Cambridge Audio's phono preamps are discontinued

Just got notice from Needle Doctor that Cambridge Audio is coming out with new phono preamps and so they're discontinuing the 551p and 651p. Will be interesting to see what the next generation of these will be

 

Hopefully something more exciting than a 552p and a 652p.

 

A stage with variable loading would be nice. Love my 540P!

 

CP1 & CP2
https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/hifi/phono-stages/cp2

 

First time I've seen a balance control on a phone stage. I would would much rather it be something more useful like adjustable loading.

 

Yes that's odd. I had my 640p modded by Hypnotoad over at Audio karma with new caps and an input impedance of 100k so I can load down from there with loading plugs. A high quality loading pot would be nice. Balance makes almost zero sense. I'll stick with what I've got.

 

Balance control? The most useless thing ever on a phono stage. I don't get it!

 

It's for people who don't know how to align their cartridge correctly and have channel imbalance issues .

 

Well could save paying the premium on a certified balance cartridge?

 

Much more useful to have an output level control like this one:

 

That mono switch would be of even more use to me.

 

I'm a huge Cambridge fan but their phono units don't do it for me.

There are SO MANY BARGAINS in phono preamps on Audiogon. I just bought a factory sealed Audio Research phono preamp for half price.

 

I bought a 640 or 650 and my As500 built in phono amp was better, I sent it back was not impressed at all...

 

It stood out a decade ago when most everything in that price range was noisy and MC support was unheard of, and now days it's fairly common.

 

That was my initial thought, too, but then I considered that the channel balance of many cartridges is given as +/- X dB, so maybe there are cases where it might be useful, especially if you don't have a balance control anywhere else in the chain. That's the only reason it's there that I can think of.
-Bob

 

Very interesting to see the negative opinions on the CA phono stages, as I thought they had been recommended as some of the better value-priced phono stages out there. Full disclosure -- I own a 640p (although it's no longer my primary).

But I agree, a balance control on a phono stage is confusing...

 

I still like and use my modded 640P as my primary. I see no need to change unless a significant upgrade comes along. I like the looks of that Graham Slee posted above though.

 

damn! they only make these for British or American people

 

Agreed. The features I hoped for were: adjustable loading & a mono switch.