Solid State Phono Stages

As with any audio item almost always exist a " but " and in your unit is that’s weird that the RIAA deviation ( that’s the main critical characteristic along gain for a phono stage. ) has a swing of 0.4db !

 

rather silly to get excited about that small of a deviation. No , it is really, really silly. All else equal, flatter is of course better, but chasing ideal measurements is a fools game. You are lucky if you don’t have 10dB swings in response at the listening position due to speaker-room interactions. I couldn’t care less about 0.4 dB. It is certainly NOT the "main critical characteristic.. "

How does it sound? That is all that matters

Dear @herman : Rather silly? is a fools game ? could be for you that have different MUSIC/audio targets than me.

" It is certainly NOT the "main critical characteristic.. "

Statement totally false for say the least. Look, the phono stage exist because the cartridge signal NEEDS the INVERSE RIAA EQ.

If the cartridge signal did not needs it then the phono stage was not not a necessity because with a line stage preamp is more than enough. A linepreamp with a selector for: CD,MM,MC and the like. No inverse RIAA eq. heavy signal degradation ! ! !

Can you imagine the huge improvement in what all of us should listen it with out?

R.

The RIAA standard boost/cut is a range of 40 dB from 20-20KHz. Therefore, 0.4dB deviation is not critical.  That does not mean I am saying that RIAA correction is not NEEDED.

Raul, you have taken what I said and totally twisted it out of context. You have taken my statement that 0.4 dB is not critical and taken it the extreme to state I am saying that RIAA correction is not NEEDED  I did not even hint that RIAA correction is not NEEDED. Why would you state that I did?

good day

@herman ​​​​and @rauliruegas Let’s not let this escalate any further. To be fair, the term “critical” is subjective to each listener, and we do know Raul has very high standards. :)

@herman I do empathize on how your words were misconstrued. I agree with your perspective, and you shouldn’t have been rejected for sharing it. 

I’ve always taken inverse RIAA with a grain of salt. Everything we do shifts the equalization of music, down to tube rolling and power cable selection (but let’s not make this a point of debate please). The room affects the sound most of all.

i appreciate measurements, but 100% agree that at the end of the day it’s how it sounds to me, and in my room, and that matters the most. 

@thiefoflight 

"i appreciate measurements, but 100% agree that at the end of the day it’s how it sounds to me, and in my room, and that matters the most". 

Your statement strikes a chord, I am wed to, and ensure when I am in the process of learning I get as up close and personal to devices/equipment of interest as possible, and this regularly means I am in a room that is dedicated to the use of the items of interest, this allows a subjective evaluation and reasonably accurate assessment .

For myself, I would class any evaluation not undertaken like the above, especially if a device is not demonstrated, as a fantastical assessment which will most likely be quite flawed.

Having a demonstration, preferably in the home system, is the most important if the enjoyment of listening to a music replay is the priority, ones ears being used in the selected environment for the equipment, are the only methods required to tell if the set up is delivering in a totally satisfying manner for the end user.