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How much difference will a phono stage upgrade make?

For the past couple of years I’ve slowly been upgrading my audio equipment. I currently have a Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP integrated amplifier, an EAT C-Sharp TT with an Ortofon Quintet Black MC cartridge, and Tannoy Revolution XT 8F speakers. The weak link at this point, it would seem, is my phono stage, which is a Pro-Ject Tube Box DS. All things considered, my system sounds really good to my ears, but I can’t help but wonder what a phono stage upgrade would bring to the table. I’m looking at the Manley Chinook Special Edition MK II, which is a big step up in terms of cost, but I wonder how much better it will actually sound. Has anybody made a similar upgrade, and was there a marked uptick in sound quality?
12hz
schubert
4,867 posts
 
A Project DS-2 with Telefunken smooth plate tubes or some other reallygood 12AX7's is a killer .
stevecham
3,298 posts
 
I owned a Chinook (now a Steelhead) and it was a very good upgrade. I also had an Aesthetix Rhea which I liked except for the low level tube rush. The Chinook is dead quiet if that's important to you and I would say is about 85% of the Steelhead sonically. Haven’t heard the Herron, though I read it gets very good marks from every owner that has one. I don’t think you’d be disappointed with any of these.
schubert
4,867 posts
 
Rega Aria is also Excellent .
robelvick's avatar
robelvick
466 posts
 
I started off with the Pro-Ject Tube box as well.  It was pretty decent, especially considering its cost.  Moved on to the iFi iPhono 2, and then a Parasound JC3 JR.

Each was a step up in SQ, but just a little bit each time.

Then I found the Gold Note PH-10.  I bought one last year and it was a game changer.  Stupidly, I sold it, thinking I could do better staying around the same price range. Boy how wrong I was.. A few other phono preamps in between, and lots of money not-so-well-spent..

.....I finally bought another PH-10 , but this time with the PSU, and it's even better than I remembered.  Very flexible, and can accommodate just about any cartridge imaginable. 

Unless your set on a tube phono pre, I would take a hard look!

YMMV
Rob
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
702 posts
 

+ for the Chinook

Also the Gold Note ph10, Allnic audio if you can find a nice used one ( first choice). Another contender you don't hear about much and surprised me was the Audio Note UK phono stages (particularly the stage 2 Audio Note Kit phono stage).

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