AMR PH-77, ARC Reference 2, Allnic H-3000, Octave

The Octave Phono Module is a versatile product, with the added luxury of being able to upgrade later on because of the modular concept. I used the integrated version in the Octave HP500SE, in which the Octave Phono was based on, and was totally satisfied, for years. I put the Einstein and ASR head to head with the Octave and stayed with the Octave. It was not until I heard the Aesthetix IO Signature, that I was finally swayed to make a leap to another phono stage, which cost me more than the Octave Integrated.

I have also heard great things about the Allnic.

The AMR components are single ended designs internally. Although I have not compared the PH-77 using balanced vs. single ended outputs, in some systems the CD-77 can sound slightly better using the balanced outputs.

Single ended is the way RCAs works?
That means not balanced?
Is it worst?

I have no idea about how that work.

02-25-12 Agucela writes:

Output is either via single-ended RCA or "convenience" XLR (ie, the single-ended output is available on an XLR but there is not an actual balanced output).

Lamm provide the same on some of their equipment. On my ML2.1, there is an XLR input - Lamm call it "pseudo-balanced". If you prefer XLR plugs to RCA plugs, then you can use them.

Regards,

The AMR PH77 is dynamic like crazy. When you have a major reviewer with a broken XLR ground lead (and he has reviewed countless phono stages without knowing his review tonearm (a very expensive tonearm has a disconnected ground) ) and he didn't  hear it... That is very telling. Any phono stage which is single ended would have had a "buzz" hence (perhaps) his love of balanced stages since that would mitigate his faulty tonearm and love of balanced stages. After AMR checked their product and finally found the fault in his wiring it was remedied; by this time a new NON broken in PH77 was sent and not given enough time to run in and yes they can sound tight when new. It was a huge disservice for this individual to not come forward and admit the fault in his very expensive table and that because of his tables faults a new non broken in PH77 was reviewed in order to make a deadline.

I can assure you that the PH77 is magnificently dynamic on a very grand scale and not at all sterile as some of the other phono stages that this person has waxed poetic over.