Coincident Linestage vs CJ CT5 or Allnic L-3000


I currently own a Conrad Johnson CT5 but would like to upgrade and move to a preamp with XLR in/out. I have tested the Allnic L-3000 which I find very intersting, and I am also interested in the Coincident Statement linestage. Has anybody compared the Coincident to the CT5 or the Allnic?
obrennan1963
Coincident is still considered a small boutique manufacture; therefore, I give them some slack. I like the fact that Coincident focuses on quality engineering and quality parts to a lesser degree than cosmetics, but with today’s manufacturing techniques, quality controls etc. there should be no excuse for minor imperfections at a $5,500 price point. You don’t see those minor imperfections in their speakers.

You know that I'm a Coincident fan and these comments may sounds like nit picking, but I know that Coincident can do better and I am pulling for them.
Hi Brf,
Have you had the chance to actually inspect "current" electronics? It's very good quality and as good or better many competitors. The stainless steel is very good quality, it is' nt Zanden level of execution but still good. Examine for yourself the latest versions and see what you think.
Regards,
my guess is :
$0.02 tells me when a transformer is used to split signal that enters from RCA connector into positive & negative phase for further "procresing" then the amp is fully balance. however, if a balance connector is added for convenience and subsequently, signal enter through this balance connection then get converted by transformer into SE circuit,i would guess it would not be full balance circuit, right?
Charles or anyone....how is the Coincident phono pre - love my dehavilland ultraverve linestage, it is also excellent and minimalist built as well. Can't get her to build a phono pre though!

Curious how the coincident would sound with the dehavilland....
02-13-13: Philipwu
my guess is ... when a transformer is used to split signal that enters from RCA connector into positive & negative phase for further "procresing" then the amp is fully balance.
I don't think we can say, based on the description at the Coincident site, whether or not the RCA inputs are converted into a balanced pair of signals. In fact, their statement that I quoted in my previous post could be taken to mean that the circuits are configured very differently depending on whether the rear panel switches are set to balanced or unbalanced.
... if a balance connector is added for convenience and subsequently, signal enter through this balance connection then get converted by transformer into SE circuit,i would guess it would not be full balance circuit, right?
Yes, but again there is no specific indication that that is how the circuit is designed.

The only meaningful clues, as I see it, are that the design is transformer coupled at both its inputs and its outputs, and that the only active device in between is a single-section triode. Which per my previous post probably means, at least arguably, that it is not "fully balanced" in the usual sense of that term. Although if the topology is such that a balanced signal pair is input to the tube via the grid and cathode circuits, as I described earlier, and the single-ended output from the plate is converted to balanced via the output transformer, the design could perhaps be considered as falling within a loose definition of "fully balanced."

Regards,
-- Al