New Phonostage Options

Thanks. That is a good idea - especially if I find a SUT with some unique characteristics.
 
I'm torn on SS or tubes. Yes, tubes rule, but the phonostage in the Devialet has me thinking SS. Thanks for the ideas. I will check them out.
 
ModWright is about to release a new "Black" standalone phono stage in early 2014. A prototype was demonstrated at RMAF along with the new Elyse DAC that will also be released after the first of the year. I'd suggest keeping tabs on both of those items as they should be phenomenal!
 
JJinID said:
ModWright is about to release a new "Black" standalone phono stage in early 2014. A prototype was demonstrated at RMAF along with the new Elyse DAC that will also be released after the first of the year. I'd suggest keeping tabs on both of those items as they should be phenomenal!
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Will do. Very interesting to know.
 
Get a Goldfinger and forget about changing that
Wonderful PS you already have.
You are looking in the wrong direction.

You know I love ARC but believe me you have one
of the best PS on the market.

If you want more buy a better TT and a better Cart
 
Just reading thru this thread and knowing nothing about record players -- this makes the most sense to me!!!!!

Otherwise - get a Linn Klimax. :)



highEndguy said:
Get a Goldfinger and forget about changing that
Wonderful PS you already have.
You are looking in the wrong direction.

You know I love ARC but believe me you have one
of the best PS on the market.

If you want more buy a better TT and a better Cart
Click to expand...
 
Hagerman also has a new version of his Trumpet tubed phono stage, with a built in adjustable step up. Truly beautiful sound coming from that phono stage (I own an old model), but there is lots of competition at that price point to consider.

Generally SS will give you the gain you need for a LOMC, and a very clean sound. But to my ears tubes rule and is certainly worth a little tube rush and the need for a step up to get that wonderful magic out of your cartridge.
 
Bob - the Hagerman looks great, but I just remembered that I need balanced outputs. My preamp only has balanced inputs.
 
A/V Solutions said:
If your looking to change things up, perhaps look at a different cartridge!! :)
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Agree, Lyra Atlas will blow you away.

Nothing wrong with the ARC REF2SE and Atlas does sound bext with tubes.

However for more rich feel - Allnic ( if you like suts). Pass XP-25 is very good and sounds great with my Dag amp.

All these are just slightly different flavours thou.

the Atlas is a true upgrade for transparency and purity. Lyra Etna if you want same quality but slightly different tone.

cheers
 
Mike said:
The XP-25 is high on my list.
Click to expand...

I am not sure you will get any more warmth from the XP-25. You will get a better bass foundation thou.

How many hours has the REF2SE have? It needs at least 600 to bloom, especially in the bass.
 
XV-1 said:
I am not sure you will get any more warmth from the XP-25. You will get a better bass foundation thou.

How many hours has the REF2SE have? It needs at least 600 to bloom, especially in the bass.
Click to expand...

Only a couple hundred. Good point. I keep forgetting it doesn't have all the hours it needs.
 
Mike...I agree with Jeff's and others' suggestion of adding to your cart collection as opposed to switching out the phono stage. The way I think about the analog playback chain is to go for the most neutral as possible table and phono stage and do the voicing via the cartridge. The table to me ought to deliver pitch and speed stability and vibration isolation. The phono stage should deliver tonal neutrality and maximum resolution. This way you can have a blank canvas and use the cartridge options as your paint whether you want to go icy blue or warmish red or somewhere in between. Just a thought. The Lyras are known to be very resolving, very fast and transparent, and a bit on the thin side (i.e., more yin than yang). I think you can add another arm (since the Classic 3 can accommodate 2 arms) and get a Koetsu or a Sumiko or other cart that has a meatier presentation and this way you can have that sonic flavor for when the feeling hits. Plus the ARC Ref 2SE can accommodate up to 2 carts if I remember correctly, so you can have both flavors set up and switch them up with a push of the button.

ARC's sound will firm up once you get to the 600 hr mark but it's still going to be very resolving and neutral (as opposed to a warmish character like the Zesto) so you will hear everything up the chain from the phono stage. Furthermore, the added benefit of tubes is no SS etch/grain (liquidy midrange) and dimensionality of tubes.

Just something to consider.
 
Mike said:
Only a couple hundred. Good point. I keep forgetting it doesn't have all the hours it needs.
Click to expand...

Mike

Just buy one of these Granite audio RIAA burn in devices. plus into your CD player and play 24/7 when not playing music on mute.
In a couple of weeks you will be around 600 hours.

If you don't have that meat on the body by then, time to move on.

Model CD-101.1 Phono Burn-In & RIAA Test CD, for testing and burning in phono preamps, testing the RIAA equaliaztion circuits of phono preamps.
 
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