Wavestream Kinectics Deluxe Phono

I have one.

Just call Scott for specs and loads

https://scottfrankland.com/

I am using his first generation Wavestream Kinetics Phono Tube. Scott still makes all his gear, and he is wrapping up the generation 3 board for the phono tube. His gear is upgradable. I skipped gen 2 but when I visited and spoke with him last month (his shop is relatively close to my house), he said he will have the gen 3 phone tube board out shortly.

Re. MM/MC...you can insert resistor packs to adjust the load.

I am using a Shelter 901 mk3 cartridge, low output moving coil.

Search my name on this site; I recently experimented and wrote my response to a person asking about tube rush.

I used to use a Audio Research SP14 preamp (hybrid) which had a 12AX7 tube for the phono section. Apples and oranges comparison; Wavestream in another orbit. I already have MFA gear and a Wavestream Kinetics tube line amp...so it was pretty much inevitable I would go the distance with the phono tube addition.

I am done upgrading to new models (except for board upgrades!)

Note:  Scott used to build a very high end RIAA tunable phono tube preamp....I don't have that one...that was not something I was interested in...he may still be building that as a one off. There are zero front knobs on my unit. 

@no_regrets You will NOT be disappointed.

Black background. Warm but not overly sweet notes. Relaxed. Articulates complex notes without congestion.

I recently began practicing a piano piece from George Gershwin, The Man I Love. Lots of 6 and 7 note chords that swing. I have been practicing this on both a Yamaha UX3 upright piano and a Yamaha MO8 workstation synthesizer. Playing these 6 to 7 chords flat out sounds terrible on the MO8, and that was a pretty expensive synth when it first came out. Two and a half octaves below middle C sounds so muddy that my piano teacher via Zoom thought I was playing the wrong chords.

By contrast, hearing myself play this same song on the Yamaha upright and  separately on the Wavestream with vinyl (as a reference)...I know exactly how these complex chords should sound. The Wavestream phono tube just plays through these complex but extremely revealing fat chords in short order. No synthesized instruments or other instruments distract my hearing of what the "The Man..." should sound like.  I forget the gear and get right to business on what "I" am doing wrong in my playing, and I am doing a lot of things wrong!  I consider this one of the highest forms of compliments that I can possibly give to Scott’s gear.   Wait till you play vinyl and wire brush drum sticks...like something from Vince Guaraldi and his drummer playing rhythmic oval circles with his wire brushes....just wow. You hear wires tustling about.

Scott has excellent post purchase support and is a gentleman, as you already found. Very reasonable for post warranty work. He is the same gentleman when I visit him in person.

Have fun and congrats!

-stu