Manley Chinook SE MK2


What phono preamp and how much would it take to better the Manley? I ask mainly because I have one and considering upgrading. I know it's been stated that it takes $5k upwards to better it but curious of some real world experiences.  

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Are you referring to what used to be called "Eichmann Bullet Plugs" and are more lately called "KLE"? Those are a low mass, therefore low eddy current design.  They are my favorites, but they are no longer a new thing; they've been around maybe for 10 years or close to. FWIW, bona fide engineers and physicists to whom I have spoken about eddy currents in audio level signals were not credulous that eddy currents are an important problem. I have no opinion, being untrained in that discipline; I just know KLE plugs continue to sound best.

I am not advocating Brands, I am letting it be known about a experience I had.

This is very different to having a discussion about, when discussing Cables with the Electronics Engineer who has commission built important devices in my system, the EE will not discuss anything in any length, as so called specialised Cable is a waste of time in their view.

My experiences had, where using two identical design Phonostages have had one with a typical chassis mount RCA and the other with a Low Eddy design RCA.

Using Low Eddy RCA's for terminating a Cable in conjunction with Low Eddy RCA's mounted on a chassis has had a outcome where the impression made has been with much more substance than that from a typical RCA Cable > Chassis configuration. A Low Eddy RCA used to terminate a cable being used in conjunction with a typical chassis mounted RCA, does not separate itself much from a typical RCA configuration. The real magic occurs when Cable and Chassis are using Low Eddy RCA's to create the connection.

As said this is not a expensive interface to create, it is the one I intend on aiming for throughout my system. 

I agree with my tube rollers here. Pop you some NOS 6922 Telefunken's in there as you only need (2) and see what you think before spending $5000.

Pindac, I do not disagree that low eddy current RCA connectors, like the KLE types, do sound good.  In fact, I use nothing but KLE connectors, when it comes to RCA. The point is that one does not know WHY they sound good. The fact that the design reduces eddy currents may have nothing to do with the good results. What a physicist pointed out to me is that at the low voltages and currents we encounter in home audio, not much eddy current is ever generated.  That was just one person's opinion, of course.

@theflattire after a lot of research and poking around with a couple dealers, I pulled the trigger on a Modwright PH9-X.  Highly recommended and seems to punch way above its weight.  Some interesting discussions here outside of my original question but it's nice to learn from pindac and lewm.