Kronos is the one belt drive I woukd like to own…
Phasemation EA-1200
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I finally got around to doing something with my old turntable in storage since the 80s, I am interested in the Phasemation phono setup. This is because the sound at Munich Hi-end is so good and their setup so simple, I find it difficult to leave their listening room year after year. ;-)
I am a bit technically lacking and I would like to get an MC pickup, likely pp200 or 300 but I don't understand if I need to get a step up transformer AND THEN a phono preamp or if the SUT is for something else like an MM regular phono preamp and the Phasemation preamp with the MC option is sufficient. For example, I read the specs for the EA 550 and it seems to have the SUT already incorporated. I googled the subject and found some stuff but I was not 100% sure I understood what I read.
Thanks!
I am a bit technically lacking and I would like to get an MC pickup, likely pp200 or 300 but I don't understand if I need to get a step up transformer AND THEN a phono preamp or if the SUT is for something else like an MM regular phono preamp and the Phasemation preamp with the MC option is sufficient. For example, I read the specs for the EA 550 and it seems to have the SUT already incorporated. I googled the subject and found some stuff but I was not 100% sure I understood what I read.
Thanks!
According to the Phasemation homepage, you can find the following spec:
www.phasemation.com
Phasemation EA-220
MM &MC, solid state
Phasemation EA-320
MM &MC, solid state
Phasemation EA-350
MM &MC, MM solid state, MC Solid state plus integrated T-320 SUT
Phasemation EA-550
MM &MC, MM solid state, MC Solid state plus integrated T-550 SUT
Phasemation EA-1200
MM &MC, MM Tube, MC Tube plus integrated T-1000 SUT
Phasemation EA-2000
MM &MC, MM Tube, MC Tube plus external T-2000 SUT
You can run your PP-200 or PP-300 on any of the above listed Phonostages without buying an external step up.
Some users do buy an external T-320 or T-550 to improve the sound quality of EA-220 and EA-320
Phasemation
We hope to make use of this high technology in a field of art and culture, and aim to develop and produce the audio equipment steps into the technological practice and reproduction of music that the existing ones have not achieved. We have started up Phasemation as an audio brand.
www.phasemation.com
Phasemation EA-220
MM &MC, solid state
Phasemation EA-320
MM &MC, solid state
Phasemation EA-350
MM &MC, MM solid state, MC Solid state plus integrated T-320 SUT
Phasemation EA-550
MM &MC, MM solid state, MC Solid state plus integrated T-550 SUT
Phasemation EA-1200
MM &MC, MM Tube, MC Tube plus integrated T-1000 SUT
Phasemation EA-2000
MM &MC, MM Tube, MC Tube plus external T-2000 SUT
You can run your PP-200 or PP-300 on any of the above listed Phonostages without buying an external step up.
Some users do buy an external T-320 or T-550 to improve the sound quality of EA-220 and EA-320
Has anyone here compared the Phasemation EA-1200 to Ear Yoshino 88PB or 912 (which have the same phono stage)?
I wonder if Phasemation would sound significantly better.
I wonder if Phasemation would sound significantly better.
I compared the EA-1200 against the H3000v. I believe that the EA-1200 with the second power supply is difficult to beat in its price range. I would stay away from the EA-1000 which has been replaced by the EA-1200.
I recently took possession of an EA-350 and it’s a way different beast than my current one. It’s taken time to acclimate but I like its refinement. In a few weeks I’ll switch back and see how I few about my original unit. If I stay with the Phasemation I’ll probably prioritize upgrading to the T-1000 SUT.
The 47 Laboratory Arare
What the Arare lacks in refinement is makes up for in razzle dazzle and sheer bombast (with Phasemation PP-500 cart).
I have no idea what are you saying but I have a phasemation pp500 myself and looking for phonostage for it. I have a quick and dirty DIY ad797/OPA1611 RIAA board just to get me going. It sounds ok but it has that unmistakable dead sound of an OP AMP run as unity gain.
I have about 10 vintage tube preamps with phono stages that I have been using for the last two decades. I didn't spend too much time and effort on them, as I was happy with my VPI hw19mk4 full upgrade/ Graham 1.5t with ceramic wand / VDH black beauty with Harmon Kardon Citation I plus a custom silver step-up MC transformer from Electra-Print. My phono setup journey started this year when I decided to play around with vintage turntables for their aesthetic looks. The Garrard 301 caught my eye and then the good old Thorens TD521 ( which I auditioned for back in 2000 ) with SME 3012R got me started again. Long story short, I got half of a dozen turntables before you know it. I needed extra connections for phono input. I decided to try out Phasemation EA350 and I bought one. My first impression of the EA350 was dead quiet vs tube phono stages from these vintage tube preamp's MM. The MC stage in the EA350 was not as impressive as using the MM with my original custom silver wire step-up transformer. My search step-up transformer journey started with adding Ortofon SPU and Audio Technica Art-1000 cartridges into the new tables I got ( with a combination of Graham Phantom II, SME 3012R, and SME 3009R tonearms ) I was never satisfied with the Art-1000 as my step-up didn't have enough gain for 0.2mV. I finally got the Phasemation EA350 to pair with the art-1000 cartridge. This time the art-1000 finally plays much better with the right gain. However, the MC stage in Phasemation EA350 just doesn't have that magic I heard. I then got the well-known vintage step-up transformers that were designed for the SPU cartridges and they seem to work great. I didn't get the T-1000 or T-2000 since I am a vintage gear fan plus they only have a single gain stage. I purchased the Japanese Kanno USW-3125L, and the British Partridge TH-7834 mk2 made from the 70s and the 80s. For my curiosity, I also purchased a new British Steve and Billington silver wire step-up transformers from Empourim HiFi from the UK as I see them in eBay listings. After chatting with Nick from Empourim Hifi, he recommended 1:20 / 1:40 specs that he had on hand and it worked just right for the art-1000 cartridge finally. All of these new 3 step-up transformers have similar dual gain stages. They are great for my cartridges ranging between 0.2mV to 0.5mV. I have compared 5 MC stages and oh-boy, these step-ups all sounded great. From the lush open sound ( Kanno) to the more refined open sound ( Partridge and the silver step-up transformers ), they have brought out the best vinyl playback I have heard over the last two decades. Album after album, I enjoyed every song and completely listened to the whole album from start to end. This never happened to me before as I was usually impatiently get up and change the song. I can only imagine the EA-1200 and the EA-2000 would bring out the best. I then searched for the new MM stage and almost got the Air Tight ATE-3011. I stopped as my record collection is mostly new re-master copies. The Solid State MM is dead quiet. I love it. I know you can do the same with a better tube phono stage, but I am really satisfied with EA350 plus these different step-up transformers. Most of my audiophile friends invest more money on the turntable, tonearm, and cartridges than the phono stage and step-up device. There is no end to this. lol. I asked the one with the best turntable setups about getting better MC step-up devices, he said that most of the folks already spend too much on the turntable setup and they don't want to spend more on the step-up devices. This is the case for me if I did not compare a bunch of them side by side to acknowledge the differences. Many of my friends are afraid to open up another can of warms.
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I agree with you on the MC input. That’s why I went as high as my meager means could take me with T-1000.
Exactly the same here: Phasemation EA-350 with T-1000 MC SUTs. The EA-350's internal MC SUTs are actually quite good, but clearly they lack the level of mechanical isolation that Phasemation's standalone SUTs provide, and the enhanced spacial and tonal resolution that the T-1000 brings is immediately noticeable.
hI,Phasemation seems to be gathering a bit of a following with their phono stages and cartridges. After reading Shakti's phono adventures and how he ended up with the mighty EA-2000 it piqued my interest in Phasemation. I was looking for a tube alternative to my SS Accuphase C-37 and it had to have 3 inputs. Up came the EA-1200.
EA-1200 -
1. NON-FEEDBACK LCR EQUALIZER DUE TO TUBE TYPE UNIT AMPLIFIERS COMPOSED WITH TWO MONAURAL BLOCKS
- A transformer equivalent to T-1000 is built in and all three inputs can be switched to MC or MM for balanced inputs. In addition, Phasemation adopted the BAL/UNBAL switch for countermeasures towards noises when an unbalanced connection is made on the MC.
- The non-feedback SRPP-type amplifying circuit of ECC-803S which has an excellent transient response and an outstanding reputation for sound quality plus the low impedance output cathode follower due to ECC-802S are together adopted as a unit amplifier. You can enjoy the large dynamic range and its glossy and lively sound quality that is possible only in vacuum tubes.
- The LCR type is adopted for the equalizing circuit. Power loss and inductive noise in the signal line can be minimized and sound quality deterioration can be suppressed by adopting the LCR type which can reduce the impedance of the signal system. The information obtained is outputted from the last stage without any losses by adopting large coils, high quality film capacitors, and so forth.
- Three types of equalizer curve switches are installed. The RIAA for stereo, Mono 1 (for use with DECCA label and so forth) and Mono 2 (for use with Columbia label and so forth) can be selected. Mono1 and Mono2 are for monaural use only. This enables a higher fidelity playback for both the DECCA and Columbia labels.
2. POWER SUPPLY WITH DIRECT HEAT RECTIFIER TUBES 5U4G COMPOSED OF A MONAURAL BLOCK USING A HIGH-CAPACITY R-CORE TRANSFORMER.
For the rectification circuit, an R-core power transformer with excessive capacity is used and a rich rectification circuit is used for each independent left and right power supplies by using two choke coils and rectifier tubes (5U4G) which in principle do not generate switching noises. Furthermore, the power supply transformer and choke coils are magnetically shielded to provide a cleaner and stronger power to the amplifier. In addition, a 3-terminal regulator DC ignition system is used for the heater power supply of the amplifier achieving a high S/N ratio.
How does it sound -
difficult to describe. Silence is the first thing I noticed. This is below whisper quiet. the music flows with purity, the sound staging and details are pretty amazing, especially in the mid range and vocals. The bass is very fast and nimble which was the biggest surprise for me. This is certainly no rolled off, flabby bass tube phono stage.
This phono stage just seems to enable you to listen to the music more and for longer periods. that for me is the most pleasing part. Sounds excellent with the Lyra Etna SL and Ortofon A90. I will set the Lyra Atlas Lambda SL and SPU up over the weekend to hear how these sound.
only had it for a week, so more to come. Would luv to hear from other Phasemation owners.
I shudder to think how the EA-2000 sounds.
Do you compare the C37 with the Phasemation EA-1200, please ?
I am very curious to know that because I have the C47.
Thanks
Thank you for your review about Phasemation !
Perfect sense Audio
Dealer - Perfect Sense Audio
I would be happy to compare the EA-1200 to the Accuphase C-57 (just arrived) for you if that helps in due time.
the C-37 phono is wonderfully quiet, really nice bass and a slightly laid back top end.
The Phasemation EA-1200 with dual power supplies (mandatory imo - much better bass weight and power) is just as quiet, has better transparency, and a top end that is more extended, yet more delicate and just sounds right with most cartridges I have.
I've had the pleasure of hearing it a few times now (granted always at audio shows) and have always enjoyed it!
Has anyone here compared the Phasemation EA-1200 to the Ear 88pb or any other Ear phono stage (868pl or 912)?
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