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How much difference will a phono stage upgrade make?

For the past couple of years I’ve slowly been upgrading my audio equipment. I currently have a Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP integrated amplifier, an EAT C-Sharp TT with an Ortofon Quintet Black MC cartridge, and Tannoy Revolution XT 8F speakers. The weak link at this point, it would seem, is my phono stage, which is a Pro-Ject Tube Box DS. All things considered, my system sounds really good to my ears, but I can’t help but wonder what a phono stage upgrade would bring to the table. I’m looking at the Manley Chinook Special Edition MK II, which is a big step up in terms of cost, but I wonder how much better it will actually sound. Has anybody made a similar upgrade, and was there a marked uptick in sound quality?
12hz
soundermn's avatar
soundermn
344 posts
 
chakster2,484 posts03-04-2019 9:56am
 You'll see that Kevin Deal highly recommends the Chinook with the Primaluna as a good match. 

Kevin Deal is a tube dealer, what else he can recommend?
He also a dealer of Manley Lab. gear


yes he does. He also sells dozens of other brands including SS preamps.  He isn’t recommending the chinook so he can get rich selling 4 replacement tubes. He’s making a solid recommendation as I and others have said.  

OP you will love it, I’m sure. Please report back!  And if you don’t, Kevin accepts returns. 
toddc2
19 posts
 
I rolled out of the ElectroHarmonix and Sovteks. Ive got NOS Telefunken in the phono stage now. Lush sound, but alot of rush at my listening levels

Phono tubes, especially NOS, are tricky to get right. I'm lucky to have a local tube dealer that brings a stash of tubes to my house so we can listen to them in my system before I buy them. The other way I have gotten great tubes is to call Andy over at Vintage Tube Services and see what he recommends. 
soundwatts
221 posts
 
+1 on the Chinook. I have had it for a couple of years with 3 cartridges. Superb 
johnto
1,027 posts
 
I just upgraded ( bought used unheard but read reviews) to an Ayre P5 XE and was totally blown away by the improvement in sound so yes an upgrade should make great difference .
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,103 posts
 
Dear @12hz and firends : Almost all in this thread are tube lover pre-historic/arcaic technology and is fine with me.

Note that I said " tube lovers " not MUSIC lovers. Because if you were/been true MUSIC lovers then all of you will stay out/far away from tubes.

Tubes can't ( the technolgy of tubes can't do it, is very limited for MUSIC and today audio standards to really enjoy MUSIC. ) honor MUSIC.
Which one of you tube lovers already has the first hand experience to stay/be seated in a live MUSIC event at NEAR FIELD position?.

Near field position means 1m-2m from the MUSIC source that's where normally the recording sessions/proccess microphones are positioned/seated.

Because that's the way we have to listen what comes out from our speakers. Live MUSIC is not sweet but brigth is not warm but agressive is not lush but with a full power we can feel it is not " organic " either.

So, if you like tube electronics then what you like is the hardware but not the source/software that's the star in each one of us room/audio system: MUSIC and its reality.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R:


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