Van Den Hul Grail - very quiet current mode, I have the SB model
Esoteric E-02 - compares well to top phono stages- seems to be a sonic bargain
What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead?
I'm on a mission to improve my vinyl front-end. Starting point is to replace the Graham 2.2 on my Basis Audio Debut Gold Vacuum, followed by a new compatible cartridge, next will be a different phonostage.
I like the Steelhead but I'm sure there's something better out there. I've around $8K to play with and prefer to buy used. Has anyone stepped up from the Steelhead successfully, if so, what did you buy and how much of an improvement was it?
Appreciate any thoughts/ideas?
- ...
- 117 posts total
@marantz8 Not presently. I ran an Audio Tekne MC 6310 (0.1mv) and used an Audio Tekne SUT for a while, but it actually worked better without the SUT.
|
I am not one for cliche's but you would have to wrest the Steelhead out of my cold dead hands for me to give it up. It is seductive and rapturous when given a decent set of grooves. As I type this I am listening to the remastered version of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love" with a Reed 3P arm and Lyra Etna Lamda. Drive is a highly modded Garrard 301. I don't for a minute disbelieve that the CH Precision, various Allnic units and more deliver something that can be called "better". But if your Steelhead is holding you back than you have Fifth World problems-assuming your TT is set up optimally and assuming you have heard it with good pressings. My Steelhead is dead quiet, dead reliable, and so satisfying (to me) from every perspective. After 2000 hours I did re-tube it with tubes supplied by Manley Labs which were very reasonably priced. |
@rooze I am responding because I have the same Audio Tekne MC-6310. It was sent to Imai-san in 2021 for cantilever repair and returned much improved. It is paired with the Audio Tekne MCT-4818 SUT going to a Sun Valley tube phono. My phono is not of Steelhead caliber admittedly and your OP is about phono preamp. But I have two other cartridges, a ZYX Ultimate Omega and recently acquired Transfiguration Proteus. Both cartridges go through the AT SUT into a lower level phono stage than yours. And with the Proteus, I feel that the vinyl front end will stay put for a while.
Perhaps adding a higher caliber cartridge might be a the other way to go? My apologies for veering off topic. |
- 117 posts total