Best cost no object tube phono

C-47 Accuphase. Balanced and single ended inputs. Adjust loading etc. from your listening seat. Its predecessor was the closest device we have measured to a SWWG.

I've never heard the atmasphere phono product (I heard a set of their mono amps decades ago and liked them) but note it also uses balanced inputs. I reckon it is a fully balanced product like the Accuphase.

If you are afraid of RF and EM noise have Benchmark Media make you up a set of their (balanced) cables. Take a look at the video on their site about their cables versus regular cables concerning noise penetration. I'm sure they would work with the atmasphere product also.

Dear friends : Overall there is no single advantage on tube alternative over SS good designs specially with phono stages that's the worst place to use tubes and for very good reasons. 

In the other side the " tale " about those " tick and pop " is just that a tale that can't be proved it happens.

Please read this thread from where I learned why is only a tale/false/misinformation:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/a-question-of-loading


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear  rauliruegas;
I am going to answer your attack on Thoress Phono Enhancer & myself;

1. you said Sic *   Thöress is in reality a parametric equalizer with many faults no matters what the owners post in sites as WBF and the like.

This  statement is absolutely wrong ( in fact is total rubbish). it is definitely, Phono Stage with highest calibre , with the facility to    offer  more versatile on-the-fly adjustment of the phono equalization curve. There is 3 rotatory knobs You can leave them in default  (clearly marked) positions to use a standard RIAA equalization and never even touch them. If you want to change the sound using this facility, you would not degrade the sound , as, it is using a net of resistors ( in this case the ultimate resistors AN TANT SILVER)  & at any balance or adjustment , only 3 resistors , which , is the same for the standard RIAA.

2. A.  * Sic* Audio Note silver parts are not guarantee of anything about quality level performance.

I agree with this statement. 

   B. * Sic*  but only a " candies " for poor knowledge level people, same of those " paper on oil " caps that were used in the radios 70 years ago and the Tantalum named. All those are a kind of BS marketing and nothing else

I found this statement to be a rather general & only come out from people with big mouth  & lack finesse in sharing thoughts & opinion . in my view , it is total BS.

3. * Sic*  About the silver wire I can tell you that in my system all the electronics external power wires connected to the electrical source are KCAG by Kimber Kable. I’m not talking inside the electronics but the power cable

So, It is okay for you to use Silver Power cables & in this case you are right. Or you are suggesting that silver is only for power cables. I do not know what , I can say. But words like hypocrisy & / or BS.

4. *Sic*  """ you must have a valve or tube in the signal ( in at least one component) to get this beautiful sound """

This is actually not only my opinion, but, opinion of some of the best known names in Audiophile Community e.g, Mike Freeman, has the same opinion

 *Sic* Which beautiful sound?

I am not going to waste your time & mine on this subject. However in short a beautiful or good or fantastic sound , whatever , adjective you like to use, is the sound , which , meet the needs of the listener.

5. *Sic*  First mistake in the unit you are talking about is that is not a true balanced design but single ended

Wow, what you are talking about here. Some of the best sounds are only single ended e.g, Audio note. Balanced or single ended depend on the design , its execution , including the parts .
This sweeping statement , usually mean... 

6. *Sic*  All what you posted is only bla,bla, bla. and we music lover/audiophiles needs some facts so where are the specs at least of the inverse RIAA eq. deviation and noise levels as frequency response.

The product is not fully built yet ( only few weeks for final version) . Prototype , with the basic components sounded Fantastic. the specs will be available , I expect after the final production.

7.  *Sic* Certainly something wrong with its other designs because in the new one decided for hybrid one.

Thoress Phono Enhance is Hybrid Design from the beginning.
MK1, MK2 MK3 & the new Silver Signature are all Hybrid Design. Please, check your facts , before attack.

8.  *Sic* 75K for that equalizer? come on and ve serious.

Well , you are right to question this price. However, the cost of any finished audio component , which is not a mass production, involve the price of design, components, manufacturing costs ...etc. if the cost of components is 1000US$ , it usually , translate to 8 to 10 K, RRP
The Price of resistors & Silver Caps is more than 25,000 plus US$. still ,all silver wires . all phono input ( 11 pair ) pure silver.
8 StillPoins Ultra 6 ( in Germany , they Cost more than 10000 US $. please, do the Math

9. *Sic*  Btw, do you read the FM Acoustics link I posted ? if not do it you a favor and do it and please download its data sheet at the end of the link pages. We all need to learn, including me.

I agree,  We all need to learn, including you

FM is a brilliant Company with , long history of excellence.
I listened always to FM System in Munich Hi Fi Show, 2018 & 2019 ( Marriott hotel) 7 although it sounded good, I preferred my own system. I know it can sound better , as many Hi fi Shows do not produce the best sound. please , see , the thread in this discussion by syntax2. *SIC*  I got a invitation from an Audiophile to listen to his FM Acoustics System... 223 Phono, the biggest preamp and FM mono amps linked to Grand Utopia Speakers. Turntable was Techdas AF1, Graham and Techdas Cart.
It was not a pleasure to listen to. Very analytic, aggressive, pale ....far away from a real thing reproduction. But each his own .
I am sure, it might sound better if he uses  KCAG by Kimber Kable as power cable
Enough said
Fawzy

Dear @issak121212  : First than all it was not an attack to that phono stage, just an audiophile opinion.

Obviously it's a phono satge, it handled the inverse RIAA eq.

What is totally BS are those  " paper on oil " caps .

About silver wire what I'm trying to say is that's it's not something to " die for " when I use even in power cables. Silver wires is very good choice any where we want use it.

Beautiful sound is the one that "  meet the needs of the listener. ". That's your opinion, mine is the one that meets MUSIC reproduction needs. So a " little " different.
SS can do that in a way better than tubes when we are talking of phonolinepreamps. We not nonly not need tubes for that but we have to avoid tubes on that specific and very special application/job.

I know very well the Audio Note Ongaku On that I listened in my own system several times. As a fact over 10 years I was a tube lover ( from somete years now I'm a MUSIC lover and that's why I choosed SS to do it. There is no return. ) and listened/owned from Jolida to Audio Note, you can name it and can be sure that I listened.
Now, everything the same SS or tube designs but in special with phono stages balanced is always a superior alternative.

Yes, my mistake because I took a very fast look inside the unit and I did not see those FETs. Sorry.

Of course I need to learn more and I'm always willing to do it. I know very well the FM Acoustics quality level performance ( listened many times as a fact FM was my reference in phono stages. ) and is obvious that you prefered your own system but that is a subjective and not objective opinion and as you I have no time to go deeper in this issue. Btw, syntax is not a good reference not for FM Acoustics and for other audio subjects. You can read my answers to him in this thread.



Btw, M.Huber is very emphatic not use any other cables but the PIT by FMA.

Here what Huber says about balanced phono stage design :

By design, all phono cartridges are balanced sources. The term "balanced" describes a system in which the audio signal is transferred via two shielded symmetrical conductors, neither of which is connected to ground (see Fig. 1). (For general information on balancing consult Technical Bulletin No. 31). In an unbalanced system one of the signal paths is carried by the shield or is exposing the signal to the ground carrier. Because of this, interference signals such as hum, RF, noise etc. are picked up by the shield and can thereby enter the audio circuitry. The lower the signal level and/or the more ambient interference present, the greater is the danger of degradation allowed by an unbalanced (single ended) interface. To this day the interconnection of phono cartridges has been done "unbalanced" (a few pseudo-balanced phono preamps are available):


ANY DISTURBANCES THAT MANAGE TO PENETRATE THE GROUNDED SHIELD WILL ACT UPON THE TWO ANTI-PHASE SIGNALS IN THE SAME WAY. AS INTERFERENCE REJECTION IS OPTIMAL THE COMMON MODE SIGNALS ARE CANCELLED. CHASSIS AND CHASSIS AND TONEARM SYSTEM GROUND

 Fig. 1 THE INPUT STAGE OF THE FM 223 HAS AN EXTREMELY HIGH IMMUNITY ( 100 dB!) TO ANY NOISE AND INTERFERENCE THAT MAY BE PRESENT IN THE SHIELD AND GROUND SYSTEM.



Considering the extremely-low signal levels of cartridges, it becomes obvious that a true balanced signal interface to the preamplifier is a huge improvement over presently available designs. Unfortunately, such an elegant system was always faced with a number of technical challenges. In the FM 223 these limitations have been overcome entirely. The FM 223 is the only phono preamplifier which assure true balanced interconnection of cartridges*. Fig. 1 shows a balanced interface. Such a balanced interconnection of the phono cartridge has major advantages: - increased dynamics - higher headroom - elimination of non-musical signals (interferences) - lower hum and noise - etc. The signal lines from the cartridge are directly connected to the true balanced input stages and have no connection to the shield. Thus, the shield can function optimally, conducting all interference signals directly to ground. The ground, of course, must be separate from the electric ground of the circuits (in many other so-called "balanced" products this is not the case). *True balancing requires more than just XLR connectors on the preamplifier's inputs and outputs. It is the interference rejection ratio) that defines the accuracy of balancing and with it the suppression of disturbing non-audio signals. This is one of the characteristics that exemplifies the tremendous difference between the FM 223 and other so-called "balanced" phono stages.



Thank's to take your time with your post. I will wait that your unit be finished to look for those main specs.

Btw, why hybrid if you are a tube believer?, S.Farkland designed the all tube WaveStream Kinetics phono and for tubes it's an achievement.

R.

Raúl is like a broken record.  Best Audiogon time was when he got banned...... I guess, he was so desperate in his real life he begged the mods to come back...
Always his “religion”, his “knowledge” which isn’t’ a knowledge to move something in a better direction and the difference now is based on his age ( he is high in his age and his ability to listen and to understand is very limited. It never was good but now it is replaced with promoting data sheets from whoever.....
“knowledge” transfer from Mexico .... a pain for brain....