Zesto Andros 1.2 Phono Stage

mep

mep

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My review of the Andros 1.2 phono stage can be found here: Positive Feedback
For those of you hoping for a negative review, you will be let down. I think this is a great sounding phono stage and put my money where my mouth is and I bought it. This phono stage is crazy great sounding.
 
Nice review, Mark! I am pleasantly surprised to hear the Zesto is so quiet, esp when compared to some of the SS phono's you've had (Krell KPE). I'm a SS guy myself, but Zesto keeps getting good reviews all around. I will keep an open mind as I thumb through Agon...
 
Mark.......I enjoyed reading your review of the Zesto Andros 1.2 phono stage preamp. I have heard similar high praise for it from owners. Like you, I've been in similar situations where reviewing a component or accessory has literally forced my checkbook to open itself and produce a payment. It's always great to advance your personal listening pleasure with a fresh component in your system that excels to your complete satisfaction.
 
socfan12 said:
Nice review, Mark! I am pleasantly surprised to hear the Zesto is so quiet, esp when compared to some of the SS phono's you've had (Krell KPE). I'm a SS guy myself, but Zesto keeps getting good reviews all around. I will keep an open mind as I thumb through Agon...
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Thanks Allen. I think the secret to both how quiet the Zesto is and how good it sounds is the marriage of SUTs and vacuum tubes. This obviously isn't the first time this has been done, but it's the finest implementation of the two technologies that I have heard. Zesto got it right and I wasn't going to let it leave my system.
 
Double-D said:
Mark.......I enjoyed reading your review of the Zesto Andros 1.2 phono stage preamp. I have heard similar high praise for it from owners. Like you, I've been in similar situations where reviewing a component or accessory has literally forced my checkbook to open itself and produce a payment. It's always great to advance your personal listening pleasure with a fresh component in your system that excels to your complete satisfaction.
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Thanks Dan. The sound of my LP playback has been elevated since I inserted the Andros 1.2 in my system.
 
Thanks Mark.... Only wish I could afford one..

All the best,

Tom


mep said:
My review of the Andros 1.2 phono stage can be found here: Positive Feedback
For those of you hoping for a negative review, you will be let down. I think this is a great sounding phono stage and put my money where my mouth is and I bought it. This phono stage is crazy great sounding.
Click to expand...
 
I also owned the original vers. of the zesto and enjoyed it. about the review, my only nit to pick was your omission of trying multiple carts (bypassing the SUT) comparing the XLR input vs RCA inputs, etc would interest potential buyers.

The Rogue Ares is similar to the Zesto and the dark horse at less than half the price. it uses 4 octal tubes for gain, a pair of cinemag SUTs and is built with premium parts. I had them both at the same time and IMHO the Ares was in the same ball park, sonically.
 
puroagave said:
I also owned the original vers. of the zesto and enjoyed it. about the review, my only nit to pick was your omission of trying multiple carts (bypassing the SUT) comparing the XLR input vs RCA inputs, etc would interest potential buyers.

The Rogue Ares is similar to the Zesto and the dark horse at less than half the price. it uses 4 octal tubes for gain, a pair of cinemag SUTs and is built with premium parts. I had them both at the same time and IMHO the Ares was in the same ball park, sonically.
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I appreciate your nits. As for using multiple cartridges in order to bypass the SUTs, that would require using a MM cartridge and I don't want to go down that path. Since the Zesto only has balanced inputs and not balanced outputs and the circuit is not truly balanced, I wouldn't expect to hear any differences between having a special phono cable for my SME 312S arm that is terminated in XLR connectors vice my stock SME cable except for the differences in the cable itself.
 
Mark . Did you have a chance to hear the Allnic phono stage ? If so I would like to hear your opinion vs Zesto.
 
Paul said:
Mark . Did you have a chance to hear the Allnic phono stage ? If so I would like to hear your opinion vs Zesto.
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Paul-Sorry to say I have never had a piece of Allnic gear in my system so I can't share any opinions with you on how it sounds compared to the Zesto.
 
Nice review. Have not heard the 1.2 but did like the original a lot. Also, it doesn't hurt that it is a very good looking piece.
 
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