What is the best phono preamp you have heard?

Art Audio Vinyl One with MM/MC and gain control knob has been most enjoyable for the investment for me. I enjoy a more natural sound. It's mated to Origin Live Illustrious arm, Shelter 90x cart, SOTA Nova V vacuum tt.

The playback I get is often haunting with an "I am there where the music is being made" presence. Seems wonderful across all music categories. Anyhow, that's my(very satisfying) experience as I've progressed up the ladder.

I do not want to afford anything much higher priced although I am quite certain I would even be more thrilled with the playback results.

1. Anything I designed myself.

2. Anything anyone else designed which sounds better than what I designed.

3. This list is not neccessarily in order.

Today I happily live with the Wavestream Kinetics phonostage and another MC tube unit that has been extensively modified. The Wavestream unit is a MC tube unit is designed by Scott Frankland in collaboration with the folks at the Analog Room in SF/Bay area CA. Scott was formerly of the “F” in MFA Audio back in the 80s when they made the highly regarded, Magus and Luminescence full function preamps.

It was a couple of incidental, independent/unrelated correspondence with two Audiogon members who were longtime owners of a Manley and an ASR Basis Exclusive, respectively, that first tipped me off to this unit. At the time, I knew Wavestream makes ultra expensive monoblock amps, but did not realize they offered a phonostage. These two Audiogoners (enthusiast whose listening priorities nearly align with mine) had nothing but really good things to say about Scott’s new creation and they both ended up selling their prior reference phonostages after hearing them against the Wavestream. After extensive chats with these members and with Scott and Brian (of the Analog Room), I decided to purchase one and am glad I did. I have since settled on the NOS tube combo that I like best. We will soon hear this phonostage against the BAT VK-P10SE with Power Pak (a local audio club member is really anxious to do this) and two other units retailing for 2 – 4 times more. Will provide details when they are available. When the opportunity comes, it would also be great to hear the Aesthetix IO, Lamm LP2, Klyne, Nick Doshi’s, Audion Quattro, Raul's phonostage, Messenger (this along with Raul's, the Doshi and Audion are full function preamps), FM Acoustics, Connoisseur, and Boulder. So if you own one of these units and you and your phonostage happen to be visiting Southern CA, then you both are welcome to come on by for a great listening session.

I have a VPI extended Aries with a JMW 12.5 arm with an upgraded 12.6 bearing assembly plus two 12.6 wands and three cartridges: a Koetsu, Miyabi, and VDH. Have heard all the above phonostages extensively in my system, most of which I have owned, borrowing only a few from members of our audio club (all are stock unless noted).

Over the years, I heard the Trumpet, Threshold Fet 10e (stock @ first then with a modded PS), Rowland Consonance, Counterpoint SA-1k/3k/5k (stock and tube rolled), Groove, Vinyl One (full optioned and modded with Goldpoint volume pot & premium NOS tubes), Whest, Ear 88pb, Air Tight ATE-2 (NOS tubed + Bent Audio MU step-up tranny), BAT VKP10SE, ASR Basis Exclusive, Manley Steelhead (stock & tubed rolled) plus at least 6 prototypes (5 tube and 1 ss phonostages) designed by some very talented California audio engineers. A couple of these prototype units were truly superb, but they were either a one-off or special order unit and their availability is questionable to impossible.

heard clearaudio few lines, ear 834p, dynavector, audible mod 3 built in. By far the best is the GSP Gold Era V. At $950 per piece, its money well worth.

I have been using the H-Cat phono for several years. I has the same character as the P-12BX line stage, namely very transparent, open, and clear. It has excellent top and bottom ends.

I have not tried other phono stages lately but were I to do so, it would be the Einstein Tube. I have heard it in other systems and can say I heard how quiet it is and been impressed with its sound. I also have friends who rave about it saying the reviews which are raves fall short of telling what it is capable of. Until I try it in my home, I will not know whether it has the "magic" of the H-Cat.