Valve phono stage

Any tube fan can explain me what is the advantages of the tube phono stage compared to the great SS design? 

@tomwh 

Chakster if you value music that sounds like music, tubes are the way to go. If you like the way CD's sound or go after the black background nonsense, you might want spend your money on something else.

Tom, i think this is not true. I've been into NOS vintage tubes for 7 years, i thought like you. But when i bought First Watt F2J (current-source amplification)  and removed/sold by very expensive push-pull triod amp made OEM by Trafomatic Audio in Europe, i realized it was a huge improvement. Not onlly because the First Watt F2J designed especially for full range drivers, my ex tube amp was also very nice with the same speakers (Zu Audio Druid). First Watt (designed by Nelson Pass) has phenomenal resolution and "real" presentation of my vintage records. I don't care about CD/Digital, i am 100% vinyl dude. First Watt amps is just better, most of my cartridges sounds better with this amp in my system. I like SS gear for practical reason, nos tubes are expensive and i ended up buying many of them (Sylvania, Telefunken, Matsushita, NEC... all for military or audio application, low noise, low microphonic).   

For this reason i have no idea why people are looking for Valve Phono stage ? I was hoping to read some facts, not just esoteric statement. 

My system is much better without any tubes, and i'm sure you lose nothing when you move from tubes to proper SS design like those made by Nelson Pass. 

I think i should try Nelson Pass phono stage in the future! 

@lewm You’re right that phono stage is not the amp, i have no experience with tube phono stages yet and that’s why i am asking why valve is better than no valve? For practical reason i know it’s not better at all.

My ex tube amp was WLM Minueta integrated (made by Trafomatic Audio for them), it’s a modern push-pull class A tube amp that i’ve been using with the best NOS tubes from the 60s/70s era. NOS tubes are much better that new tubes of that class, no questions. Mr. Srajan Ebaen reviewed WLM on 6moons with Zu Audio speakers. Here is a picture of my rack with this amp and below there is First Watt B1 preamp and WLM Phonata phono stage that i am still using. The power amp is First Watt F2J barely seen on that picture. 

From the review: " The mini in Minueta refers to the smaller chassis as well as the tiny output tube called 6BQ5 or EL84. The quartet of output glass here is good for 14wpc in Ultralinear, 5wpc in triode - and class A push-pull in either case. Power wise, it positions the Minueta between single-ended 2A3 and 300B amps on the low side, between 300B and 6C33C SETs on the high. In popular hifi opinion, the EL84 doesn’t rank as highly as direct-heated triodes and the beefier pentodes like EL34s, 6550s and 5881s. Yet true valve connoisseurs shopping with their ears and not through the nose know how sonically advanced the Minueta’s choice could really be. "

@atmasphere thanks for pointing the facts

as a disadvantages i can add:
Tube Microphonics, Tube Noise, Tube Rolling effect (you change the tube and you change the sound). The price for each good tube, the tube estimate hrs and short life of the tube (not good for very expensive nos).  

In general tube rollings is like cartridge loadings, people looking for "the right sounding" tubes expecting more bass or more lush etc and so on. 

manufacturers recommends 47-100kOhm sometimes 30-50kOhm for their MM cartridges. This is the reason i like MM phono stages with rca plugs (load resistors), alternate loading will change the sound if needed (smoother or brighter). 

Ok, so in your opinion: "smoother sound, less ticks and pops , reduced generation of higher ordered harmonics, good overload margins and good resistance to RFI (semiconductors more easily rectify Radio Frequency signals since they have diodes built into their structures)".

How many great tube phono stages available for less than $1k , not for $3k? Just curious.      

@lewm I can not buy and try any phono stage over $1k that's for sure. Still have some amazing NOS tubes left, such as ECC801 / 12AT7 WA, not sure is there is any valve phono stage with this type of tubes. Some NOS Telefunken tubes cost more than phono stage itself (imo).  

And you don’t name what tube amplifiers you’ve played with either.

Described my ex tube gear after this comment. 

ECC 801s is the military grade Telefunken tube from Europe, one of the best ever made, very expensive. 801s is the same class as the ecc81, but the highest grade by Telefunken (long life, low microphonic).

12AT7 WA is Silvanya Gold Brand from the USA with gold pins, it’s a bargain, great tube

Another favorite of mine was Matsushita pinched tails 12at7WA - very rare. Mullard made tube factory for Matsushita in Japan as far as i know.

None of the mentioned above were made by Philips

12AT7 (12AT7WA) = ECC81 (ECC801s)

@lewm 

Apparently we agree on that, and we agree that REAL ECC801s/802s/803s are very rare and very valuable in the crazy tube collector market. If yours are real, good for you. I do have some real Telefunken ECC83/12AX7s, and I only know they are real because I bought them in the 70s, from a reputable source, before this craziness began and before the Chinese and Eastern Europeans started making bogus TFKs and Amperex and etc tubes.  

I could not buy mine in the 70s, i was born in the 70s, but i bought mine from Tube Museum NYC. They are real with diamond etc. Those guys are pretty serious about tubes. I have also purchased a matched quad of Telefunken military E84L (EL84). Original boxes etc. I was working in a printing business, i can recognize an old prints (and old factory boxes).

You are right that tube collectors market is crazy, but it is not my problem anymore and i am happy about it.