Phono Stage

[Unomelodica]

Gooday to you all

As the system is coming on nicely together, one area where my head boggles is phono stages - keen to pick up a stage where it is just slotted in and then for me to enjoy the music, i'm not a fiddler !

Usual suspects spring to mind from reading the forum threads - Most likely will be heading down the route of a ZYX cartridge, one of their mid range offerings,the turntable being a Kenwood kD990 for now, ultimately I want to get a trio L-07D, bias is to preempt a future upgrade with this in mind.....

What are peoples thoughts ? budget isn't infinite but for the right one i'm prepared to stretch a bit .Music tastes soul, jazz, funk and reggae

Best

G

[Firebottle]

Hi Greg,

I'm not that far from you, near Dudley, so if you would like to come over to hear a couple of contenders give me a shout.
Happy to guide you on all things phono stage with absolutely no obligation.

Cheers,
Alan

[Unomelodica]

Perfect alan ill be bringing over the accuphase re voltage conversion so, potentially two birds .....

kr

G

[Audio Al]

Happy to guide you on all things phono stage with absolutely no obligation.


Take your wallet . I'v heard good thing re Alans bits and bobs ;)

[Wayne Bull]

Hi Greg,

I'm not that far from you, near Dudley, so if you would like to come over to hear a couple of contenders give me a shout.
Happy to guide you on all things phono stage with absolutely no obligation.

Cheers,
Alan

Hi Alan,

Nice to see a post from another Black Country lad. I'm just down the road in Tipton.

I've got a Graham Slee Gram Amp SE phono stage coming on a 2 week trial tomorrow along with the improved power supply.

Have you any experience of these 2?

Sorry to ask in this thread G (Unomelodica) , hope you don't mind :)

[Firebottle]

Hi Wayne, I'm probably quite close to you.

Not had experience with the Graham Slee kit. If you want to hear an alternative send me a pm and you will be welcome.

:)

[walpurgis]

I've got a Graham Slee Gram Amp SE phono stage coming on a 2 week trial tomorrow along with the improved power supply.

You'll probably like that.

[Wayne Bull]

Hi Wayne, I'm probably quite close to you.

Not had experience with the Graham Slee kit. If you want to hear an alternative send me a pm and you will be welcome.

:)

Thanks Alan, thats very kind. I'll keep you posted

[roob]

There is a Arkless Turbo for sale on pfm which is well worth a look.

[Droog]

We still talking hifi.......

Or should I mention my Cosworth.????

[topoxforddoc]

What sort of budget? If you're thinking about the £1k mark, there are lots of high quality phono stages. If you're aiming to match your future L07D, then you may want to aim higher. here are some options at about the £1k mark.

Croft RIAA R - £1000 MM only
World Designs Phono 3S & PSU 3 - £1150 built
EAR 834P (although recent price rises make this more like £1200-1800)
TRON Convergence - £1000 for MC or £900 for MM
Whest Two.2 - £1300

I've heard the EAR, TRON and owned the WD Phono 3. Of these, I preferred the TRON Convergence - here's my review

http://topoxforddoc.zenfolio.com/blog/2015/4/hi--fi-review---tron-convergence-phono-stage

Ideally you want to be able to have a home demo and listen to it in your own system. Good luck.

[Floyddroid]

I use one of Alan's Firebottle designs and it is really good. His new one is top notch and i can't recommend it highly enough. If you were using mm only i would have started your listening with the Schiit Mani. I have one as a spare and it's a little cracker.

[Floyddroid]

Yes indeed, that's what we talk about here! It's a forum dedicated to Hifi/Audio and subsidiaries there of. You seem to have already mentioned your Cosworth so in this thread it would be better to stick to the essence of the OP.
We still talking hifi.......

Or should I mention my Cosworth.????

[Arkless Electronics]

There is a Arkless Turbo for sale on pfm which is well worth a look.


We still talking hifi.......

Or should I mention my Cosworth.????


Yes we're still talking hi fi... The Arkless Turbo was a phono stage I used to make, as I would have hoped one of the other thread participants would have pointed out by now (a prime example of why I have issues with NEBO). It was about £400 and favourably reviewed against £1K stages elsewhere. It's no longer available but still supported.

[Floyddroid]

Yes we're still talking hi fi... The Arkless Turbo was a phono stage I used to make, as I would have hoped one of the other thread participants would have pointed out by now (a prime example of why I have issues with NEBO). It was about £400 and favourably reviewed against £1K stages elsewhere. It's no longer available but still supported.

????? Not sure what you mean by the Nebo comment Jez. Please explain.

[RichB]

????? Not sure what you mean by the Nebo comment Jez. Please explain.

Aye, you've lost me Jez.

I think someone might have brought one to the 3rd NEBO but that was the time all them Lenco loving jazz fans turned up and after hearing the same bloody sax solo for the umpteenth time, Macca and I went for a smoke and a chat so I couldn't you tell which phono stage was playing.

[Yiangos]

Greg , taking in account your cartridge (zyx) and the type of music you like,i ca recommend 2 phono stages.the ear 864p if you want to "mellow" a bit your zyx or the Tom Evan's microgroove x mk2 or even better the microgroove plus x mk2 is "prat" is your thing ! And NO , I am not selling you mine (you know what I am talking about lol )

[Reffc]

What sort of budget? If you're thinking about the £1k mark, there are lots of high quality phono stages. If you're aiming to match your future L07D, then you may want to aim higher. here are some options at about the £1k mark.

Croft RIAA R - £1000 MM only
World Designs Phono 3S & PSU 3 - £1150 built
EAR 834P (although recent price rises make this more like £1200-1800)
TRON Convergence - £1000 for MC or £900 for MM
Whest Two.2 - £1300

I've heard the EAR, TRON and owned the WD Phono 3. Of these, I preferred the TRON Convergence - here's my review

http://topoxforddoc.zenfolio.com/blog/2015/4/hi--fi-review---tron-convergence-phono-stage

Ideally you want to be able to have a home demo and listen to it in your own system. Good luck.

+1

I'm sure that Alan's design is very good too, but as with Charlie, I'd throw the TRON Convergence into the ring.

Having owned a fair few phonostages over the years including some rather pricey fare and some on Charlie's list (above) over the years, including an EAR Signature and a Croft, I can say hand on heart that the TRON wipes the floor with the lot of them. The Croft doesn't come remotely close and the Ear sounds noisy, a little rolled off at the frequency extremes and veiled by comparison. The TRON is not just "a little" better, but so much better, it makes a mockery of anything I've heard or used up to at least £2K in price. Superb S/N (low noise), balance, subtlety and neutrality combined with impressive imaging, dynamics and detail. I throw it into the ring as I'm also using one with a ZYX cartridge and it's a perfect match.

[Firebottle]

Just stick to this one Steve, like I do. Simples :)

[Floyddroid]

Just listening to the music seems good at the moment Alan as at the moment with the exception of yourself and the great team of guys i have met personally through Nebo etc i simply don't know who to trust.
Just stick to this one Steve, like I do. Simples :)

[Floyddroid]

Got your PM and answered it!
????? Not sure what you mean by the Nebo comment Jez. Please explain.

[337alant]

+1

I'm sure that Alan's design is very good too, but as with Charlie, I'd throw the TRON Convergence into the ring.

Having owned a fair few phonostages over the years including some rather pricey fare and some on Charlie's list (above) over the years, including an EAR Signature and a Croft, I can say hand on heart that the TRON wipes the floor with the lot of them. The Croft doesn't come remotely close and the Ear sounds noisy, a little rolled off at the frequency extremes and veiled by comparison. The TRON is not just "a little" better, but so much better, it makes a mockery of anything I've heard or used up to at least £2K in price. Superb S/N (low noise), balance, subtlety and neutrality combined with impressive imaging, dynamics and detail. I throw it into the ring as I'm also using one with a ZYX cartridge and it's a perfect match.
Any links to a TRON dealer ?

[Arkless Electronics]

Just listening to the music seems good at the moment Alan as at the moment with the exception of yourself and the great team of guys i have met personally through Nebo etc i simply don't know who to trust.

Yeah I know the feeling....

[Arkless Electronics]

If the OP is able to wait a month or so into the new year I will have a MM phono stage available at around £1000 which should be just the trick;)

[topoxforddoc]

Any links to a TRON dealer ?

I think that the TRON Convergence might be direct sale - like Alan and Jez. Contact details on website

http://www.gtaudio.com/contact-us/

[Unomelodica]

Thanks Jez the wallets taken a battering recently .....once you start !

I've heard a Vida phono stage recently - just effortless - it's that close your eye moment and I'm transported into the groove Of the recording.

The accuphase has landed and should be here soon so starting to take shape ....

G