What phono preamps are balanced


Since I am looking for a phono preamp with balanced circuitry and outputs, I would like to know what are my choices. I know of these: pass xono, ear 324, aesthetix rhea and io, bat vk 10, hagerman trumpet,........................................................................................................ but am not sure of the others like: manley steelhead, arc ref., tom evans groove, asr basis, acoustech ph1p, linn linto, cary 301 or 302, clear audio, herron vtph-1, art audio, whest p.20, zyx, artemis, ayre, clearaudio reference, rowland cadence, klyne, etc etc.Thanks for the help.
pedrillo

Showing 10 responses by pedrillo

Here is a list of all the balanced phono stages which have balanced circuitry not just the xlr connectors and/or transformer coupling that I have found, please feel free to add others or make corrections:
Aesthetix io (tube)
Aesthetix Rhea (tube)
Aqvox 2ci (ss)
Arc ph2 (ss)
Arc ref2 (tube)
Asr Basis exclusive (ss)
Atma-sphere mp1 (tube)
Atma-sphere mp3 (tube)
Ayre p-5x (ss)
Bat VK-P10 (tube)
Clearaudio Balanced Reference (?)
Ear 324 (ss)
Einstein tt choice (ss)
Essential 3150\
hagerman trumpet(tube)
Jeff Rowland Cadence (ss)
Pass Xono (ss)
PS Audio gcph (ss)
Simaudio lp5.3 (ss)
Whest ps.30r(ss)
Here is a list of all the balanced phono stages which have balanced circuitry not just the xlr connectors and/or transformer coupling that I have found, please feel free to add others or make corrections:
Aesthetix io (tube)
Aesthetix Rhea (tube)
Aqvox 2ci (ss)
Arc ph2 (ss)
Arc ref2 (tube)
Asr Basis exclusive (ss)
Atma-sphere mp1 (tube)
Atma-sphere mp3 (tube)
Ayre p-5x (ss)
Bat VK-P10 (tube)
Clearaudio Balanced Reference (?)
Ear 324 (ss)
Einstein tt choice (ss)
Essential 3150
Jeff Rowland Cadence (ss)
Pass Xono (ss)
PS Audio gcph (ss)
Simaudio lp5.3 (ss)

Those that are not balanced circuit but have xlr outputs:
cary ph 302
K&K Audio (tube)
Again feel free to point out errors.
Which of these would come on top? Within a certain price point it appears after some reading the forums that the Einstein is hard to beat, does it better the rhea, Asr, Hagerman or any of the above costing less than this group.
And here is a list of line stages with true balanced circuits.

** denotes balanced from input to output.
? denotes not known whether balanced throughout.

?Accuphase C-2810 (2 xlr)
?Accuphase C-2410 (2 xlr)
**Aestehtix Janus (2 xlr) 6.5
**Aesthetix Calypso (2 xlr) 4.5
**AtmaSphere Music Preamplifier MP3 (option) 4.7
**AtmaSphere New Music Preamplifier MP1 Mk. III (option) 13
Audio Horizons TP 2.1 (option) 2.0
**Audio Research LS26 (2 xlr) 6.0
**Audio Research Reference 3 (2 xlr) 10
**Audio Research Reference 5 (2 xlr) 12
Audionet Pre G2 (2 xlr)
Audiovalve Eklipse (unbalanced at 1 xlr) 4.6
**Ayre KX-R (2 xlr) 18
**BAT 51 SE (? xlr) 9
**BAT 52 SE (2 xlr) 10
**BAT REX (2 xlr) 20
?Belles 28A (No info, The 21 has 1 xlr unbalanced)
**Cary slp05 (on special order) 7.5
**Classe CP700 (2 xlr) 7
**Classe CP500 (1xlr) 3.5
?Esoteric C03 PreAmp (new)(1 xlr output)
?Jeff Rowland Capri (option? 1 Bal-XLR, 1 Unb-RCA std) 2.7
?Jeff Rowland Concerto (std) 3.9
?Jeff Rowland Criterion (std) 18
?Herron Audio (not balanced)
**Mcintosh C500 (2 xlr) c500t 12
?Music First Audio MK II Preamplifier (TVC)
?Music First Audio Reference Preamplifier (TVC, Appears to have 2 xlr)
?Pass Labs XP20 (1 xlr) 8.6
?Plinius Tautoro (2 xlr) 8.3
Promitheus Audio Reference Ccore TVC (option)
?Rogue Audio Hera (2 xlr)
**SimAudio P7 5.5
**Simaudio P8 (2 xlr) 11
?Sonic Frontiers Line3 5
?Sonic Frontiers line3 se 6
?Supratek Dual Cabernet (appears as 1 xlr)
**VAC Phi Beta (2 xlr) 15
**VTL 7.5 (2 xlr) 10
**VTL 7.5 sII 16
**?YS Audio BALANCED A2 Se (2 xlr) 1.5

This is a list with fully balanced pre's noted by the asterisk.
Please feel free to correct any mistakes, I visited the websites of these companies to assertain the fully balanced feature.
I just checked the rhea, ps audio, and bat's vk-p5, they all are fully balanced differential unless the websites are wrong which I doubt because it was consistent on a few sites. Hope this helps.
If this is inaccurate or there are others please post your findings.
Thanks TD.
I thought that xlr's weren't neccessary in order for the circuit to be balanced. But I do agree that xlr terminated cables are better than rca's.
Lewm, I agree with the negative lead not being grounded being neccessary in order for it to be truly balanced.
If anyone can chime in to the next question: on the graham 2.2 arm, there are 5 pins, does the 5th pin ground to the arm and/or cartridge/body? The arm is ceramic which does not conduct well so the cartridge really doesn't get grounded, right? Would did this make it truly balanced--the 5 pins with the 5th being ground only without signal?
Here is a list of all the balanced phono stages which have balanced circuitry not just the xlr connectors and/or transformer coupling that I have found, please feel free to add others or make corrections:
Aesthetix io (tube)
Aesthetix Rhea (tube)
Aqvox 2ci (ss)
Arc ph2 (ss)
Arc ref2 (tube)
Asr Basis exclusive (ss)
Atma-sphere mp1 (tube)
Atma-sphere mp3 (tube)
Ayre p-5x (ss)
Bat VK-P10 (tube)
Bat vk-5 (tube)
Clearaudio Balanced Reference (?)
Ear 324 (ss)
Einstein tt choice (ss)
Essential 3160 (ss)
hagerman trumpet (tube)
Jeff Rowland Cadence (ss)
Pass Xono (ss)
PS Audio gcph (ss)
Simaudio lp5.3 (ss)
Whest ps.30r (ss)
Whest ps.30rdt (ss)
New ones keep appearing hence the new list.
Here is a list of all the balanced phono stages which have balanced circuitry not just the xlr connectors and/or transformer coupling that I have found, please feel free to add others or make corrections:
Aesthetix io (tube) Also Signature and Eklipse
Aesthetix Rhea (tube) Also now available Signature series
Aqvox 2ci (ss)
Arc Ref2(tube)
Arc Ph2 (ss)
Asr Basis exclusive (ss)
Atma-sphere mp1 (tube)
Atma-sphere mp3 (tube)
Ayre p-5x (ss)
Bat VK-P10 (tube)
Bat VK-P5 (tube)
Clearaudio Balanced Reference (ss)
Ear 324 (ss)
Einstein tt choice (ss)
Essential 3160 (ss)
hagerman trumpet (tube)
Jeff Rowland Cadence (ss)
Pass Xono (ss)
PS Audio gcph (ss)
Ray Samuels Emmeline XR-10B(ss)
RCM Sonsor Prelude(ss)
Simaudio lp5.3 (ss)
Whest ps.30r (ss)
Whest ps.30rdt (ss)
+++ If anyone conducted a shootout or has owned a few balanced phono stage please feel free to drop a comment.