Stand out phono stages

Counterpoint SA-9, upgraded by its designer, beat out the Steelhead with ease. Hard to find used because most wise music lovers hang on to it. My current phono corrector.

Gerrym5 ,

how would you compare your choices, especially the Io and the Wavestream? I've heard both but not side by side.

I can second Swampwalker's opinion that ZYX Artisan is very good. I have not compared it in the same system with all the great ones noted above, but I have heard some of them in systems I greatly respect and enjoy, and have no desire to 'upgrade' to one of those other megabuck phono stages. I think the Artisan swings above its weight (both figuratively and literally - the thing weighs almost nothing). I have also used it in mono and compared it against the Zanden mono stage reasonably extensively (got an offer I could not refuse on the Zanden). The ZYX is smooth and silky and does not sound 'solid-state-y' to my ears, but the Zanden does have a bit more lushness (euphonia).

Among those above which I have heard, if they were all the same price, the one I would choose would be the Connoisseur. I have heard one twice, and each time was wonderful. I also like the line stage.

Pedrillo,

I believe the very best phono stages are indeed very expensive but then again, they do possess state of the art components and design technology. FM Acoustic does a very good phonostage called the FM 222. However, the best I have ever heard (and which I own now) is the bespoke Essential 3160. It is not cheap, but you get a MC, MM and a line stage in the same unit. Apart from the flexibility that this allows, it is simply miles ahead of alternatives in design logic and execution.

A lot will depend on your own audial priorities, however, if you want live events brought into your listening space: the Essential 3160 is simply the best. It will change your expectations of hifi. Very, very, highly recommended.

The Essential is an exceptional phono/line stage. One of the best we've heard. But to say it's "simply the best" is an overstatement, since it could not match our Nick Doshi Alaap.

If the Essential 3150 we demoed had outplayed our Alaap Mk I we'd have bought one. But it didn't, so we didn't. ;-)

The Essential is now the 3160, apparently improved in areas where it fell short of the Alaap. The Alaap is now the Mk II, improved in areas where it couldn't quite match the Essential.

That these preamps easily outplay competitors costing several times as much is indeed expectation-busting. That the designers continue to find ways to improve them is even more amazing. Like yours, our preamp search is over, probably forever.