Which SUT or Head Amp for Benz Micro Ace SL and Trichord Dino?

[Natara]

I currently have a Trichord Dino Mk 2 with NCPSU and although my Benz Micro Ace SL sounds really good I have the feeling it has more to give and after reading and posting on a recent thread I'm wondering if an SUT or a Head Amp would get more out of the Ace plugged into the Dino set for MM loading.

Obviously a better phono stage would of course do that but at the moment I just don't have the funds to upgrade. Up until now with a Denon 110, Dynavector 10x5 and an AT OC9 Mk 1 the Dino has been a cracking phono amp and there are moments even now when the Benz sounds really good through the Dino but I know with a bit of help it could sound really excellent all of the time.

So any suggestions?

[forsell]

I currently have a Trichord Dino Mk 2 with NCPSU and although my Benz Micro Ace SL sounds really good I have the feeling it has more to give and after reading and posting on a recent thread I'm wondering if an SUT or a Head Amp would get more out of the Ace plugged into the Dino set for MM loading.

Obviously a better phono stage would of course do that but at the moment I just don't have the funds to upgrade. Up until now with a Denon 110, Dynavector 10x5 and an AT OC9 Mk 1 the Dino has been a cracking phono amp and there are moments even now when the Benz sounds really good through the Dino but I know with a bit of help it could sound really excellent all of the time.

So any suggestions?

As always, you get what you pay for... Rothwell Audio being around here, many SUTs on offer, just ask, maybe he will be prepared to loan a demo unit within your budget to get some "feeling" whether it is the proper upgrade path or not.

[Ali Tait]

If you don’t have a largish budget, a head amp would probably be the way to go IMO, Firebottle makes a very good one.

[Marco]

Yup, seconded on Andrew's stuff. Either a Headspace (his head amp) or one of his SUTs, used in conjunction with the Dino's MM input, Tara, would really make your Ace sing!

Just take Andrew's advice on which product to go for, or find out if there are any demo units you could borrow :)

Marco.

[Marco]

Firebottle makes a very good one.

Yup, I forgot Alan does head amps, which are also excellent. It's Tara's decision. It's good to have choice! :cool:

Marco.

[Natara]

I have seen and read reviews of Rothwell Audio headspace it sounds an excellent choice and I will ask Andrew when I find his pm address if he has a demo unit.

As always, you get what you pay for... Rothwell Audio being around here, many SUTs on offer, just ask, maybe he will be prepared to loan a demo unit within your budget to get some "feeling" whether it is the proper upgrade path or not.

[DiveDeepDog]

I think you'll need to spend a lot more on a phono stage make significant gains on Dino/NCPSU. Head amps and SUT's will be a merry-go-round at that sort of budget which may be different, but not necessarily better...