Stand out phono stages

Lacee, there is a simple way to drive any power amp in the differential domain. Most designers don't know their amps have the capacity and so don't provide the connection. PM me if you want more details, or perhaps we can discuss it in a different thread.

Ralph I am interested in what you have said, and I am sure others are also.
Please elaborate,I am no more important than anyone else on this site,so let us all benefit from your knowledge.

In my case, the Acoustat servo amps at one time did have a bulit in volume control, but they used cheap parts and it was deemed detrimental to the sound of that amp.
Removing it's volume control was one of the first mods made to that amp along with the signal sensing auto on capability.

Pre- amplifiers -we don't need any more amplifying- are mostly for switching from one component to the other, most components have enough gain so that the volume control is really a device that blocks the full power output of the gear not amplify it any more, except of course for a phono signal.
Not news to anyone, but what maybe news is that different volume controls used in the same circuit will produce different sonics.
There's no perfect volume control.
They all degrade the sound.
Some more than others.

Lacee, with respect to the volume control, it will work better if it is buffered in some way from the amp or interconnect cable it is driving.

For this reason I do not think that having an outboard phono section is a good idea. It works better when integrated into the same box as the line stage. In this way you avoid connectivity issues and troubles with the volume control that otherwise offer colorations that are very difficult to avoid.

Now with regards to the balanced input on an amplifier. All amps (even SETs) have two inputs, non-inverted and inverted. However usually only one connection is used to accept the signal. All I am suggesting is that the second connection is used as well. Many designers of amps have no idea this is possible; for them I recommend looking into the early circuits of George Philbrick, the inventor of the OpAmp. For those that say its not possible I have been doing it for years.

The Einstein Turntable's Choice has been all I had expected and more. It is the only piece I have that is solid state, but the sound and construction is superb. AND, at only $5,500 new for single-ended, it is pretty competitively priced. 68 db fixed works extremely well with MCs that are in the .24 to .32 mv output.

What about the Audio Research REF PH2SE?