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You may want to check out the ZYX Artisan. It can hold its own w some very good phono stages. Head to head it easily beat out a Rhea and was very close to the internal phono in a VAC Ren. It was bettered by the Doshi Alaap, but not by that much. It's about the size of a couple of packs of cigarettes and uses a wall wart PS to recharge internal batteries which may be part of it's success. |
Ok, Syntax. I'll bite. What is? :) |
Is the Jasmine small enough? |
Not sure whether small means only dimensionally small or also a small budget phono. If it is the later then I cannot recommend any other phono more seriously than a Lehmann Audio Blackcube SE (not the standard version). I have heard with a Helikon it was very very good, better than any phono under $2k that I have come across. |
Please also consider the Liberty B2B-1 - and yes I do make them :-) Liberty B2B-1Good Listening Peter |
I have no experience with the Nagra, but the Ray Samuels Nighthawk is a nice choice, better than the PS Audio GCPH IME. |
Avid Pulsus might be worth considering. |
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Somewhat small and awesome sounding is the Herron VTPH-2. |
In addition to size...what are your other constraints (like cost). I've heard that Nagra BPS, it's pretty nice. The Nagra VPS is better...and still might hit your size requirements... |
How about the iphono by ifi audio, it's a sister company to AMR, looks like a pretty good product, the press on it has been spectacular. |
You can try to get some info about the little Benz Phonostage. I think, it has 22kΩ, definitely an interesting choice for the Lyra and others. |
Contact Avatar Acoustics and inquire about the new iFi iPhono. You will not be disappointed. |
This little 'Benz Phonostage' should actually be called 'Lukaschek Phonostage'. I had a visitor, a former technician by Benz with this 'little thing' and 5 Benz carts. This guy totaly neglected my Basis Exclusive (Gold version !) and persisted to use his own. I wish I deed not persist from my side on 'somé' comparison. After the comparison I have had many sleepless nights. My way out?
Well this little thing is specialy made for the Benz carts is 'too small' and has just a single input/output provision while my Basis has two separate phono-pres and 'indefinite' adjustment possibilities. That is to say for the MC carts.
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for what it is worth I am running a BPS with a lyra kleos and it has been very nice upgrade to my previous Eastern Electric minimax. Was worried the combination might be a little too detailed but not the case and can't get enough of the enhanced detail and full bodied sound. Amazing this coming from such a small package. Only negative is the small size - hassle for my big hands to make setting changes, even attached the ground cable. |
I don't like the small batteries function. You only cam get the best sound at the begining. There is also an evident boom bass signature in the music.
Ath this price point I prefer the Trilogy phono amp. Honest and as clean as Bps sound
Anyway if you have small monitors Bps perhaps is your choice, to get more bass weight |
