Manley Steelhead vs. Allnic H3000

davelarz

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Hello all - my first post here after reading for years and getting a lot of great information and advice. I currently own a Steelhead and I've had the urge to upgrade (despite the fact that I love the sound I have now... you know how it is). I only want to do this if I'm going to get a significant upgrade and at first I was looking at the much ballyhooed IO Eclipse and VPS 100 (I like tubes in my phono) because they are both available second hand near me now at a reachable price for me. But I generally run two, sometimes three arms (it's possible that I enjoy the dicking around as much as the listening...), and I feel like I'd quickly get annoyed with the one input scenario (worried about the heat and mass of tubes with IO as well great though I'm sure it sounds). The Allnic H3000 is also available at a good price - it would give me the inputs I want and also balanced outs which I'd like (though I'd lose the Steelhead's mono switch which I use a lot). I know many rated the Allnic very highly back when it was current. I'm curious for feedback from anyone with experience of both the Steelhead and the H3000 as to whether the Allnic would be a noticeable step up or not.
 

Phantom-Audio

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Allnic out of the two you mentioned. The CS port Phono would be a step above both.
 

davelarz

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Allnic out of the two you mentioned. The CS port Phono would be a step above both.
Oddly the CS Port is available near me right now (at twice the price of the Allnic H3000). I am curious because a few people - Mike Lavigne for one - speak glowingly of it. But it so rare and unknown here in the States that I feel like if it bought it and didn't think it was a good fit for my system I'd have a very hard time selling it.
 

Phantom-Audio

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Oddly the CS Port is available near me right now (at twice the price of the Allnic H3000). I am curious because a few people - Mike Lavigne for one - speak glowingly of it. But it so rare and unknown here in the States that I feel like if it bought it and didn't think it was a good fit for my system I'd have a very hard time selling it.
In EU its more well known
 

Phantom-Audio

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Mind you wont get the bloom that Allnic has, CS port is more Accurate to the source signal if I'm explaining this better, it does not add tube warmth or bloom. However its smooth to listen too and handles dynamics very well.
 

bonzo75

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Mind you wont get the bloom that Allnic has, CS port is more Accurate to the source signal if I'm explaining this better, it does not add tube warmth or bloom. However its smooth to listen too and handles dynamics very well.

Which recti did you hear the Allnic with?
 

davelarz

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I think given the amount I'd have to lay out to get the CSPort I'd likely go with the Allnic anyway. My system leans towards the neutral/revealing side of things to begin with (Boulder 866 and TAD ME1) so I like a little bloom in the phono pre.
 

cjfrbw

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Owned the Steelhead for several years, now Allnic H3000 for many years. I would vote for the Allnic: smoother, better depth, width and soundstage. Steelhead is fine, too, but sounds a bit more solid state than tube.
You'll get the usual array of confusing data points from the choir here, so try to listen for yourself if you can.
 

davelarz

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Jun 6, 2022
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Owned the Steelhead for several years, now Allnic H3000 for many years. I would vote for the Allnic: smoother, better depth, width and soundstage. Steelhead is fine, too, but sounds a bit more solid state than tube.
You'll get the usual array of confusing data points from the choir here, so try to listen for yourself if you can.
Yes obviously I wish I could hear the Allnic before I buy it but... it's difficult. Probably not that hard to flip here in the States though so I may just go ahead with it and sell it if I prefer the Steelhead. I do have a fair amount of experience with Allnic phono stages - I've owned two h1201 units and, while they didn't overwhelm me, at that pricepoint I thought they were much superior to the Manley Chinook. I also briefly owned an h1500 (I remember rolling the rectifier had a huge impact on that unit) but I sold it before I'd formed much of a solid opinion because I got a good deal on a Luxman EQ-500, which I'd always wanted and which, as it turned out, I didn't like that much.
 

Phantom-Audio

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davelarz

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I did a direct comparison of 5 phono stages including the H3000V and the CS Port. I did not find the CS Port superior to the Allinic. These were actually the two phono stages that were the closest to each other in terms of musicality.

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...o-stages-in-my-home-system.34341/#post-792972
Well that's good to know. I wasn't really considering the CS Port anyway - doesn't offer any functionality above the h3000 and just too pricey here in the States. Very few people even know about that phono stage here.
 

davelarz

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As would the Lamm LP2.1, IME.
I've never owned a piece of Lamm gear - one of the few I haven't gotten around to - and I've been curious about his phonos for a long time. But I don't love the MC gain or set impedance and I also like running three tonearms whereas the Lamm is fairly inconvenient just for two. There really aren't a lot of options out there for three tonearms that I feel might be a step up from the Steelhead - the H3000 is the most obvious possibility, the VAC Renaissance is another (I have experience with VAC's phono stages in their preamps and those are certainly excellent) and the Doshi is another (there is a Doshi 2.1 available now which I auditioned briefly years ago - I wasn't wowed but it was many systems ago). Am I missing any? There's the Thoress although I don't love the way it's one input for one set impedance - on two of my arms I like to trade carts in and out and don't want to have to move my input cables if I do that. The CS Port - not interested. The Luxman EQ-500 which I found disappointing. The Aesthetix Rhea, which I also didn't care for. I think you can use three tonearms with the CH Precision but I don't have that kind of dough.
 

Fishfood

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Yeah, and the MC transformer is poor but even a $600 step up is amazing... but if you have multiple tonearms, that's definitely an issue. It's a bummer because I've found nothing better sonically, outside of things I can't afford :) with a matching step up to whatever cartridge I was using at the time.
 

davelarz

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Yeah, and the MC transformer is poor but even a $600 step up is amazing... but if you have multiple tonearms, that's definitely an issue. It's a bummer because I've found nothing better sonically, outside of things I can't afford :) with a matching step up to whatever cartridge I was using at the time.
I believe you - although I think if I were going to go one input with a step up I would either see if I can handle the heat and try the IO (Eclipse available near me now for a decent price) or stretch for the Ypsilon.
 

Fishfood

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All great choices! But totally understand the need for flexibility. Good luck with your search!
 

iaxel

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bonzo75

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I believe you - although I think if I were going to go one input with a step up I would either see if I can handle the heat and try the IO (Eclipse available near me now for a decent price) or stretch for the Ypsilon.

I have compared the H7000 to the ypsilon with the Lyra atlas. I have compared the 3000 to Zesto and Trulife (25k euro). I had considerable exposure to Thoress in a familiar system, though did not compare them directly, but Montesquieu's compare at home ended with him buying the Allnic.

The Allnic was better than all except ypsilon. Compared to Ypsilon it was close with ypsilon having cleaner high and Allnic better body, weight, and involvement

I would say the 3000 is great value in the used market. It is better than many and you get back your money when you sell it. It is flexible as well.

With Allnic always remember to roll your rectifier otherwise it is rosy, sluggish. Rectifier change is key. Also if you buy used make sure there is no.9 hum and is working fine

I have compared the DHT 5000 to aesthetix IO eclipse as well
 

Phantom-Audio

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Ypsilon using the C3g Tubes?
 

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