I'd look into the Black Ice (formerly Jolida) F159 vacuum tube phono preamplifier at your exact target retail price of $1495. It's all tube and has 40dB and 60dB gain settings.
Designed by Jim Fosgate.
Designed by Jim Fosgate.
What phono pre am I looking for?
It needs to be quiet, fast, dynamic and not cost an arm and a leg, $1500? Plays nice with a VPI/dynavector 20x2 low without a sut. I listen and enjoy most everything but, the British Invasion, Willie Nelson, Gillian Welch and jazz take the cake. I have tubes, an LTA pre, decware set amp and omega speakers.
The new channel islands peq-1 looks mighty fine and dusty uses the 20x2 as his personal cart, which can't be bad? New or used no problem.
The new channel islands peq-1 looks mighty fine and dusty uses the 20x2 as his personal cart, which can't be bad? New or used no problem.
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I'd bet a quarter that the Black Ice F159 is a further refinement of the circuits used in the Fosgate Signature, which is a very fine sounding phono preamp. It looks like Chinese manufacturing and a plain-Jane case have cut $1000 off the old Signature's price. I haven't heard one, but if it sounds as good as my Fosgate Signature, then it's a bargain. If it sounds better, then I'm jealous. ;) |
The new Jolida 159F phono preamp is killer! The 159 refers to the 159th circuit Jim Fosgate has designed for a phono preamp--Foz is a legend in audio circles and at 80 is still designing audio electronics. Since the previous distributor of the Fosgate Signature Phono Preamp abruptly stopped its sale, Foz decided to get even with a superior design and the 159 is the result. It blows the Signature away and the price is an absolute steal. I've had mine (upgraded from the Signature) for several months now and those who hear it can't believe vinyl can sound so good. While the stock tubes sounded great, I replaced them with Amperex 7308 tubes and they took it into the nirvana realms. I have a Sota Cosmos, ZYX Universe and TriPlaner VII Tonearm in front of it. Jolida advertises the 159 (can you believe 159 circuit designs??) here on Audiogon, so well worth checking it out. I'm just an audio freak with no connection to Jolida or Fosgate. |
I´m very interested in true balanced SS phono preamps. This comes from Germany: AQVOX PHONO2CI MKII High-End Phono Preamp MC/MM https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&... Anyone has this one ? |
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