Celebration vs Blackbird

Dear Alun: I don't know nothing about your phonopreamp, so I can't tell you if it is true that the MM stage is better than the MC stage on it, other than if the MC stage use internal step up transformers then it is better if you go for the blackbird.

The Celebration is a better quality sound performer with the right gain ( with out external/internal SUT ) phonopreamp and I never had any tracking problem with it in any record.

Now, in my opinion, the phonopreamp is the most important link on an analog rig, if you want to take out the best of your analog rig you have to put your money in the best phonopreamp that you can buy on your budget. You will be rewarded if you do so.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I don't believe that the sfp-1 uses transformers. I think it adds a FET stage to apply gain.
I've used this pre for a couple of years now in MC mode with my Benz Gold and I don't really notice any tube noise or distortion so it could be that the signature version (which I have) is a much better performer than the standard version.
Thank you for your response Raul, always a pleasure to hear your opinion, but I am having trouble believing that the phono stage is the MOST important piece in phono playback. I can't say however if there is a most important piece in the phono chain as they all seem to support each other. An excellent phono stage will not help a poor cartridge IMO.
Cheers!

Just FYI I just got the PS Audio GCPH gain cell phono stage and it is excellent, and reasonably priced, and can be audiotion for 30 days in home. Just burn it in first. search for inverse RIAA on the vinyl asylum - I have some files online for burning in phono stages.

Dear Alun: +++++ " An excellent phono stage will not help a poor cartridge " +++++

No it not help to the cartridge, it will help to you telling you that that cartridge is a poor performer, in a normal phonopreamp ( not an excellent one ) maybe you can't know that that cartridge is a poor performer because it have not the quality resolution for to " tell it ".

Some other time we can talk about: this is a critical subject in the anolog music sound reproduction and like I already post and in my experience the phonopreamp is the most important link in the analog reproduction, yes I know that every single link is important but the phonopreamp task is a very special and critical one.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I understand what you are saying Raul as it does make sense. System hierarchy is definately an interesting subject regarding vinyl playback and would be a good thread starter (if it hasn't already been done!). I could suggest though that if muscial truth is found higher up the chain then one could only conclude that the speaker is the final and most influential component in the audio chain, as it allows us to hear what is happening further up. I think that David Wilson is also a believer in this theory.
BUT... a good tracking/sounding cartridge will allow the listener to enjoy a broader range of recordings regardless of the superiority of phono stage, no? If something is too revealing then it would also show all the defects in the vinyl and recording event thus creating a poorer listening experience.
I personally can't stand mistracking and groove distortion, however I appreciate the detail and ambient space provided by LP over CD. Surface noise on an LP can be really frustrating and judging by many of the complaints lodged on this forum regarding noise it is also something of an issue for many others.
One of the main reasons for looking at the Sumiko line is because many users seem to be happy with the overall sound and lack of having to tweek the tonearm to the n'th degree just to get the cartridge to make music. My ETII tonearm is fussy enough and I figured the Sumiko's may be more forgiving in the matter of setting VTA,Azimuth etc just right. Many audiophiles are masters of setting up a cartridge and tonearm and I'm certain you are one of them. I can assure you that I am not a master at this science and probably never will be. I hope I am buying one of my last cartridges for a looonggg time.
Thank you for your input and suggestions, now if only I could get that Aesthetix Rhea!