Phono stages belong to which tier?

I haven't heard what many here would consider "top tier" phonostages but I ran the Whest PS.30 (using a Dynavector 20XM mounted on a VPI Scout) against the EAR 834P, Acoustat PH1 and the ARC PH5 and it was markedly better than all of them. Very three dimensional, quiet, detailed and dynamic. Not sure how it would compete against much pricier models since they were out of my reach. Of course all of this is very subjective and system dependent--not sure a ranking like this is really of much value. You really have to consider the cartridge and the phonostage as a package rather than rate phonostages as a stand alone item.

Thank you for your responses.
One thing I have noticed, that the Aesthetix io consistently is considered as one of the best.
Do any other phono stages receive this recognition????

Logenn,
Can you compare the sonic qualities of the Lamm LP2 and the Allnic?

Since you own both, I'd be very interested in your evaluation. I'm not looking for a ranking (personal tastes et al), but I'm keen on your comparison of sonic characteristics. Thanks, Jeff

Not sure about top tier, but in my system the Manley Steelhead has stood out above the rest. After it, in order, I like the...
Simaudio LP5.3 & PSX5.3 combo
BAT VK-P10se
ASR Basis Exclusive
Ayre P-5XE

Pedrillo,

A lot of fine phono stages listed here, but, I wouldn't draw any sort of conclusions based on the number of favorable mentions. Some are quite rare, like the FM Acoustics, Connoisseur, and Viva Fono, so I doubt that many have heard them. At audio shows, the Io and the Lamm can be easily found, so some have at least "heard" them, though I don't see how anyone can make a fair evaluation under those circumstances.

I've heard some that have gotten widespread praise that really just did not work well in the particular system I heard them in. The whole matching thing can be quite complex. Even stages that seem so incredibly flexible and adjustable can simply not work well in certain situations.

If you are making a list of contenders to try to audition, then yes, comment here can be useful. But, if you are trying to divine some sort of "consensus" single best, this approach will not yield a useful result. Also, there are some fundamental differences in sound between tube and solid state phonostages and tube stages that use a step up transformer and those that do not. You would need to listen to different types to narrow the focus of your search.

Stratguy,

I had a Linn Linto, which I used with a Lyra Helikon. It worked very well with that particular cartridge -- lively and engaging without being unnaturally etched or edgy. I don't know how well it would work with other cartridges, particularly since it does not provide any way to adjust loading (it has a fixed resistor and a case that defies opening). I believe that either the Linn cartridges are made by Lyra or share the same designer, so there may have been a synergy with my Helikon.

Still, if you can audition the Linto with your own cartridge, I think it is a pretty good phonostage for the money.