What is the Phono stage you have finished with?

simply awesome for the money!

had Ear834p, GSP Era Gold V, Audible Illusions built in phono stage, Plinius Jarrah, Black Cube by Lehmann.
Done with them all and have settled with the Tron Seven Phono stage. Couldn't be happier!
If ever I was to upgrade in the future, the Lamm LP2 would be my top pick.

I use the versatile PS Audio GCPH and I have no complaints what so ever, now that I settled on the correct interconnect and power cord combo in my system.

The Aesthetix IO Signature with one power supply. I have listened to Pass XOno, ASR Exclusive, Einstein and BAT products.

These are all great products but I decided to keep the IO. Tube rush, I had minimal at first, can be addressed with tube matching. No tube rush, no electrical interferences or other issues for almost 5 years now and I play my music loud sometimes.

The factors that I like about the IO are that in deep listening with music, sometime I swear as if I am hearing other artifacts in my room such as a sounds coming from behind me, sounds like a door knock sometimes (no, not inside my head, ha) or voices jumping from deep backgrounds that startle you; it is this essence that I realize that the IO is giving me the pretty much all I would ever want from music. The IO gives me a deep and wide soundstage with the ability to draw you into the music emotionally.

The bass is very deep and hits with a solid thwack, the mid frequencies and highs are balanced just right with no accentuation from any of the frequencies, only from what is on the music. When I play an LP, I hear pretty much all of the details of what is in the grooves. Should an LP be a crappy recording, I will know it, if it is a good one; you will know it as well. You can discern the differences in the quality of recordings and best of all, recordings that you thought were mediocre before might end up sounding better because that information is being captured better by the IO, but a real crappy recording will always sound crappy, no matter how good the system. Voices are just incredible, I hear the breathing patterns and opening and closing of musicians lips as they sing into the microphone or hear the breathing patterns of trumpeters as they start to blow into the trumpet and experience the process of embouchure with the trumpet players. With the brass, lots of times I hear the brass player moving on stage and can visualize where he is moving as he plays. This is incredibly unbelievable as I never experienced that before.

Piano hits are startling as well and the ability to see a portrait of multiple pianists in the soundstage is incredible. What gets me going about piano’s is that on some LP’s you can hear two distinct piano’s or one piano and one keyboard but they are in their own time and space on the soundstage and when you hear one piano playing the keys rowing from upper left to lower right, then you feel as if the piano is actually right there situated in that space. Many of these so called ah moments have occurred with the IO. Those have become my standards in listening to music. I know now because I have experienced it for myself.

Like one of the previous posts above, deciding if I should even take it to the next level with the IO Eclipse upgrade.

I am using the Benz LP with the settings at 62 db gain, 1000 ohm and all tube front end, (pre and mono amps) system from Octave electronics in Germany driving B&W N800's. Music has never sounded better to my wife’s or mine ears.
Ciao,
Audioquest4life

Wright Phono AG. A classic.

At the end of day:
A custom made unit with 6 Phono inputsAll tube phono stage.
Full Differential Balanced phono SRPP.
Split passive RIAA.
Full silver wired.
Pure L_C power supply with double channel (= 2x) B+ rectification, with single wave tube rectifiers.
NO electrolytics - all foil capacitors PS.
Custom designed transformer coupled volume control.
All resistors Tantal 2W.
All coupling capacitors silver/oil, PTFE and silver mica.
2 cabinets.
2 x 42 lbs.
Shock isolating frames with 3 hz suspension.

I have dealt with Whest Audio personally, and I can say that they not only make fine phono stage products, but they are a fine company to deal with. Their customer service is very good. I have a Whest PS30RDT and I would describe it as having a "sweet" sound. Admittedly, this is a very inarticulate description but it produces a somewhat unconstrained sound and a nice 3-dimensional soundstage.

Let me say that you have to be very careful when comparing phono stages because you rarely get an apples-to-apples comparison. There are differences in gain (even for what are supposed to be comparable settings) and differences in load resistor values - each of these can affect the sound of the unit in your system.

Another vote for Whest Audio. James Henriott, the gifted designer and proprietor of this UK company is probably the friendliest, most polite person you will ever meet or deal with in the somewhat idiosynchratic world of high end audio personalities. Thre weeks ago I visited James at his office/manufacturing facility in Brentford, near London (about 30 miles from my house) and 'upgraded' my PS.30 RDT for the new 'Special Edition' model fitted with Clarity Caps, the new fully discrete bipolar transistor input stage, updated RIAA filter capacitors and reworked power supply. The sound from vinyl is absolutely superb, seeming to offer the best from solid state and tube designed phono stages. Oh, and the casework is now all black!

A nagra PLP which is a very good preamp as well , i have not tried many at home, i have owned ARC sp 6 with build in phono which had not enough gain also a jasmine LP 2.0 with seperate power supply which is cheap and good , i am now 42 years old , i will probaly have an all Zanden system in a few years time and call it a day , as that is the best i have heard so far i have not heard it in my own system though its just a gut feeling,and a more esoteric player .

The casework for the Whest PS.30RDT SE is in black but the standard casework for the PS.30RDT is silver. You can get Whest to provide a PS.30RDT in black for an extra charge (which is what I did). The cheesy photos of the PS.30RDT SE on the Whest Audio website do not do justice to the appearance of the black casework actually looks much better than it appears in the Whest photos. In general, I think that Whest would serve themselves if they put some effort into improving the appearance of their website.

after having owned these : blue circle 22-707, whest 2.0, einstein the tt choice, burmester 011, cary ph 302, karan ka lp, cat legend, artemis pl-1, fm acoustics 222 mk3, ear 324.

Over the last decade or so I have owned an Exposure 13, EAR 834P (with and without MC4 transformer), EAR 324, Lehmann Black Cube SE, Naim Prefix/Supercap, Benz Lukaschek PP-1, Michell/Trichord Delphini, Brinkmann Fein, plus in-built phono stages in a Jeff Rowland Concenra, Accuphase E-406, Audio Note M2 and Audible Illusions M3A.

I have also spent at least a week each with an Enstein Turntable's Choice, EAR 88PB, Tom Evans GrooveX, Pass AlephOno, Connoisseur Definitions and a few other lesser phono stages not worth mentioning.

The one that remains is the Exposure 13. It is (was) a fraction of the price of many here, but has not been made for some years and is now quite rare. It has a fixed 470 ohm loading. It is probably exceeded in many respects by many of the phono stages I have mentioned - eg the EAR 324 is quieter and more versatile, the Tom Evans is tonaly more neutral, the Einstein has a more liquid midrange - but for all-round musicality, the thing that makes you forget the equipment and focus on the music - I have not heard anything to beat it. In fact, I recently picked up a second one.

Sebastian, does that mean the ear 324 is the one you've settled on?

Recently, I have been using the phono stage in the Pioneer C-Z1 preamp from 30yrs ago. Very very quiet.

sorry T-Bone my message is not complete; The TRON 7 Reference is the one I have settle with after having those list of phonos.

So I have now had my Nagra VPS and VFS for over 2 years. It's a wonderful phono stage. I am sure you can spend more and get a better. However, in my system my toes are always tapping, just great tonality, natural, and imaging.

Really a great phono stage.

After a very cursory review of the posts above, I note that no one has listed an Allnic phono stage as his or her favorite. Have any of you auditioned the Allnic, either the H3000 or the H1500? I am intrigued by the LCR RIAA equalization. Few if any other commercial products employ this type of network.

Lewm, I've heard the Alibic H3000 phono stage a few times in dallas and in Austin, I have 2 friends that own it.

It's a killer killer phono stage, among the very best for sure.

It's one of those components I'd be afraid to bring home for audition. Mostly because the bank will be calling the next with a overdraft notice :)

Like many here I tried loads, and I mean loads. The valve (tube) units just didn't quite do it for me, not just the noise and lack of gain issue BUT the tube warmth I couldn't get on with. So I plunged for the Whest MC REF V for my big system and the new PS.30RDT Special Edition for my second/main system. Yeh, I now think I am there !

I thought I could live with a Sutherland (good for price/performance)for a year, while I go about auditioning some phono stages to settle with.

I heard the Allnic 3000 after 2 months at a friends place, and the game was all over for me then. it suited my preference and expectation. I look forward to having their new varibale version soon (this month).

I am sure there are lots of phono-preamps that meet people's expectation out there, and similar to me at the end of the day, you don't know any better till yuou hear the unit in your system.
Cheers
Nev

I have an early Herron VTPH-1MC, serial number < 10. It has all the mods through around mid-2001.

I'm completely satisfied with it. Very detailed without being analytical or too polite, pinpoint imaging with a huge and deep soundstage, transparent, very flat frequency response, dynamic, musical, very pulse coherent.

The newer current production version of the Herron phono stage is supposed to be a little better but I haven't heard it.

atma-sphere mp-1 mkIII.

great linestage as an add on too.

PS Audio GCPH - granted, low in the food chain compared to many here, but it does a great job in my system!

VTL TP6.5: after I've heard quite a lot of other phono preamps, like Tron, Tom Evans, Aesthetic, Nagra, Blue Amp, Audia Flight, ASR.

A Simaudio LP5.3

the quality performance on your analog rig will be the quality performance on the " poorer/poorly " link on that analog chain and IMHO that line stage ( where the cartridge signal must pass ) that you own is that " poor/weak " link, so IMHO it will be a better choice/alternative to see the phono stage change ( for a quality improvement ) like a whole: pho/line stages, as a fact and IMHO these two stages most be in reality one integrated ( synergy ) unit.

IMHO it does not make sense to buy a " Ferrari " with bicycle tyres.

Agree with Rauliruegas -

Hence, the Leben RS-30EQ

Tube rolling to this day...

Raul is correct- as soon as you break the phono stage out to a seperate box, you have an connectivity problem with whatever is downstream.

You see, one of the functions of a line stage is to control the interconnect cable. I don't see any phono stage that is really designed to do that, so the interconnect between the phono section and whatever follows (line stage, power amp) is critical. Then there is the matter of the volume control... a passive control and the attendant interconnections only offer more coloration rather than less, as well as a reduction of impact. As soon as you have these features built into a phono section (to get around these issues), you essentially have a full function preamp that is otherwise lacking the the switching and aux inputs.

I beg to differ in your comment "as soon as you break the phono stage out to a seperate box, you have an connectivity problem with whatever is downstream. You see, one of the functions of a line stage is to control the interconnect cable. I don't see any phono stage that is really designed to do that, so the interconnect between the phono section and whatever follows (line stage, power amp) is critical."

You can't use such a globally all-inclusive statement like that. It very much depends on the designer as to whether a phono stage has been appropriately designed to work with other components. I have zero problems with my Herron phono stage interacting with my Herron cables into my Herron line stage interacting with the downstream Herron cables into my Herron amps. I know for a first-hand fact that the phono stage was designed to interact with other quality components upstream and downstream.

I think ARC also tests their components extensively for good interaction as do some others.

Can't speak for some of the other less expensive phono stages. Maybe that's what your referring to.

I do agree with your statement regarding a passive volume control.

Yeah, I know I can find a few well regarded designers who'd pick that bone with Atmasphere and Raul. :-)

Its easy enough to find designers that will argue :)

Connectivity is another thing altogether so let's explore it.

Can you hear a difference between cables that go between your stand alone phone stage and the amplifier?

if no => connectivity is not a problem

if yes => connectivity *is* a problem.

Maybe that problem is solved by paying extra cash for more expensive cables. But think about it- next year that manufacturer (or some other one) will have the latest and greatest new cable. Is there anyone here that can tell me that's **not* the case??

The fact of the matter this goes on year after year. Well, what if you had a means to operate the cable such that the cheapest one you could find worked as well as any of the others? It is possible BTW.

That's what I mean by connectivity issues.

I believe that what Atmasphere was getting at was not that "the connectivity problem with whatever is downstream" cannot be surmounted, but the fact that doing so turns the phono stage into a "phono stage with a robust enough output stage to be the equivalent of a line stage with a phono stage built in and then with the other stuff that a line stage does taken out."

I don't think he thinks it is impossible at all. I am absolutely confident that Ralph could make a world class standalone phono stage which could drive an amp through a very long cable. That said, as he says, the output stage of that phono stage would resemble his preamp, and I am sure that he thinks that there are very few phono stages out there which have the same ability to drive an amp as the Atmasphere preamps do, and if they do, they might as well stick a switch and a couple of extra inputs and a volume control on it and call itself a full-function preamp.

I think he may have overstated things when he said "I don't see any phono stage that is really designed to do that" because I think there are several designers who do actually stick all that gain stage robustness in there. Saying something like that will almost always provide the opportunity for rebuttal because it's a big wide world out there. But it does not negate the rest of what he said.

What he did not say but may be inferred as his position is also relevant. Having to make two top-notch power supplies and two top-notch output stages just to stick the phono stage into a separate box from the preamp/line stage is an avoidable expense and coloration.

I bet even Dan_Ed thinks that Nick Doshi could probably come up with a "passable" 2-chassis or 4-chassis preamp with the phono stage built in... and it would probably be cheaper to do (and might have fewer chassis) than the combination of a standalone pre and phono.

Keep in mind that all of that proselytizing (mine) comes from someone who just bought a standalone MM stage where I will need a headamp/SUT and a preamp to make it work.

T_bone, you got it. Thanks.

What you're describing are not connectivity issues. Those are cable quality issues and personal preferences. Nothing more. New models of components are introduced every year. Does that mean people's "old" systems are no longer any good and must be replaced? Does that mean that cables between amps and preamps are replaced every year just because there are improvements there? No to both.

But that's not what you REALLY said originally. What you said was (read very carefully!):

"You see, one of the functions of a line stage is to control the interconnect cable. I don't see any phono stage that is really designed to do that, so the interconnect between the phono section and whatever follows (line stage, power amp) is critical. [snip undisputed passive volume control and function statement]."

So you can see that what you said is a WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT than when you changed your explanation to something else completely. What you said had to do with the quality of a phono stage being able to "control the interconnect cable" as if there are not differences between interconnects between other components, downstream of the preamp, or between a "properly designed" phono stage and a preamp. But there are, as well as there are differences between the wire that can be used inside an integrated preamp. Does that mean that the preamp needs to be rewired every time there is an improvement in point-to-point wire?

But the issue remain that you said that you know of no phono stage that has the same attention to its output than the output of a preamp. You also implied that since a preamp is designed to "control the interconnect" that there are no differences in downstream interconnects but there are between phono stages and line stage preamps.

I mean, that is what you said. Right? That's where I disagree with you.

If I understand the comments by Rauliruegas, and repeated by Notec and Atmasphere, the theory is that a phono stage that is integrated into the preamplifier is better than one that is separate because the interconnection forms a kind of "weak link". This statement sound generally incorrect. Keep in mind that the signal output from the phono stage should be about as strong as the signal output from a CD player or tuner. I mean, the point of the phono stage is to take a signal that is too weak to be input to the preamplifier (i.e. the signal from the cartridge) and amplify it to a level that is suitable for the preamplifier (there is, of course also the task of RIAA equalization as well). If the signal from the phono stage is weaker, then you probably have a problem of too low a gain level in the phono stage.

An advantage in having the phono stage separate from the preamplifier is that the phono stage is typically the highest gain component in your system, and it receives signals that are significantly weaker than those elsewhere in the system. Those weak signals are prone to interference from nearby stronger signals, so by keeping those signals in a separate box, you can amplify the weak signal while minimizing interference and then once the signal has been amplified, it can then be introduced into the rest of the system.

Yep, it's all good. I believe I understand what Atmasphere was going for. However, I think for those in this upper end of the market the cost of an additional IC isn't that big of a deal. If a particular integrated sounds better than a particular set of separates, or if the separates sound better, is only an evaluation of those pieces. Extrapolating those results into some blanket statement about which approach is superior is great marketing.

T_bone, Nick has already done an excellent 2 chassis, full-function preamp with built-in phono stage. The 4 chassis model that I commissioned was exactly as you say, more expensive, however it does surpass the 2 chassis model in performance. (I even skipped the remote, to give an idea of what I am after.) The four chassis model is the separation of the pre and phono circuits and a separate power supply for each, 2 circuit chassis and two power supply chassis. There are always trade-offs and implementation is everything. The extra IC is not a problem at all from where I sit (pun intended). IMO, YMMV, and all that.

disclaimer: I don't represent Doshi Audio, I'm just a very happy camper.

Aesthetix Io Eclipse is not about to depart my home.

Allnic H3000. Sounds great in my system. It's a keeper.

Manley Steelhead. 3 phono inputs plus line input, lots of loading and gain options and sounds great.

Manley Steelhead running a Clearaudio Talisman V2 MC into the Steelhead MM input.

Settings - 47K, 55db gain, all Capacitance settings at 0.

Forgot to add this.

I've found that the volume control is a weak link in most pre-amps or phono stages with pre amp capabilities.

I use the Steelhead in two systems,running it in fixed output mode, which is minus the volume control.
The headphone system runs the Manley into a Burson HD 160 and differences in inter-connects are quite easily heard.

In the second system the Steelhead is run from the fixed outputs into a Lightspeed Attenuator,with better sound than ruuning from the Steelheads variable outputs(with volume control) directly into my amps.

The Steelhead is similar in concept to the Atmasphere except it's a single ended design, and hence prone to the vagaries of interconnect sonic traits.
Both the Atmasphere and the Steelhead have a volume control however and so are sonically at it's mercy.

It's not possible(except with degrading rca/xlr adaptors)to run an Atmasphere into a Lightspeed, unfortunately we won't know how much of an improvement that would make.

It did improve the Steelhead.

The other thing that I like about the steelhead is the large separate power supply,which Ralph would agree moves the MP1 further up the ladder than the MP3 that I used to own.

Had I not made other moves, I would still be enjoying the MP3 as much as my friend enjoys his after he heard mine.
He hasn't had a problem with his in ten years of ownership. He also drives his speakers( Acousta X, same as mine) directly with his MP3 , except that his amps(Acoustat servo amps) are not balanced.He replaced the RCA on the amp with XLR but it's quasi balanced,still single ended.

As much as a fully balanced pre-phono stage negates the need for pricey IC's there is still that pesky volume control to contend with, which I have realized is the achille's heel of most audio components.

Have your EAR fitted with better parts. The ones which are there total maybe at $20 wholesale including power transformer.My deepest respect to design talent of TdP. It's a unique sounding unit and I repeat someones else opinion that I happen to share (partially ) that "99% of vinyl users don't need a better phonostage" Take it as you wish & good luck with your quest :).

I would agree, the 1% of vinyl users with good tables need a good phono stage.

I don't think a top flight phono stage will turn a medium grade table into a Continuum.

But a Continuum can be humbled with a medium level phono stage.

Lacee, Yes if the noise floor of your TT is higher than your phono stage then it may be a waste of money. But if you want to hear the differences that upgrading your TT make then having a quiet phono stage will tell you if you are going in the right direction.

The Zesto Andros PS1. Since I have a fully upgraded Linn LP12, I considered the Linn Uphorik and Eureka. After hearing the Linn phono stages, I'm very pleased with the PS1. It does everything I want from a phono stage. Precise imaging, deep and wide soundstage, lots of detail and always musical. It is my end game phono stage.

I have owned a few, upgraded from the Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena to the Icon Audio PS3 MM MC tubed pre.
Loving it too.

Hagerman Trumpet
I have one of the later iterations of the Trumpet. It has aluminum front and back panels. I took delivery of it in January of this year. Very happy. This one should last me the rest of the way.

I had used a Wright WPP100C. Eleven years with that one. I would classify the Wright as exceptional for the money. Very good, but not great. The Trumpet betters the Wright in every way I can think of.

I'd spent some quality time with a Tom Evans Microgroove-Plus. It was probably better than the Wright in terms of speed and immediacy. But there was a slight solid-state aftertaste which I could readily perceive. Odd. On the one hand, a seemingly transparent delivery which nonetheless left its notes in a very slightly white translucency. Or the mental impression of that. Probably, it was system dependent. The Wright, on the other hand, offered a tubey warmth that seemed closer to right within the context of the system and budget at the time. Oh, and the TE was a bit higher priced.

But the Hagerman Trumpet has the speed, immediacy, dynamics, transparency, details micro and macro in stark clarity. This is closer to it. And then it fit my modest budget.

-Steve

The Linn Uphorik MM/MC external phono stage is absolutely amazing and provides lots of adjustments.

Musical Fidelity kW Phono-very flexible, built like a tank, quite, clean and open sound-what's not to like-

After hearing the Zesto Andros PS 1 I would totally endorse that phono stage...totally.

Vintage SOTA The Head will handle any MC you can throw at it. You may also be interested in the other pre-preamp offerings from John Curl.