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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
gregdude
25 posts
 
Before you buy another preamp would you consider rolling tubes? That's another avenue to explore. 
big_greg
315 posts
 
I had a project tube box, I think it was the tube box S. It was okay, but there was a noticeable improvement when I replaced that with a jolida jd9. The musical surroundings Nova phonomena was also an improvement over the tube box. My most dramatic improvement was upgrading from the jd9 to a Manley Chinook. After reading this thread tonight I swapped out the Chinook for my parks puffin just for kicks. The parks puffin compares very nicely to the Chinook and the puffin is only $400.
bpoletti
1,004 posts
 
Save your money and get a Herron Audio VTPH-2a.  No need to upgrade when you have the best.  The Herron is the last stop on the upgrade path.
inna
5,245 posts
 
Anyone compared directly Allnic 1201 or 1202 with the Manley and Sutherland phonos ? Yeah, comparing tube stages with solid state may create additional difficulties, can be just very different.
I am asking because I have Acoustech designed by Sutherland and thinking ahead. Almost certainly will go after tube phono, almost..
dontbuymp3s's avatar
dontbuymp3s
6 posts
 
If you like the sound of the Pro-ject can I suggest the Pro-ject Phono Box RS with the battery PSU. I use it with a Quintet Black S giving excellent results. Don't hear it with the standard PSU you will be disappointed.
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