Quote Originally Posted by Firebottle View Post
It was in the DiveDeepDog room as you will just have seen. The following is purely my own opinion and is said to promote wider discussion rather than to say any one approach is better, it all depends on ones own tastes, hearing, and I think to a lesser degree what you have already experienced.

Differences were small but at the top level of performance that is the way it ought to be. It might be considered stereotypical but to me the valve Vivant stage sounded more 'organic' than the 'sterile' solid state Paradise. It is difficult to describe very minor differences, the Paradise is a stunning stage.
I also thought the Vivant had more depth and 'air' to the presentation.

Amazing sound but as always YMMV.
Hmm.. yes, interesting, - particularly in the speaker choice department. Compared to pretty much every other transistor phonostage I have tried the paradise has sounded significantly less dry and mechanical. However, I wouldn't describe any of the valve stages I have used as organic either (though I've never tried your 'Vivant' stage). Then again, I don't use valve amplification or the kind of speakers often found in such systems.