What is the best solid state moving coil phono section?


Either stand alone or in a preamp? I have owned various iterations of Curl Vendetta SCP-2 as well as a Crosby modified Spectral DMC 10Z and have compared the Vendetta against the stand alone Levinson unit. My particular Vendetta is one of a small number that incorporate custom Teflon caps in the RIAA as well as John's latest thinking on wire and connectors. I would characterize it as extremely fast and transparent with an incredibly low noise floor and excellent height, image width and depth. Tonally, I find it to be very good but different from the best tubed units. Likewise, it resolves images differently, with a sharper definition of the edge of instruments and performers but with somewhat less of the sense that intruments/singers have three dimensional bodies.

The only product with which I am familiar (note that there is an universe of phono stages that I have never heard, thus the question) that I find superior is the phono stage in the Blowtorch preamp. I own a Blowtorch sans the built in phono thus the need for the Vendetta.
fcrowder

Showing 1 response by mikelavigne

fcrowder, why not tubes? i have the aesthetix io in totally stock form, and it is wonderful. very quiet and able to drive the lowest output cartriges, the only drawback is rack space and heat.

the very best dynamics of any audio product i have heard, with tonality and a "breath of life" to the soundstage that ss can only dream of. i've had 2 trouble-free years with the io and can't imagine a better phono stage.

the stock io can be improved with additional power supplies and tube rolling.

you must have your reasons for ss direction but if you haven't heard the io you owe it to yourself to try it.