Audio Note X Decware Phono Stage

I'm looking to buy a MM phono stage (only MM) for use with my Reimyo CAT777 preamp.
After searching the internet, I became interested in these models!

Audio Note Kits, L4 Phono Stage ($ 2,200)
Decware ZP3 with Jupiter capacitors ($ 2,000)
Aric Transcend MM Phono Stage ($ 1,000)

The problem is that I can not listen before buying, so I would like to hear opinions on these phono stage or other models with price up to $ 2,200.00!

Basically will play Jazz and classical music!
Thanks for the opinions!

 

if i were you ....

audio note R Zero ~ $1674 or
audio note M1 RIAA for ~ $2,273.

 

I've had the Decware ZP3, before he offered Jupiter caps and I have had Jupiter caps in a number of other Decware components (each component I now have in two systems).

The ZP3 is an excellent phono preamplifier. It can be finicky about placement--work to get cable routing correct and you won't have appreciable hum. It can be tailored very extensively with tube rolling--the component is so influenced by tube choices that you can pretty much make it the way you want it to be within large margins. It's uncolored, accurate, dynamic and revealing in its stock form.

You'll find a lot of impressions to read on the Decware forums.

 

Before you commit to buying an ANK kit, do some reading in this forum about other people’s experiences. There are some pretty upset folks.

 

There was a Manley on the classifieds here at a good price. Not sure if it’s still around

I haven’t heard any of these units but it’s in the price range

 

Thanks for the alert, I read some very unpleasant things, but I would not buy a kit, I would buy a unit assembled by the manufacturer!

 

I live very close to two FM radio antennas, if you do not have a good RF signal rejection project, the radio will ring in the room!

 

I'm not sure you'd have a problem, I only mention this because routing the unit too close to a few electrical cords caused a hum, relocating the unit made it hum free.

The ZP3 is an excellent phono preamplifier for MM cartridges; a step up unit is available for MC. I used it very successfully with my Rega RP3 turntable with Exact2, TTPSU, white belt, and all Groovetracer mods.

 

I understood your position, thank you for clarifying! My idea is to use the phono stage with a step-up Fidelity Research FR-T4. I really like this step-up!

 

Should work well. (I have no experience myself with MC and step-up transformers).

 

Updating this subject!
After much thought, I ended up buying a Leben RS-30EQ, wonderful recording stage, very rich tone, zero fatigue in the ear, but with a little more background noise and easy FM radio, I ended up selling and buying an Audio Research PH7 , very good signal noise rate, also has a very nice tone to hear, but pulls mid frequencies, unfortunately Tannoy also favors mid frequencies, this turns out not to be very good!
Today I have an esoteric E-03, which surprises me a lot, I believe that with this last change, this topic will take a long time without changes on my part!

6moons audio reviews: Esoteric C03 Phono Stage

 

I also have the Decware ZP3 phono preamp. I am crazy about its sound. I use it with a Vinyl Nirvana Thorens TD-160 Super turntable with the Ortofon Bronze and Black carts. I found that I did have to run a second ground wire to get rid of the hum.

I don't attribute the hum to anything related to the ZP3, but to the Rega/Moth 202 tonearm, which had been rewired with a Cardas cable harness that has a ground wire.



Later, I acquired an upgraded Rega RP6 with an Exact cart. Here is a photo of when I tried out the ZP3 with it. It sounded excellent, but I could not get rid of the hum associated with the RP6 and Rega 203 tone arm.

I want to emphasize that this is not an issue that I attribute to the ZP3 but to the grounding that Rega uses on its turntables/arms.

Once I ran the 2nd ground wire on the Thorens, then the ZP3 was completely silent.

I never did manage to get rid of the hum with the RP6. I put the ZP3 back on the Thorens and bought a used Musical Fidelity X-LPS phono pre and the hum want away.



I can't comment on the other phono preamps, because I am unfamiliar with them. But I do find the ZP3 to be excellent.

I have three audio systems in my listening room. Two are SS and one is an all tube system.

The tube system uses the ZP3 going to a tube preamplifier.



Which goes to a single ended power amplifier.



And, on to the Altec Lansing A7 theater speakers.



I would never want to part with my Decware ZP3!

Lonson, see my comments above. Again, I attribute my hum issues strictly to the Rega and not to the ZP3.

WIle I did have the combination hooked up to the RP6 the ZP3 did sound excellent, but the hum drove me nuts.

 

I did have a little hum with my ZP3 and modded RP3 I guess, but a lot went away with cable placement and whatever was left didn't bother me much at all, inaudible from the listening seat.

I sold mine after taking vinyl out of my system for a year. .. someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse n a way. I bought a PS Audio NuWave phono preamplifier to replace it, and the balanced output works very well with my balanced preamplifier from Decware, and I really do like the sound. Not a ZP3, a different sound, but with my ZTPRE, ZBIT and ZROCK2 into my SE84UFO3 Monoblocks with the 25th Anniversary mods I get great sound for my vinyl playback, which is less than ten percent of my listening time, probably nearer five percent.

I'm glad you have been keeping and enjoying yours! I may have another one day, with current mods, if a ship comes in and I find I can spend more time spinning LPs.

 

Yes it's unlikely that anyone has actually sat in the same room at the same time and auditioned all three phono stages level matched and (preferably blind) and compared them.

So it comes down to trusting in their reputations as companies and all of them are solid. Since the rest of my system is Audio Note and they design everything to work together - it makes more sense for someone like myself to heavily prioritize Audio Note because I know that they would use the same sonic signature in the power amp preamp and phono stage. And I know it's designed by a major Record aficionado who has one of the largest record collections in the world.

I grew up with digital - So I put some "faith" into some of these things related to vinyl as I didn't grow up playing with it as much as some older audiophiles who grew up with vinyl.

I never like spending the bigger money buying blind and I would not on a kit simply because it's tough to get rid of a kit if you find you don't love it. Although Kit builders and DIYers tend to succumb to builder bias which is that they were so pleased they got the thing to work they become less objective on the sound.

Resale value matters more when buying blind so it's safer to buy a brand you can sell - especially vinyl related like a Rega or Pro-Ject etc.

Lastly there is looks bias to consider - I mean AN sells boring ass boxes. M1 Phono Stage



Decware



Aric


The Audio Note is going to have to be seriously better to overcome the plain black box factor.

 

I wrote for Decware, but unfortunately they never responded to my email, I refuse to buy from anyone who doesn't respond to their customer!
I've bought a lot of things without hearing before, some got lucky and loved, others I hated, so I ended up concentrating on things available for sale in the Brazilian market, but I would like to have heard the Decware and Audio Note!

This Auric also seems to be very interesting!

SandAndGlass thanks for posting the photos of your music room!
Altec A7 is all good, congratulations!

 

I just wanted you to see that the ZP3 was being used with other fine gear downstream.

I have evaluated it with good equipment.

The Altec A7's are highly modified and have custom passive crossovers and are now a 4-way, very revealing speakers.

On the Thorens, I have both the Bronze and the BLack stylus. The Black stylus with the ZP3 is uncanny in its organic nature and superb bass.

 

In my experience, that was an exception and not the rule. Steve personally always gets back to me and is glad to answer my endless questions about caps and upgrades...

 

Yes, I too have had some unanswered emails from Decware. There really is a small family staff and they are swamped with spam and sometimes messages are lost in the fog. I find it best to use the contact method on their web pages or to email [email protected]

 

I'm sorry I didn't get a response from Decware, I would love to have talked to them!

As I said earlier, I live very close to a big radio antenna!
I bought a Leben RS30-EQ, wonderful tone, good output level, but I couldn't isolate the radio interference! I sold Leben and bought an Audio Research PH7, excellent phono stage, but it also receives the signal from the radio station!
At the end of the search, I bought an Esoteric Phono Stage E-03, it offers a lot of adjustments, very neutral, excellent phono stage, and best of all, it doesn't have any background noise or receive the radio signal, I believe with this purchase , my search for the phono stage is over!