's a pretty good chance they don't understand how this works. Actually its electronics 101 in the first week of college; when you put an inductance (the cartridge) in parallel with a capacitance (the tonearm cable) then you get an electrical resonance. In the case of LOMC cartridges this can be up to 5MHz. You can also search to see if people are using loading resistors with cartridges while using the phono section you have in mind.

A nice side benefit of the phono preamp being insensitive to RFI is its very likely you'll get less ticks and pops. That RFI I mentioned can overload the input of the phono section and when that happens it can generate ticks and pops. 

Personally, I’ve never had a solid state phono stage that satisfied me. But admittedly, I have not tried many: a 2-box Trichord Delphini 25 years ago, which was left in the dust by a succession of tube phonos; and recently, a MoFi MasterPhono bought mostly for its current drive. But it did not have the holography and palpability of image (along with excellent dynamics) that I prefer, and which are characteristic of good tube phonos, so I sent it back. I do plan to try the Channel D Lino 3.3 soon, another SS current drive. We’ll see. Return policies are a godsend.

I should add that my tube phonos—and most on the market—incorporate step up transformers, adding gain for LOMCs without extra noise. I’ve never owned an all-tube phono stage but I’ve heard a few.

if you’re looking for a tube-based phono with superb dynamics, I can recommend the Manley Steelhead. When I owned it, I thought that was its forte. Along with great flexibility.

I have an all ARC system and have used solid state and tube phono stages with it. (Starting out, I thought perhaps solid state would be the way to go). The ARC phono stages provide a synergy with their amps and preamps that cannot be beat with anything I've heard. I have the Ref Phono 2 SE , Ref160Ms and Ref 40 with TechDas Airforce 3 Premium S and various carts including Lyra Atlas Lambda SL and Dynavector XV 1t .

Can hardly stand to listen to my CDs.

Dynamic and musical. Not at all too warm. Go with ARC.