Whest PS.30R

This is the new Whest top of the range phono stage. Selling at about £1,600 it's not exactlly cheap.

Have any of you guys in the business had a chance to check it out yet and see how it compares to it's rivals and/or its predecessor.

Any info appreciated.

 

Well i have been using one for a couple of months and i can say it kills anything upto 5k i have tried many stages recently.

It has had a couple of very good reviews in the german press

 

Which ones have you tried? I haven't heard the 30 yet.

 

Yes, I heard one at a fellow wigwam members house. Compared to the Origin live, Clearaudio (the expensive one), Noteworthy audio and the older PS.20, and at a later time Trichord Diablo with NCPSU the PS.30 is light years ahead. I'm really slowing saving up for one to replace my whestTWO. The German reviews are excellent.

 

no doubt he will have B graded available on epay before we know where we are..

 

Meeeoooow, I am going to try and stay in your good books SQ!
I haven't really been convinced by solid state phono's yet, always interesting to hear something good though, James ( Whest ) is a very nice guy, I believe there is a 'reference' phono on the way too.

 

It seems that b-grade was only a PS.20 and whestTWO MK1 thing. I've tried asking re: PS.30 and it's not going to happen. The PS.20 was because it was being disconntinued and whestTWO was because the casework had changed. He got me to compare a few stages (straight guy)... I settled on the whestTWO on sound quality and size/style. I have a new one (2008) with the aluminium lid and re-wire and not B-graded Stainless steel 2007 lid type.

 

ah well you can always live i hope.

 

The Whest ps30r is a really good phono stage I heard it compaired to a number of phono stages at the same price range including the Orgin Live and Noteworthy audio products it was eaisly the cleanest and most netrual. To my ears it had the cleanest (non cloured sound) and just allowed you to get on with enjoying the music

 

Funny old world.

 

Ps30r

I have just traded in my two PS20s for a pair of PS30Rs (James Henriot had special black fascias made for me to match the rest of the system - but don't tell him I said so!) because he was doing a one-off deal on them. All I can say is that they utterly destroy the competition - I have listened to quite a few - he recently came over to my studio (nice guy, takes the time out for his customers) to replace a faulty LED and told me that the guy from Brinkmann (mega turntables) has preferred the PS30R phonostage to his own to use at shows! Apparently it is fast becoming something of a reference for high end analogue deck people around the world. I have a Koetsu Onyx and a Dynavector 17D3 and they have never sounded better! Chris.

 

Really! Peculiarly Brinkman weren't using a Whest phono stage at Munich.

 

I also have 2 of them in 2 different systems... all I can say is WOW! It makes the PS.20 sound like a slouch... and the PS.20 is no slouch!

James emailed me the upcoming Tone magazine review and it says the same as the German ones - which are amazing.
I can see why Whest does well in Germany.
Coops - of course Brinkmann is going to use his own stage at the show...he may/does recommend the PS.30R though.

BUT Dr Christian Feickert is using 3 x PS.30Rs at the Hanover show this month to use with his 3 armed turntable. Now as we all know Germany is the land of 2 channel analogue and if a German turntable manufacturer is going to use 3 UK built phono stages that must say something about that stage. Germany has loads of phono stages. I spend about 3-4 months a year working there and have heard and seen plenty.

The Allnic is good BUT is too limited in terms of what you can use with it and for the money I think it's just not worth it. I had one in my system a few months ago before I purchased my second PS.30R and must say (sorry Coops) the 30R is better in audio terms and far better ( in a different league) in the ability to use different cartridges...

Why Whest don't market themselves in the UK more is beyond me. They export just about everything and sell very few units on their own turf. But I suppose like all businesses, you need to go where the main action is.

 

Rob Hi, I found the Whest harsh and metallic when I had one here, although it was a little better than the 20 which I thought poor , I am afraid your opinion has rather been devalued for me since you told those porkies about TW and his phono.

 

top bloke James, been nothing but impressed throughout my dealings with him. More than can be said for other company owners - well done on some great products, and a nice service.
My little Whest two punched well above its weight in my system, must have just been a good synergy with a Dynavector D17 mk3 cart. It took a Trichord Delphini with posh interconnect and never connected PSU to topple it. Which was a lot more wad.

 

So says a hifi dealer who doesn't sell Whest products, but who does sell competing ones. In that context, what are we to make of this statement?

Blimey. "Opinion devalued", eh? Shocking.

 

That's the problem here Coops. You are a dealer and the majority here are not and only tell it how it is, whereas dealers don't because they have a vested interest in certain products.

 

Rob , you lied regarding TW's phono, what is your agenda?

 

Keith, unless you can substantiate it, please refrain from calling Rob a liar.

Edit: in the interest of forum harmony, let's just drop the topic. I'll prune/delete this thread later.