What is the best phono stage you have heard?

Hi,

I have liked the Tom Evans groove phono stages whenever I had a good listen to. Good detail and resolution with musical flow.

I had a Audionote pre amp many moons ago. It had a nice phono stage in it. The more expensive ones in the range look interesting.

I have used a few croft pre amps in my time (micro and vitale). Both had very good phono stages.

SCIDB
 
I noticed an add in HiFi world for a Whest reference phono stage, which looks full width.

Anyone know anything about this items sound?
 
I'm very happy with my AR PH5. Got some Mullards in it and don't feel in any way compelled to change it, two years down the line. That said, I'm using it with a fairly average cart and haven't really tested it with a "proper" MC yet...
 
This thread has been interesting. l recently upgraded mt TT but have stuck with my EAR 834P for the time being. Problem is that l need MC step up transformers and they are contributing hum. l had the opportunity to breifly audtion the RCM Phono in my system and it significantly bettered my EAR - not to mention that fact that l did not need step ups, it has loads of gain and switchable cartridge loading. Mid year l will go on a hunt for a new phono as my new TT rig is capable of much better performance than what my EAR delivering. l will have the opportunity to compare the Japanese made ZYX to the RCM side by side, both highly rated phonos. Graham Slee's top end phonos also have a good reputation in Australia but they did not get a mention int the thread, any owners here?

Cheers Mondie
 
My experience many years ago was that induced hum was an endemic problem with stepup transformers - and that active devices tended to be significantly less of a problem in that regard.

I don't have any recent experience with transformers.

Don't have any experience of the higher-end Slee devices, but do have their Fanfare - which seems to perform better than I'd expected at the price.
 
Hi Dick,

l believe you are correct re: the transformers, hence the upgrade path this year. The MC is here for the long term so the hum has to go :)

Cheers Mondie
 
After hearing it I had to have it. took a while to get it and it cost me dearly. I've heard many of the best preamps/phono stages; Levinson No 32, Jadis 40k preamp stack, ARC Reference 3 w/ PH7, Aesthetix I0 / Callisto just to name some - The MFA MC Reference has yet to be equaled or bested among those that I've yet heard. Mine is one of three prototypes built for CES, and the unit I managed to get is the best Scott Frankland built. I'll post pictures of my system soon.
 
Audio Note 640p Azure Meets Glasshouse Valve Amp

Hiy all,

Just a question from a newbee bloke!!

I have Audio note ââ'¬Å"glass Houseââ'¬Â valve amp, the input valve is an EF36 for each channel, I got a Cambridge Azure 640P phono stage (Solid state) MATCHED THEM UP TO PLAY A RECERD(s) SOUND = DISSAPOINTING,:( nasal midband, not a lot of dynamics
( but some detail- but that the 300B valves i think? )

The my record deck is played through an old Cyrus 3 amp (with integrated phono stage) it sounds quite nice, when played through my valve amp sounds quite poor, is this the folly of putting a 60 quid phono stage with 1100 quid of amp, OR is there an ââ'¬Å"distortionââ'¬Â caused by the input impendence of my valve amp as seen by the phono stage I dunno??, any ideas? think i read this happend to someone with a Audio Note 1.1 Dac in to an Solid State amp (Impeadence mismatch)

Ta again

Johny555
 
I have a ClearAudio Signature MC cartridge on my SME 309/Orbe SE. I had the £1800 BAT VK-P5 phono stage which produces a huge/lush sound in comparison to the EAR 834P it replaced (before the 834P I had a Graham Slee which was acceptable, if a little unrefined).
I have recently replaced the BAT as I found it a little noisy on certain tracks when played a lower volumes late at night. I now have a CODA P6 ... its great!
 
Hello Johnny555,
I have the Glasshouse amp too, and love it. The input valves are EF86, was your "EF36" a typing mistake? It has an easy to drive input, so I doubt very much that it's an impedence mismatch. Does the amp sound fine with another source?
One thing you could try... plug your phono stage into a line level input in your cyrus amp and see if that still sounds poor.
Maybe what you were hearing was that the inbuilt phonostage of the cyrus is better than the cambridge in your setup.
 
thanks for the advice

Hi Dik and SQ,

Yes it was a typo with the valve (glad my 300"P" don't suffer from that:D

I will leave the 640 on for a few days, I nearly tried battery powering it before I realised the supplied PSU only supply AC, its rectified and regulated inside the box!:eek:--fool!!!

I will also set up my Thornes turntable once more, as you never know, do you think a cartridge like a Sure m15 would work well? (I only have a crappy old ofatron in just now--still sounds good with the Cyrus though.

cheers

Johnny555:MILD:

ps the glass house is fabbo---must save for posher caps and resistors- it dont flatter every old prog rock recording but shines with some !!
 
ultimate phono stage

hi all,
Any of you heard the Lfd battery powered phono stage was launched about ten years ago ,also fm acoustics of switzerland had an excellent phono stage with variable gain stages and equalization settings. both these are well worth an audition if you can obtain them.
Keep on rocking
john
 
SCIDB said:
Hi,

I use a Audio Innovations P2 phono stage which I like a lot. Good musical flow and sense of detail and resolution. I have used other stages due to running to turntables.
Click to expand...

Cool. I have a P2 too, which I also like a lot & never thought it needs chucking out in favour of some other beast although it does hum a little (due to fitting the MC valves in the unit) & make a low frequency burble through 1 speaker tho' at times.

I fitted some different valves in mine to great aplomb.

Have you come across anything you think is a marked improvement on this?
 
Hi InZain,

My P2 has been modded by Border Patrol some time ago. Mine is uite quiet. I have enjoyed using it. I had a Whest phono stage recently and that was good but didn't want to make me get rid of the P2.

I'm looking for a phono stage that can give me a marked improvement.

SCIDB
 
I have heard the Ayre, I would make sure you listen to it against several other phono's of a similar price, before I bought one, a friend much preferred the Aesthetix even though that stage is extremely noisy.
 
Baudrillard said:
Without a shadow of doubt, the Azur 640p. Makes anything under £20k seem broken.
Click to expand...
I beg to differ. I have recently had the opportunity to evaluate some of the very best phonostage out there. The Vitus MP201 the Ypsilon VPS100 the D'Agostino Momentum and the brand new just released Tom Evans Mastergroove SR. In my set up The Tom Evans and the Vitus came out tops
 
SCIDB said:
Hi,

I have liked the Tom Evans groove phono stages whenever I had a good listen to. Good detail and resolution with musical flow.

I had a Audionote pre amp many moons ago. It had a nice phono stage in it. The more expensive ones in the range look interesting.

I have used a few croft pre amps in my time (micro and vitale). Both had very good phono stages.

SCIDB
Click to expand...
I just auditioned the Tom Evans Mastergroove SR -ITS SUPERB!
 

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