It depends on how much you value you impart to listening to a diamond scrape on a cheap piece of plastic.
Is it really worth it to get a phono stage over $10k
Vinyl has been a steep learning curve. I have, I think, a nice John Curl phono boards built into my Audible Illusions M3B. I am considering getting the new AI PH-1 $11.5 phono stage. Art Ferris at AI says that this two box unit, also designed by John Curl, is no compromise able to match or beat the best available. Curl did design the two Constellation PS-Andromeda and Perseus. I wonder if the $35k Perseus puts a lot of $ into the beautiful chassis and unnecessary bell and whistles? AI does have a long lived reputation for value and quality. In addition to the outboard phono stage I will have to get a really good interconnect which will add a lot. My analog rig is super good. Surely the best I have ever had. Woodsong Garrard 301, Ortophon 309 arm, Myajima Shalabi. It has me going a bit nuts in upgrading. $33k Tetra speakers, $7k Stealth speaker cable, $4k Stealth phono cable, amp-to be decided. The main question is whether an expensive our board phono stage is the way to go.
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As with all audio components and any other manufactured item for that matter. The more you spend the less increase in perceived performance. Called diminishing returns. I have always dreamed of getting a Coda phono section but just can't justify the additional expense over a $1000 to $1500 retail piece. At the end of the day it is your budget and your wallet. So blow your money on what makes you happy. |
Since people have mentioned the Zesto Andros 1.2 and the Manley Chinook in this thread, I’ll chip in with my two-penneth. I went from Manley Chinook to Zesto 1.2 and I’m currently using the Allnic H-1202 on loan from Hammertone Audio in Canada. [https://www.hammertoneaudio.com] The progression from Chinook to Zesto was more about personal preference than the superiority of one over the other. The Chinook was warm and musical and instantly identifiable as a tube phono. The Zesto was cleaner, more detailed, more dynamic, more analytical. I chose the Zesto over the Chinook. Thinking I’d probably hit a reasonable point on the scale, where the laws of diminishing returns would kick in and negate the need to rise beyond the Zesto level of performance, the Allnic H-1202 came along. The Allnic set a new benchmark, yet it’s their entry-level unit. It’s neither overly warm nor overly analytical, it kinda pulls the qualities of the Chinook and Zesto together and combines them. It’s a knock-out unit for under $4k. (the Zesto was closer to $5k) So I think ’yes’, it’s worth trying something different, but ’no’ it doesn’t necessarily mean spending north of $10K to get a substantial improvement. I used even more words to say the same thing here https://audioresurgence.com/2020/03/allnic-audio-h-1202-phono-preamp-review.html For context, Origin Live Resolution MKIV with all upgrades, OL Illustrious arm with silver hybrid cable, ZYX Ulti 100/z Rooze |
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