2. analog
  3. 125723-119

Do they make a quiet great sounding phono pre amp??

Hi, I have purchased and listened to 3 phono preamps which are: A musical surroundings phonomena, musical surroundings Nova II, and a Manley labs Chinook. The Manely labs Chinook is by far bettter sounding then the first two (double the cost too). But, All three have given me nothing but trouble (noise,noise,noise even terrible clipped signals!), and 2 of them basically failed on me. So before I go DIGITAL, can someone please tell me who makes a phono preamp in the $2,000-$3,000 range (tube or solid state) that I can rely on, and sounds as good or better than the Chinook?? Thanks.


Matt M                                             
128x128mattmiller
effischer
565 posts
 
Here's a SS unit that's well reviewed and within your budget:  https://www.audiogon.com/listings/phono-sutherland-20-20-mc-mm-phono-pre-solid-state-quite-dynamic-w...  I looked at it very hard and was favorably impressed before I decided to go with an integral rig.  Might be worth an audition for you.

Good luck & happy listening!

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rauliruegas
13,103 posts
 
Dear @mattmiller: From some years now tubes are not the right, precise and best technology for Phono Stages. That technology has several limitations to make the cartridge shines.

SS technology improved a lot in all those years and today is the best way to go with LOMC cartridges.

The Klyne @jmcgrogan2 advice outperforms any other single PS name it in this thread but it's not easy to find out second hand and new is very expensive.
So, the other SS options as Simm Audio, Parasound, Liberty, etc. could be better for you regarding $$$ but the Klyne is very hard to beat.

I hope you own enough LPs and the time, know-how and patience to fine tune your audio system to the analog experience and if not then is better to go for the digital one that today has nothing to envy to the  LP.


Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
lewm
13,252 posts
 
I don't want to argue with Raul too much, because I do agree that a solid state phono stage has a better chance to be really dead quiet with very low output MCs (let's define that as 0.3mV and below), but it is also possible to get there with tubes and especially with hybrid devices employing both transistors and tubes in the signal path.  Typically in the latter case, a transistor is used at the input as voltage amplifier.  Apparently the Herron using its MC input is one such device.  With MM or MI cartridges, any really good tube phono stage ought to be very quiet; if it's not, there's a problem either with the design or the tubes or with grounding.  My vintage Quicksilver full function preamplifier, old as it is, is as quiet as any CDP, when driven either by my Grace Ruby or my Acutex LPM320.

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Hell Raul,
Back when my audio system was analog dominant both the Klyne and Herron were consistently regarded as excellent Phono stages. Is your preference for the Klyne the result of direct listening  comparison to the Herron or based on the former’s design/specifications?
Charles,
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
I had a Rhea and a Chinook before the current Steelhead.  While the Rhea had significant tube rush, even with a new set of Aesthetix tubes, The Chinook was absolutely DEAD quiet so, while I don't know what you're doing with tubes, you should not hear anything from that phono stage except music. I would contact Manley.  And if you swapped out the stock tubes that came with it, shame on you.
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