Looking for phono stage recommendations

Nrchy,you are really cute!Why do I get the sneaky suspicion that you already know what you are going to buy before you post the question?Well you seem to be a good guy,so I'll play along,again.I have to admit that I love this anyway!!

I have heard that the All solid state and battery driven AR Basis is a Killer unit.This I have read in TAS.Recommended by HP,himself,as the best,as of last issue,and we all know that could change in a month.Just thought I'd throw it out there.

The only advice I can offer up,based on real experience is to REALLY be careful of the "latest hot product" issue.This is the plague of this hobby(remember TENOR).

Make sure the mfgr has a track record and will be around for a while.I have heard the latest CJ/Sutherland/Aesthetix/Lamm/BAT etc.All these units are superb.The potential taste variances are even greater than those of the tonearms and cartridges, IMO!As with the arm issue,you KNOW that you are not as inexperienced as your thread question implies,so you WILL make a good choice.

Lastly,once you have made a final choice,if it is a tube unit,you can squeeze even more performance from many of these phonostages,by doing a bit of tube rolling with NOS types.No matter what the mfgr claims.Sorry,but true!This I have a great deal of experience with,in quite a few differing tube driven stages,in a number of differing set-ups.Not a necessity,but a cute little upgrade path for future consideration.Good luck,even though you don't need it!

I am using the setup that Flyingred has suggested, the Hagerman Trumpet and Bent Audio stepups. This is a great sounding setup. Sirspeedy is right as using NOS tubes on the Trumpet elevated the performance to an even higher level. The Bent audio stepups allow you to easily adjust for loading of any value resistor which is real plus.

Hi there,
for my tuppence worth the Quicksilver stages are great & cheap.
Just bought a Syrah (which is lovely) but the phono stage does not compare with my Quicksilver & step up transformer.
I have listened to EAR stages & these are great but I would reckon unless you are using one of their amps, the Quicksilver is better.
The only ss stage I ever liked was the Lancelot Camelot but sold that as I prefered the Quicksilver - just sounded more like live music. Listened to Dynavectors, Dinos etc souless imo
Using zyx cartridges and after much fooling(never before having the option to change loading before the Syrah - well the Camelot but that was a pain to fool with) - imho 47Kohms still best.
NOS tubes, creatura dampers & cvc damping made a huge difference to the Quicky and just as an afterthought - ha, a decent power cord - a Shunyata Python made a difference to the DC powered Camelot I would not have believed !
Si

Whest
--VERY good

Sirspeedy - I really don't know what to get right now. I talked to Mehran about the ZYX, but he's only ever had one of them and I don't think he ever heard it in his own system. It sounded like he sold it right from the factory. He does have three other (It think) pre-orders, but...

I forgot to list the Rhea, but the only one I can find here is from Zhusain who was rather snippy in response to a question I asked him once, so I prefer not to deal with him. I love Aesthetix stuff and if I could afford it I would get the IO or the signature.

The problem with most of the recommendations is that I can not hear them within four hours from my home, and some not even that close.

I never thought about the Klyne, but I do have the 7LX3.5 that was upgraded a couple of years ago by Stan Klyne. I might have to give that some serious thought.

Keep the ideas coming.