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Whest Phono Stages

Having owned several phono stages starting with a more entry level Clear Audio unit (which I actually think is still very nice) and moving up the rungs of the ladder to other offerings; I started to research something which would perform in all of the aspects of what I want. I entered into a long exchange with a friend of mine who has had or used far more phono preamps than I have and he told me that in his opinion the Whest Titan Pro delivered more to his ears than anything else he’s heard. He did not own this unit, it was far outside of his reach cost-wise ($12K); however a friend of his owned it and allowed him to use it for a period of time. He has used tube and solid stage preamps, so he has experience with multiple formats of presentation.

This opinion started my extensive reading from users of the various Whest phono stages and what I was finding is that most Whest users not only stay with Whest, they usually upgrade into newer and more expensive Whest products. Since there are no audio dealers that I am able to go to in order to audition a Whest as they are sold in the US directly from Whest in London, I decided to simply find a used one and find out how it performs for me in my system. I was open to any of the mid level Whest phono stages as all of them are on the expensive side and I didn’t wish to spend the money required to buy something like the Titan Pro, so I kept an eye on what was showing up on the used market. I also spent a fair amount of time exchanging e mails with James Henriot on the differences between the products and what I would get in performance as I was to move up the line. My take away is that all Whest phono stages share elements of the top of the line products like the Titan Pro or the Reference V dual independent mono stages. The more the cost, the more the refinement and specialty elements such as suspension chassis to isolate the internal electronics from vibrations or more discreet hand matched components. It’s all about how much you are willing to pay to get to a new level to dig out the information cut into the vinyl.

Several months ago I found a very lightly used, almost new Whest Three Signature which is a main phono stage chassis with an external dual mono power supply and I bought it. I was shocked at how heavy the power supply is! This small chassis with the toroid transformer must weigh 5 pounds. The construction of both chassis units is really quite outstanding with a beautiful front panel and dual specially made XLR cables which run from the power supply to the main preamp.

The performance of this mid range phono stage ($4K new) is simply amazing. The details it digs out with tremendous dynamic output; it just puts to shame the other preamps I have used over the past two years. I can see why people who use Whest phono stages rave about them.

So now what do I do? Am I to stay with this Whest Three Signature from here forward and be very content? Or what is next? OK, next...... I just ordered a brand new NOS build Whest 2019 version PS.30 RDT SE using the front end components from the new PS.40 RDT series, Clarity caps, zero floating voltage, full chassis suspension, new heavier toroid dual high voltage/current transformers, full discrete bipolar PS.40 matched input section... .etc, etc. James said this 2019 version is a very different animal than all previous PS.30 RDT SE’s. I will have an opportunity shortly to test this against my fully broken in Whest Three.... can’t wait! With the Three  as good as it is, I am very hopeful that I’ll be in for a super treat. I just hope that I am not going to end up spending to get a Titan Pro by year end.....
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jagjag's avatar
jagjag
89 posts
 
I was an early Whest adopter. That was a long time ago. Mine was the tiny two box solution where one had to wire a loading resistor into an RCA plug and stick it into the unit, one for each channel. Communicating with James was an absolute pleasure, an absolute gentleman.

The Whest replaced an Acoustic Sounds Sutherland designed unit. Both were absolutely stellar in their own way. In my system, the Whest gave palpability, the Acousticsounds/Sutherland gave me precision.

If you have a Whest, stick with it and enjoy it. 

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Additional Info. I use the old JPS FX cables (still do)  for interconnects from TT to Phono stage and from phono stage to preamp.
boxer12
8,656 posts
 
Just picked up a used Whest Signature three a week ago & am loving it. Great phono stage! I'm using cardas reference IC's from the tonearm & audioquest yukon from the Whest to the Linn Klimax preamp. 
slimpikins5's avatar
slimpikins5 OP
191 posts
 
I have had my new to me MC A90 in the system for almost two weeks now and I am very impressed!   I set the Whest up at 100 ohms loading with 65 db gain.  After reading an article by Fremer on using his A90 with a new PS Audio phono stage, he set the loading at 200 ohms and preferred it.   I have a 220 ohm setting in the PS.30 RDT SE, so I decided to give it a try.  I must say the results are interesting.  I cannot say yet if I prefer it over 100 ohm, but it does seem to bring out the mid range and upper end with more detail.  I plan on running this for a few days before swapping it back to 100 ohms just so that my ears acclimate.

As far as using this high end MC vs. my AT20ss MM, I can say that it definitely has more to offer in all respects; however the AT20ss is no slouch.  This is not like a holy moly moment; it more like now that is very nice.  It should be as it's nearly a $5K cartridge vs. a $250 cartridge (in 1976 dollars which might be equal to around $1800 today).   For a guy on a tight budget, he'd serve himself very well if he could find a good like new AT20ss out there; it's 90% of the MC A90.  I like what qdrone suggested, go for the high end MC.  To gain 10% more in performance in a high end system is difficult to achieve and by simply adding in the A90, I seem to have done this.
boxer12
8,656 posts
 
I agree slimpickens. Some of the old MM are wonderful performers. I have an empire 4000 that gets put in the mix & it amazes me how good it is. Same with the old Grado signatures.
slimpikins5's avatar
slimpikins5 OP
191 posts
 
I have had many discussions with James at Whest about how to elevate performance in the analog chain. He always told me that as great as the AT20ss is and it is one of his all time favorites, any MM cannot pull out the detail from the recording as well as a good MC.  It has to do with the mass and reaction time the MM has which makes it slower than a well designed MC.  The MC will simply open things up and really dig out the detail.   I have also heard from others that a MC cannot duplicate the huge low end dynamic output of the AT20ss.

Since I now have a custom built PS.30 RDT SE 2019 with an input side trimmed for 20 pf so that my total input capacitance will hit 150 pf, the perfect specified capacitance of the AT20ss.  And a modified gain setting for 46 db which is what works so well with the 20ss; I have the best available for playback with one of the finest MM ever made.  The new dialed in capacitance did shift the high frequency peak up and out of the listening area which super smoothed out the entire range of the AT20ss; it has never sounded so good!
James hit it right on the mark; he knew exactly what to do and I suspect that is because he owns the AT20ss and has used it with his development work.   

With all this being said; he still pushed me to consider a nice MC; he thought that I'd enjoy the improvement over the excellent AT20ss. Since Whest uses the Ortofon Anna, A95 and A90 cartridges for their design testing, I thought it would be great if I could find one of these and I was lucky to stumble upon a mint condition A90 MC.
In an exchange with James not long ago, he told me that he prefers the A95 over the A90 in OEM stock configuration with the Replicant 100 stylus.  However after retipping his A90 with the ES Paratrace stylus, he prefers the A90 over the A95.   

Having listened to my new to me A90 with the Replicant 100 stylus, I have to say that it does surpass the AT20ss in all aspects, including the lower end dynamic output which surprised me.  I have two copies of Eric Burdon 'Declares War'  which dates back to around 1970.  Both in near mint condition and both suffer from some surface noise (clicks pops) which I have always had to just ignore.   When I put this record on with the A90 all and I mean ALL of the bothersome surface noise is gone!  It was like I just picked up a brand new analog repress.   After the first cut "Spill the Wine" which is a late 60's early 70's psychedelic play, it rolls into the balance of the front side which is all blues with a great Saxophone.  The detail I am hearing now is simply astounding!   I can hear the light breathes of the sax player and the low deep from the lungs low level breath as he fills the sax softly in the background as he joins Eric Burdon on quiet passages. 

I was simply stunned at what I am hearing now.  I decided to play with the loading after hearing this.  I moved to 220 ohms vs. the suggested 100 ohm setting with the A90.  It's interesting and I wish to play more on this setting as I am hearing more open air, but I want to see if I am missing anything after I go back to 100 ohms in a week or so.
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