Manly Steelhead - any downside??

Not really. It's my reference, and has been for a few years now. There are a few other great ones worth auditioning like the BATVK 10SE, but the Manley's flexibility can't be beat. I use the stock tubes.

Mikey. It is yourself and other reviewers that enable guys like me outside the US to know what is available and what might take our fancy. I am looking forward to hearing the steelhead and if I like it to power up my old Linn.

Downunder, check with Vetterone when he gets home. He has been using the Steelhead for a while, and with some tube upgrades he is quite taken with it. Even more so than some well regarded and more expensive units.

FWIW I'm planning to sell my Klyne and Pass Labs in spring to get the Steelhead. Don't buy the one I want!

I just received the brand spanking new steelhead from the distributor and finished playing three LP's. New Order's latest LP "waiting for the sirens call", New Order "Brotherhood" and 1st Dire Straits album.

WOW! It sounds great straight from the box (well 30 minutes after switch on:). Sometimes when you plug something in it just sounds right - well the steelhead is one of those piece's of equipment.

The steelhead has great bass weight and drive, that unmistakeable tube bloom/meat on the bones(or whatever one wants to call it) in the upper bass,lower mid's and it actaually does PRAT, like the best naim equipment.
If it continues to get better over the next few days - it ain't going back!.
After many years and quite a few phono stages either owned or at home for demo's - namely Naim prefix, fm acoustics 122, cj prem 15, CAT internal phono, Aesthetix IO & rhea, ayre P5x,herron phono and finally the very nice Pass Xono. the steelhead just on 3 records has quite easily bested these nice phono stages buy making the records like good music. I guess sometimes money does buy a better sounding product.

thanks to all you goner's that gave me your insights to how it sounded in your systems from this thread.

back to listening to the steelhead and music!

Downunder...I am so glad you like what you are hearing. It will smooth out somewhat with more hours. A bigger change will happen when you change the 6922 tubes. I have tried many tubes but not the Tele CCa's yet. I will take Brian's advice and try these too. I have, however, tried Tele EC88's and E88CC's as well as half a dozen other in the 6922 family. My experence with the Siemens CCa has not been anything but great. They are my favorite as of now. For a lot less money, a set of Amperex white lable PQ 6922's will sound smooth, not hamper the details and let the sound flow in a very musical way.

Another thing I have tried is placing a small amount of Stillpoints ERS material around the caps. Too much tends to kil the life of the music but a little bit ( a square inch on each side) attached to the case in the area of the caps adds to the clarity and articulation that I get when I listen.

Please keep us posted on what you experience...

Steve