Dan_ed, It is hard to argue with your proposition, but in the case of inside vs outside, I personally far prefer built-in, for two reasons: (1) In-built phono stages, if properly designed, will usually not require a buffer stage (cathode-follower or emitter-follower) at the output to lower output Z, because the output leads need only be an inch or two long, whereas outboard phono stages usually do, because they have to drive the capacitance of the IC. The buffer invariable adds a coloration that I do not find pleasant, and (2) Built-in phono stages eliminate the need for an interconnect, which is yet another source of coloration (and cost), for good or evil. It is usually possible to design the power supply of a phonolinepreamp so as to ameliorate any problems related to having both units in the same box. In fact, it is entirely conceivable to have two discrete supplies in an all-in-one design (need two chassis, at least).
Which phonostage is a heavenly match for a XV-1S
A follow on from an earlier thread in which one suggestion was that my Sutherland Phd was maybe not upto the task of allowing the very best performance from the XV-1S. I would appreciate the experiences from other owners as to which Phono stage resulted in the XV-1S having a beautiful mid range and bass along with a deep soundstage.
Thanks
Thanks