Well, just goes to show how many people can try similar experiences and end up with different results!
I tried a variety of expensive step up transformers instead of the one built into te 834P (including one by TRON) and there wasnt any noticeable gain.
Fairly exhaustive demo-ing showed my that I prefered the warmer richer tone of a valve phono stage to any solid state equivelant. Others will prefer something else - thats up to them. Of course this particular post wasnt about valve vs solid state - and Im not saying it was, Im only putting my own view across that valve phono stages bring something new and exceptional to the world of amplifying a cartridge, and should be auditioned by one and all, even if rejected!
Lawrie, I dont mind at all which phono stage that you prefer. I've made my decision and Ive been really happy with it since day one. Im sure that for every person choosing a graham slee and other solid state counterparts over an EAR, there are as many the other way round - like Leonard and myself! As ever, this doesnt proove or disproove anything, other than a different preference

- like you said really. The bit that I was disagreeing with is that musical choice dictates the outcome - I like all tastes and styles of music (almost!) and still came to prefer my 834p.
For my own choices, if budgets were limitless I would be looking at valve phono stages by Tron, Viva, Conrad Johnson and Graaf. Unfortunately they are not of course, and Im confident that I have the best choice for me in my budget.
Its always near-impossible to make reccomendations on the internet - in many ways its a futile task.. who knows what the person asking the question will prefer? Only him/her!
Whatever lets you.... enjoy the music!
