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Superb PHONO Preamp ?

There are now some very interesting Phono Preamps out there.
Sooner or later I am interested to buy one, beside my existing Stan Klyne 7 PX 3.5
I was very interested in the newest Design from
Aesthetix Io phono Signature Version.

Now I heard from 2 other units which caught my attenttion, the
Tom Evans Design " The Groove "
and from
Manley , the " Steelhead ".
I don't have much info about them - beside their Websites - but I heard some interesting things.

Is someone out there who owns one of these units or has compared one of these to others and can give a little info ?
I use always MC's, I prefer low output, that means, around 0.20 mV.
The Klyne can handle this WITHOUT ANY Problems, and I would like to have another Phono amp TO DO this SAME way.

These are all units which - I imagine -, will only be bought from REAL ANALOG specialists, so this info could be very interesting.

( Please don't write me stories from Linn, Audio Research etc. ,these are not in this class )
Thanks
Thomas
thomasheisig
rcrump
427 posts
 
Oops, make that Jim White in lieu of Jim Smith.....

Bob Crump
thomasheisig OP
568 posts
 
Very interesting responses.
I haven't made a decision yet, I've read some posts from a few ( albert porter for example )I know for some time and these are mostly equal with my experiences, but everyone has a different system.....

To extremephono:

..............how 'fast' these phono stages are relative to tube, no matter how good, tubes are 1000x slower than the best solid state. That's fact, no design can fundamentally make tube to have a faster rise-time and higher damping factor than solid state design...............

Hm, maybe you are right, maybe not.
I thought so too
BUT
I use very efficient speakers ( 99db, 8 ohms ) with Nelson Pass SE Design Aleph 0 Mono amps.
This is definetly the fastest possible reproduction which is possible.

Now I bought amps from Atma-Sphere, the socalled OTL Design,
I listened to so many amps ( CAT,WAVAC,Jadis .......) the Atma's blew them by far and they are absolutely on par with the Pass.
I use both a few times a week and I can tell you,The Atma-Sphere are online, not the Pass.
Ok, this will chance of course with different speakers, but I can honestly say

Tube is NOT Generally slower than transistor.

That was one reason I decided to ask the question in the headline.....

Regards
hirezrecorder
19 posts
 
Have you heard audio tekne if not you haven't heard the best.....
tuboo
93 posts
 
Just my two cents:
I use a Cello Encore with RMC phono unit, the RMC on its turn fed by the Palette powersupply.
After spending my Analog life with the CAT Signature over some 9 years the Cello really washed my ears and brought music and life to my system.
I used to 'swear' for tubes all the way, but this Cello combination really changed all that, and more.
The CAT was fine, and i spend happy times with the beast, but the Cello is really about music.
further use: Grasshopper 3. Atmasphere MA-2.

Cello Encore and RMC phono unit may be reasonably priced on the market, worth to consider.

somut
82 posts
 
Precision Fidelity C7/A Revised: It's rarer than chicken's teeth though.
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