Best Phono Stage?

just checking in here.....been about 3 years and still loving my LCR pre....I've since swapped out a thorens125 and a rega 5 and using a lencol70PTP and garrard401. Arms are rega303 with shurv15IIImr and sem3009with stanton881s. Love it. Don't imagine ever looking into another pre unless I want to go MC and then I 'd just add the copola

 

Heed Audio Quasar here with the PX (not standard) power supply. It brings the Quasar to a new level. No placebo...

 

Who has experience with the iFi iPhono2 ?

 

I highly can recommend the Trigon Vanguard II phonostage, I think this gem is a bit overseen when one gets blinded by more wellknown brands like Rega or Pro-Ject. The Vanguard II can also be upgrade by adding the Trigon Vulcano III battery power supply which makes the Vanguard II a real killer phonostage.

 

Would the Rogue Ares be a nice mate to my RP6 with Exact 2 cart?

 

Manley Steelhead beats anything under $10,000.

 

I'll second the Trigon Vanguard II phono stage. Brilliant phono stage with lots of possibilities to adjust it accordingly to your cartridge.

 

I have an Ares and although I can't answer your question, it is extremely adjustable. I love its sound. So smooth.

 

To my ears it beats anything at any cost,in the right circumstance.

 

+1

 

Would love to hear the Steelhead. Quality and all that flexibility. But I have to say, I'm of an age where the term, beats anything under $10,000, usually meant other cars not other phono stages!

 

I got my iFi iPhono2 today. I have a modest setup - just a vintage Technics SL 3200 with a Nagaoka 110 cartridge, an Onkyo servo integrated amp....which still sounded quite decent for the classical music I usually play ( all my LPs are in top shape and cleaned on his VPI thingy by my husband).

I must say I am very, very impressed with this little device. It sounds so nice from the start, and it hasn't even been 'broken in'. Our HiFi sales person said it takes maybe 20-30 hours for that.
I played Columbia Masterworks , Deutsche Grammophon, Angel and Philips through it. I think for the price ( 599 CAD) it is quite versatile and offers those special settings that are great to have. Very happy and excited!!

 

thinking about the lounge or that black cube to pair with a sound smith carmen... any thoughts or input is greatly appreciated...

 

so I am in the market for a new phononstage...

Trying to decide between the lounge many in this thread are enjoying or the Lehman audio black cube...

Cartridge is a soundsmith Carmen

Any thoughts and/or input is greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

 

The Lounge sells for 400pounds in the UK. Shame as that makes it a lot more expensive. It can be shipped from the US for 80dollars but there will be import tax on top of the cost of the am,

 

The Lounge sounds good with the Carmen. I own the combo. It has enough gain, but I wouldn't pair the Carmen with any preamp that has less gain than the Lounge.

I don't have any experience with the Black Cube, but for its price, I would strongly consider the IFi iphono2. If $300ish is your max, the Lounge is tough to beat.

 

Yep....if you are looking for a tubed stage, the Ares will work great with the RP6/Exact.

 

Thanks! I'm still trying to decide between the Rogue, Graham Slee Reflex M, or maybe just the Lounge everyone is so keen on. I realize that's a huge swing between the three...

 

DL-110 into a Hagerman Bugle with a custom power supply. Very transparent, black background. Well designed, "giant killer" I would rate it.

 

Here are the problems we encounter when selling to Europe:

The power adaptor is more than twice the price than our US adaptor. We are a small operation and we cannot sink a lot of money to buy in large quantities. So, our thin profit margin gets a bite taken out.

The fees to process payments from outside the US is almost a third more of the cost of the domestic transactions. Another bite.

Shipping via USPS is the least expensive way but it is unreliable. USPS will deliver to the the country of destination but once it gets there, the destination country mail system has really no accountability.

We’ve had cases where people do not pick up the package and it gets returned to us. Most recently, we had a preamp shipped to France but nobody could explain why it was returned to us. We decided to send it back to France and we picked up 100% of the second shipping cost. The buyer was really happy in the end and we were glad it all worked out. Basically though we took a bath on this one.

We started this company with the goal of delivering what we thought was a product with really good value. It is our opinion at Lounge Audio, and to a lot of people that email us, that we are achieving our goal. The only way to continue to deliver low prices is via direct sales through our website. However, international sales challenges our ability to make enough money to justify the transaction and yet we do it here and there because above all, we believe that vinyl enthusiast have no borders. We just need to make sure that our somewhat idealistic stand does not hinder our ability to come up with enough profit to keep our lights on.

 

We're lucky to have people like you creating and offering new products. I've not heard your gear, but you always come off with a sense of professionalism and passion for this hobby. Good luck to you @morinix

 

Congratulations!

 

I've not heard the Rogue. I have the Reflex and the Lounge, and I'm listening to the Lounge right now.

 

Really good sound too.

 

Thanks for the input! So, you prefer the Lounge to the Slee?