Allnic 1201 and Herron VTPH-2


I am seeking information on the characteristics of the Allnic 1201 and the Herron VTPH-2 phonostages . This is not a 'which one is better' type of question . I believe that both of these PS's are fine products in their own right .

What I would like to know , from those that have experience with both , is what are the differing characteristics of each unit .

I want use this information to make a decision as to which one to purchase for my VPI Prime and Ortofon 2m Black .

Thank You

saki70
I can’t weigh in on the sonics merits of these two pieces (though I do own a piece of Allnic gear) but have a different observation and a suggestion: the audio press, such that it is, rarely does "shoot-outs" of comparable gear for many reasons. And, as demonstrated by this thread, it isn’t that common for a single user to have had side by side experience with two or more units for comparison purposes. (One commercial magazine review does stick in my mind as a benchmark- it was a shoot-out of high end line stages some years ago by HiFi+- with in-depth reviews, comparisons and second opinions on the merits. It rang true to me because I owned one of the units in question and the observations concerning that piece were ’spot on,’ as the Brits say).
So, my suggestion: Some years ago, a bunch of car enthusiasts wanted to have a serious comparison of aftermarket exhaust systems, something a mainstream car magazine was unlikely to do. By consensus on a forum, owners of various exhaust systems loaned them to a third party who performed the "tests." In a few instances, a manufacturer stepped up to loan their product for review. One piece- a RUF- was quite expensive and I made a deal-- I’d buy it and loan it for the test if I had the right to return it for a full refund if the test didn’t prove out in its favor. RUF agreed. The test was done --- about 1/2 dozen different products were compared by the third party with results published. This was like a "crowd sourced" reviewing process. Granted, much of audio reviewing is subjective by nature, so perhaps it wouldn’t work-- system dependence and all that, but the established audio "press" can’t do any better in that respect, and most of us suffer the same problem of "system constraints"- so why not have the community attempt to undertake this? I suppose the risk of damage through shipping or mishandling of a equipment is a factor, but this could go a long way toward answering some of these X v Y questions, which come up constantly in audio.

Almarg ;

Again  , thank you for your technical expertise . It is always needed .

jmcgrogan2 ;

'Pick the one that you like the looks of best, or the one that you get the best deal on.'

Yup .

Thanks everyone...very much appreciated !

Just a short note...I'm not very eloquent at reviews . 
After watching equipment sales sites since my last post , I finally happened onto an Allnic 1201 for a decent price and made the purchase . The Allnic and Herron units must be well loved because in all this time this is the only one that I saw come up for sale ! 

After letting it settle in , I am very pleased with my purchase . The leading edge of notes are well defined . The trailing edge , if appropriate , just fade off into oblivion . Or , again if appropriate , stop on a dime ! I have not heard so much micro detail , ever . It is easier to differentiate between different base notes and the instrument that they are coming from . I used to occasionally hear some air on a song or two , now it is quite plentiful , very nice indeed .  There is a whole lot of head bobbing and toe tapping goin' on here !
It's as if I am listening to my albums for the first time all over again ! The warts still exist on the toads but the peacocks are sublime !                                                                                                                        Thank you to everyone for your help .          








I'm debating between these exact two right now. I like in particular that the Allnic provides for gain variability, this really seems like a great feature. I don't really know whether I'd prefer 64db or 69db (with respect to the Herron)...maybe I'd want one when listening to Zeppelin and another for Sinatra...
On the other hand, the Allnic Signal to Noise ratio is 68db, and the Herron is a full 20db higher at 88db. I am new to the game, relatively, so I can't speak from personal experience, but this seems like a huge difference. Does anyone with the Allnic find it noisy? Really not quite sure which to choose. Maybe I'll take Keith up on the offer to test it out before buying. Something tells me I wouldn't send it back if I do, though right now I'm leaning towards the Allnic. This is to pair up with a Holborne at .4mv output, and one day to a London Decca Super Gold at 5mv output.
Right now working with a Rega MK3!