Best phono stage?
- Thread starter awsmone
- Start date
I am not a vinyl guy at all. I just thought it would be fun to post so that there are now officially 5 owners of CJ GATs on this particular thread...Suteetat, Sunnyboy, Myles, XV-1, and LL21.
LOL! That's too funny! But congrats to all for that Milestone!
garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
While you're at it, don't miss out the Gryphon Legato Legacy. I spent 3 days with one during a show in Malaysia, and I thought that it was one of the best I've ever heard.
Would probably consider that since I have gryphon pre & power except for the need to use Lemo connectors for all my Tonearms . That's makes experimenting with tonearm occasionally troublesome
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The Lemo connectors ( or XLR ) are the price to pay for running a balanced phonostage but other Legato owners has made a convertion box that can be used when experimenting with other tonearms.
I went through quite a lengthy process a few months back auditioning a number of phono stages.
Including amongst others the:
Esoteric E-03, RCM Sensor Prelude, RCM Theriaa, Octave 300SE with phono module, and the Thrax Orpheus Phono Preamplifier with LCR RIAA equalizer.
For me the RCM Theriaa and Thrax Orpheus were far and away the best.
In the end I decided on the Thrax Orpheus for the realism it relayed, it's sensational sound staging, rich full sound, powerful bottom end, the quality of the fit and finish as well as it's versatility with three switchable inputs 2 RCA and 1 XLR.
Including amongst others the:
Esoteric E-03, RCM Sensor Prelude, RCM Theriaa, Octave 300SE with phono module, and the Thrax Orpheus Phono Preamplifier with LCR RIAA equalizer.
For me the RCM Theriaa and Thrax Orpheus were far and away the best.
In the end I decided on the Thrax Orpheus for the realism it relayed, it's sensational sound staging, rich full sound, powerful bottom end, the quality of the fit and finish as well as it's versatility with three switchable inputs 2 RCA and 1 XLR.
Thx
Just looked at Thrax looks pretty beautifully made
Can you run different impedances simultaneously?
Just looked at Thrax looks pretty beautifully made
Can you run different impedances simultaneously?
Each input can be set individually for either MC or MM , with the choice of either a High or Low Gain setting for each input..
I see your in Melbourne
Whom do you get it from may I ask?
How did you get to demonstrate it first ?
Whom do you get it from may I ask?
How did you get to demonstrate it first ?
TELOS AUDIO, are the importers for Thrax in Aus.
I was able to home demo the unit, they were kind enough to leave the unit with me for about a week.
Andrew,
Next time you're in Perth come and give my AudiaFlight a listen. 2 inputs each customisable for loading MM or MC. Maybe not in the price category of the others mentioned here, but sounds amazing, needs a very protracted run in (Hagermann reverse RIAA to the rescue). System has changed since you were last here, Ayre MRX/KRX, Clearaudio, 4 point, Atlas and 802DII. I'm sure you can get one for home demo, but it needs >100 hours run in....seriously. Goes through light edgy phases x2 and then a seriously overblown bass phase before settling down. What's wrong with the Bakoon Phono, all Satri connected?
Happy hunting,
john
Next time you're in Perth come and give my AudiaFlight a listen. 2 inputs each customisable for loading MM or MC. Maybe not in the price category of the others mentioned here, but sounds amazing, needs a very protracted run in (Hagermann reverse RIAA to the rescue). System has changed since you were last here, Ayre MRX/KRX, Clearaudio, 4 point, Atlas and 802DII. I'm sure you can get one for home demo, but it needs >100 hours run in....seriously. Goes through light edgy phases x2 and then a seriously overblown bass phase before settling down. What's wrong with the Bakoon Phono, all Satri connected?
Happy hunting,
john
after spending the weekend with the new darTZeel pre-production NHB-18NS preamp with internal phono stage i'll have to venture my opinion that it is likely in the running for the very very best phono stage at any price. it is the best phono stage I have heard; although many of the other top ones I have heard are in show conditions.
not cheap. but when you consider it also includes what I think will be as good a line stage as there is too, it actually becomes quite a good value when compared to other very top level phono-line stage duos. and when mated with the dart 458's it is a formidable tour-de-force.
built like a swiss tank, battery powered, and excellent ease of use. it can be purchased with two separate phono stages in one chassis (which is how I have my current model dart pre). it offers up to 70 db of gain, and gain and loading can be changed dynamically on the fly thru toggles and LED's on the back of the unit.
not cheap. but when you consider it also includes what I think will be as good a line stage as there is too, it actually becomes quite a good value when compared to other very top level phono-line stage duos. and when mated with the dart 458's it is a formidable tour-de-force.
built like a swiss tank, battery powered, and excellent ease of use. it can be purchased with two separate phono stages in one chassis (which is how I have my current model dart pre). it offers up to 70 db of gain, and gain and loading can be changed dynamically on the fly thru toggles and LED's on the back of the unit.
Hi Mike
I am seriously interested in the new 18NS with two phonos
Can you post some pics and initial impressions
Thx
I am seriously interested in the new 18NS with two phonos
Can you post some pics and initial impressions
Thx
Thx John
Yes still interested in new bakoon phono
Waiting for Pat to get back to me he has been cycling in italy with Giro !
My only issue in the past is the open loop bandwidth means RF can creep in something I suffer from here, but very suitable from my cartridge point of view
Good to hear from you
Regards
Andrew
Yes still interested in new bakoon phono
Waiting for Pat to get back to me
he has been cycling in italy with Giro !My only issue in the past is the open loop bandwidth means RF can creep in something I suffer from here, but very suitable from my cartridge point of view
Good to hear from you
Regards
Andrew
Mike
Any indication of price ? This could be promising IMO if I can trade in my GAT and Nagra phono...
Cheers
Pradeep
Sounds like the Dart kills two birds with one stone...great main pre and phono. If it wasn't for the zeel BNC connections (prefer XLR), I might even be a customer.
It has rca, not enough XLR inputs. I am not interested in proprietary zeel connectors.
