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Great Low Cost Phono Stage Recommendation For You

My Art Audio Vinyl One is out to have the volume control removed from the circuit so I'm using the PS Audio PSIII phono stage that I've had stored in my garage for a few years. It's been sitting in my system for 4 days getting warmed up and I must say that this is one fantastic little mm/mc preamp. I'm really enjoying listening and I wasn't expecting that... I was expecting to be painfully missing my Vinyl One and just not listening to any music.... but here I am enjoying the tonality and spatial presentation and just the overall feel of the music. Really amazing. I've tried a lot of the usual suspects in the under $1000 range and this thing kills them all, including the upgrade PS Audio GCPH that I had in my system for a few months last year. It's just so damn organic sounding. A really great value. Grab one if you can. They pop up from time to time here and on eBay. Even if you just throw it in the garage as a backup, it's worth it.
dhcod
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
It could be that you're enjoying a holiday from the Vinyl One. A friend bought one and invited me over to hear it. We both found it underwhelming and he put it here on Audiogon within a couple weeks. Pretty, though.
dhcod OP
710 posts
 
No, I find the Vinyl One to be terrific I'm sure others can back me up on this, but phono stages are to me the most system dependent pieces. The V1 is so rich and smooth and tactile and real sounding that I've never found anything in my price range to beat it at my house although I try all the time because I'm sick that way!
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Hmmm, Dhcod, so why do you suppose the PSAudio phonostage sounds so good to you?

:-)
dhcod OP
710 posts
 
I said it sounded good RELATIVE to other low cost phono stages that I've tried over the years. It's hardly comparable to the V1, a Herron, Aestetix, etc. or even an ASR Mini Basis Exclusive all of which I've heard. I was just pleasantly surprised that it was listenable and enjoyable even because when I've used the other under $1k units, I've been very disappointed.
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