Best phono stage?

[Cableman]

I recently had the opportunity to audition some very highly thought of phonostage by Vitus Ypsilon Momentum and Tom Evans. All very very good and all tres expensive

I considered the sweet spot for me was the Tom Evans SR with the ypsilon and Vitus also superb. The Dagostino Momentum was a dog!

 

[byrdparis]

(if its not, cartridge loading will be important and you will hear more ticks and pops)

Hi
can you explain the relevant for the pops and ticks?
thank you!

 

[Bobbi]

Grandinote Celio is one of the best phono I have heard without the extreme pricetag

 

[bonzo75]

I am a bit uncertain right now on SS vs valve phonos, mostly due to lack of experience of comparing.

I compared burmester to AR ph 7 (yes, that is a lower model of AR) wth Fuuga, an Italian one called AM audio to VTL 6.5 with zyx r1000, and XV-1s through Lyra connoisseur with AN IO through Tron GT.

In each case, the SS was much better. Most obvious was with piano, where range was more, attack on leading edge was better, you could feel the dynamic and nuance of each note, and it flowed better. Noise floor was lower, more resolution, and violin was excellent. Richard Mak's review of burmester seems to agree, it is the AR ref 3 that he rates at a similar level, not 2.

The exception was comparing Airtight to a much more expensive music first phono where the AT was much better, with the Proteus cart.

This is different from my pre amp experiences where the valves make me more involved even if I can see disadvantages on noise floor and dynamics and bass. And I don't like the other burmester electronics. Just the phono. I preferred AR LS 27 much more to burmester pre even with the burmester amp. And the LS 29 to the constellation pre with constellation inspiration amp. Possibly with phono it happens because vinyl is musical enough for information to just present itself

In non compares, the Dartzeel phono appears to have achieved the same benefits, though not Pass. I remain in awe of the Aesthetix, which I have ruled out due to three boxes. I was amazed at the transformation in the Allnic 3000 on the recti upgrade. I can only imagine how good the 5000 with the KR recti, the 242 already in it, and the 300b upgraded to the Takatsuki must be. And it is two boxes. I hope to arrange a compare between the 3000 and the Thoress sometime.

However all these are non horn, and with horns and SETs valve phonos have been wonderful, and I haven't had an SS experience except that FM 122 in one of my favorite systems, the yamamura, which happens to use all SS electronics.

So to summarize, Allnic, thoress, airtight on the valve side vs burmester on SS side. I am not going to spend as high as CH. One guy in Texas did move from h5000 to the CH

 

[morricab]

I am a bit uncertain right now on SS vs valve phonos, mostly due to lack of experience of comparing.

I compared burmester to AR ph 7 (yes, that is a lower model of AR) wth Fuuga, an Italian one called AM audio to VTL 6.5 with zyx r1000, and XV-1s through Lyra connoisseur with AN IO through Tron GT.

In each case, the SS was much better. Most obvious was with piano, where range was more, attack on leading edge was better, you could feel the dynamic and nuance of each note, and it flowed better. Noise floor was lower, more resolution, and violin was excellent. Richard Mak's review of burmester seems to agree, it is the AR ref 3 that he rates at a similar level, not 2.

The exception was comparing Airtight to a much more expensive music first phono where the AT was much better, with the Proteus cart.

This is different from my pre amp experiences where the valves make me more involved even if I can see disadvantages on noise floor and dynamics and bass. And I don't like the other burmester electronics. Just the phono. I preferred AR LS 27 much more to burmester pre even with the burmester amp. And the LS 29 to the constellation pre with constellation inspiration amp. Possibly with phono it happens because vinyl is musical enough for information to just present itself

In non compares, the Dartzeel phono appears to have achieved the same benefits, though not Pass. I remain in awe of the Aesthetix, which I have ruled out due to three boxes. I was amazed at the transformation in the Allnic 3000 on the recti upgrade. I can only imagine how good the 5000 with the KR recti, the 242 already in it, and the 300b upgraded to the Takatsuki must be. And it is two boxes. I hope to arrange a compare with the 3000 and the Thoress sometime.

However all these are non horn, and with horns and SETs valve phonos have been wonderful, and I haven't had an SS experience except that FM 122 in one of my favorite systems, the yamamura, which happens to use all SS electronics.

So to summarize, Allnic, thoress, airtight on the valve side vs burmester on SS side. I am not going to spend as high as CH. One guy in Texas did move from h5000 to the CH

I have the predecessor to Allnic, the Silvaweld phono and it is a great sounding phonostage and my colleague has the Allnic 1500 phonostage (one model below 3000) and that is also quite good.

You should also consider the Aries Cerat Talos phonostage, which is priced inbetween the 3000 and 5000 from Allnic.

 

[bonzo75]

I have the predecessor to Allnic, the Silvaweld phono and it is a great sounding phonostage and my colleague has the Allnic 1500 phonostage (one model below 3000) and that is also quite good.

You should also consider the Aries Cerat Talos phonostage, which is priced inbetween the 3000 and 5000 from Allnic.

Interesting. Will consider if I can compare. The point with Allnic is that I did not like it in two systems till we changed the recti at UK Paul's.

 

[MadFloyd]

I recently had the opportunity to audition some very highly thought of phonostage by Vitus Ypsilon Momentum and Tom Evans. All very very good and all tres expensive

I considered the sweet spot for me was the Tom Evans SR with the ypsilon and Vitus also superb. The Dagostino Momentum was a dog!

Calling something a dog without any context doesn’t seem very fair to me.

 

[byrdparis]

. I am not going to spend as high as CH. One guy in Texas did move from h5000 to the CH

i think (i didnt compared to all the other above though) the CH is just in another league for itself.
im not surprised PPL just dropping a lot of cool equipment the've got and get a CH P1 instead. (gian dropped a M7+SFz, the man from TX the alnic 5000, Richard said its the best he heard even though he have a Burmester, FM, ARC REF3 etc... no to mentioned M.F who bought the CH P1-X1 set he got for review )

the versatility and upscaling music reproduction from records is off the charts with this one so it seams.

 

[Cableman]

Calling something a dog without any context doesn’t seem very fair to me.

What context would u like. It was awful. Dull uninvolving , unmusical. In a word. A dog!

 

[Al M.]

What context would u like. It was awful. Dull uninvolving , unmusical. In a word. A dog!

That's unfair to dogs.

 

[Cableman]

That's unfair to dogs.

No dog I know costs £33000 and sounds like.... a dog

 

[MadFloyd]

that's unfair to dogs.

lol

 

[MadFloyd]

i think (i didnt compared to all the other above though) the CH is just in another league for itself.
im not surprised PPL just dropping a lot of cool equipment the've got and get a CH P1 instead. (gian dropped a M7+SFz, the man from TX the alnic 5000, Richard said its the best he heard even though he have a Burmester, FM, ARC REF3 etc... no to mentioned M.F who bought the CH P1-X1 set he got for review )

the versatility and upscaling music reproduction from records is off the charts with this one so it seams.

I agree. You’re going to be very happy with yours!

 

[bonzo75]

Heh.

So is a dog different from the dogs bollocks (Which, in the UK means the best)

 

[byrdparis]

I agree. You’re going to be very happy with yours!

you have no idea how much i'm excited!
thank you.

 

[microstrip]

(...) was a dog!

Were you listening mainly to animal sound recordings???

 

[bonzo75]

Cool, another data point. I did not know that Richard Mak went for the CH as well.

So the only one who turned it down is Tango, for the EMT phono

 

[byrdparis]

Cool, another data point. I did not know that Richard Mak went for the CH as well.

So the only one who turned it down is Tango, for the EMT phono

my assumption when we are talking the EMT vs CH P1 is a matter of taste and maybe even more the synergy with his system altogether.
Tube vs SS at their best if we can be a bit extremest for making a point.

Richard will went for the 4 box P1 set up eventually as i gathered, i think he got the P1 for now and a X1 on the way.
i truly understand his stand about it
i wish i will get the chance to do it also.

 

[Tango]

Heh.

So is a dog different from the dogs bollocks (Which, in the UK means the best)

It is definitely a dog. (I mean the hairy black and white on the left .)



Tang

 

[bonzo75]

Heh. That looks more like a diffuser with some absorptive properties