What is the Phono stage you have finished with?

after having owned these : blue circle 22-707, whest 2.0, einstein the tt choice, burmester 011, cary ph 302, karan ka lp, cat legend, artemis pl-1, fm acoustics 222 mk3, ear 324.

Over the last decade or so I have owned an Exposure 13, EAR 834P (with and without MC4 transformer), EAR 324, Lehmann Black Cube SE, Naim Prefix/Supercap, Benz Lukaschek PP-1, Michell/Trichord Delphini, Brinkmann Fein, plus in-built phono stages in a Jeff Rowland Concenra, Accuphase E-406, Audio Note M2 and Audible Illusions M3A.

I have also spent at least a week each with an Enstein Turntable's Choice, EAR 88PB, Tom Evans GrooveX, Pass AlephOno, Connoisseur Definitions and a few other lesser phono stages not worth mentioning.

The one that remains is the Exposure 13. It is (was) a fraction of the price of many here, but has not been made for some years and is now quite rare. It has a fixed 470 ohm loading. It is probably exceeded in many respects by many of the phono stages I have mentioned - eg the EAR 324 is quieter and more versatile, the Tom Evans is tonaly more neutral, the Einstein has a more liquid midrange - but for all-round musicality, the thing that makes you forget the equipment and focus on the music - I have not heard anything to beat it. In fact, I recently picked up a second one.

Sebastian, does that mean the ear 324 is the one you've settled on?

Recently, I have been using the phono stage in the Pioneer C-Z1 preamp from 30yrs ago. Very very quiet.

sorry T-Bone my message is not complete; The TRON 7 Reference is the one I have settle with after having those list of phonos.

So I have now had my Nagra VPS and VFS for over 2 years. It's a wonderful phono stage. I am sure you can spend more and get a better. However, in my system my toes are always tapping, just great tonality, natural, and imaging.

Really a great phono stage.