What´s your phono preamp?

Not surprised. It's a very, very good phono stage (note the omission of "for its price").

 

Is it a tube preamp?

 

I use a Viva Fono. It is a tube unit, with a separate power supply that is also tube rectified (twin 300B's used as rectifiers).

 

ARC PH5 is a tube phono stage and AVID Pulsus is solid- state.

 

Manley Chinook SE

 

Aqvox Phono 2 CI

Fully balanced (inputs and outputs) Current Mode Phono Stage with infinitely variable gain on both channels between 55-75 dB for low output MC's. Switchable subsonic filter (on front panel), ground lift switch (on rear panel). RCA inputs for voltage gain and lots of capability for gain/capacitance for MM cartridges (have never used them).

Unusual design, but compared favourably by numerous reviewers with many much more expensive phono stages including Nagra, Boulder and Manley Steelhead. I was fortunate enough to pick mine up about 10 years ago before the product had any North American distribution (it is now sold only direct by Aqvox) for about $900 Cnd. after auditioning it in my own system. Current price (adjusted to Euros) is about $3,000 Cnd.

Have never felt the need to upgrade.

 

Anybody have the Pass Aleph Ono by any chance?

 

2 on duty here: Audio Research LP1, hybrid FET/tube, MM only (top) and Ayre P-5xe, solid state, MM/MC, fully balanced (bottom)

 

I use a Simaudio LP5.3RS which is the predecessor to the 310LP. I’m very happy with it!

 

Allnic H-1201



40, 62, 66, 68 and 72dB gain settings.

 

mc....I currently use 70 db with a Denon DL-S1 Cart. Output voltage: 0.15mV

 

Tavish Design classic

 

Little Bear T7 with old tested USA made GE tubes. Here's a picture with the Chinese tubes that it came with.



The tubes are a buffer stage - the phono preamp is solid state.

 

+1

 

Are you using the XLR inputs in balanced mode?

 

Pass Labs XP-15. Using XLR to preamp and RCA to digital recorder. Gain options are 46 db MM or 56/66/76 db MC.

 

My Lounge went dark probably due to a due to lightning strike (common down here). Well, the fine folks at Lounge would have none of that. They immediately fixed it up and added a little BAM courtesy of some fine teflon capacitors along with a few other shiny bits. It's back and better than it was before, as if that was possible. They are tremendous folks.

 

I like your phono preamp Subvet.

 

Tavish Design Adagio. The top three tube positions are for 5751 tubes, in which I have substituted three 70s Tesla 'frame grid' E83CC tubes. The two below them on either side are for EF86 types, and I have substituted two 60s Tesla EF806s tubes there. The bottom position is for one 12au7 tube, and I have a 70s Pinnacle 13D5A tube substituted there. Sounds pretty good. Oh all right, it sounds wonderful!

 

About the only one that has tempted me right there. That and the adagio.

 

Yes I am.

 

Damn, some nice units there I am a bit more pedestrian with a modded Jolida JD9 and a Nova 2. They really came alive when I got them away from the amp and power distribution.

Next year I will go the upgrade route

 

Audio Research Ref 2. I know that there is now a Ref 3 and a two-chassis Ref 10, but I'm in no hurry to upgrade. The Ref 2 sounds great. I replaced the tubes about 4 months ago.

 

Jolida JD9 II Tube phono stage. MM and MC . Fully adjustable gain and resistance. Gain settings of 60db, 75db, 85db. I really like it. Superb value for money spent.