Zesto vs K & K phono stages

surprised at Vortex comment. I own an original, not upgraded Zesto Andros and it is anything but noisy.

I run it into 103db Avantgarde Duos, thru a GAT pre and Audiopax 30 monoblocks.

This is an all tube system and I have to put my ear right next to the speaker to hear any tube rush. Also no hum (unlike my TE Groove it replaced ).
Andros has over 60 db MC gain and easily provides live level volumes for both my .2mv Ortofon Anna and my .35Mv Benz LPS without turning up the GAT volume past 50.

Can't comment on bass comparison with Alnic or K&K, but the Andros was much better than my Tom Evans groove. My best performance came when pairing the Anna up with a Bobs Sky Cinemag SUT into the Andros MM stage. Bass and treble extension and dynamics are excellent. I switch between this set up and the Benz LPS thru the low output MC section for excellent although slightly less dynamic performance.

My Annas better performance with the Bobs SUT into the MM section might be indicative of Andros having lower quality internal transformers compared to the Bobs SUT.

In looking at the Alnic specs, it appears the max MC gain is 38 db, and there are no exterior loading options.

I would assume one would need a separate SUT to use any MC cartridge with less than .5 mv output.

The Alnic might be better match for higher output MC cartridges due to it's 4 levels of gain, but the Zesto has a low and high output MC gain. The Andros has two switches for MM vs MC on the back which is kind of a pain if you run two tonearms like I do. The Alnic's single front switch would be easier to live with, but I just deal with reaching around the back of my unit when I want to switch between my two cartridges.

Gain isn't an issue with the Allnics (I have an H-3000). The built-in SUTs add gain to the 38 db of MM input gain, which means at least 70 db for MC carts at the 40x winding.

Allnic's approach is a little different from most phono stages, more like giving the user four high-quality SUTS already on board an MM phono stage. If none of the four is an ideal voltage match for your cartridge, you can supply your own outboard SUT, plugged into an MM input. For example, I use a Bob's Sky 30 with one of my cartridges, not because my Allnic doesn't supply enough gain but because this cartridge happens to love a 30x winding in an SUT, whereas Allnic supplies 13x, 20x, 26x, and 40x. The 26x and 40x sound pretty good with it but 30x sounds even better.

I've never heard the Zesto but I know several people who really like it, even up against more expensive pieces like a Steelhead. I owned a K&K Maxxed Out and liked it a lot but sold it in preference for a Steelhead, which was, in turn, dramatically outperformed by the H-3000. That's not to say the H-1201 is in the same ballpark, though.

Mallen123 - the ground hum was pretty bad. I thought I had a defective unit, so I bought another one, and had the exact same issue. I even talked to George on the phone about the hum at the 55db MC setting and his response was "you should always switch it to 65db". I see in the v2 Andros the grounding scheme is different, which should tell you something.

And has someone else mentioned, you are not looking at the Allnic specs correctly in regards to gain.

One needs to take any comparison to the K&K Audio Maxed Out with a grain of salt. The "Maxed Out" has undergone several major (sonically) revisions in the last couple of years. If the person does not specify which version he/she is referring to then it may be that they heard an older incarnation and not the current offering. I can think of three major changes in the last couple of years. The addition of a CCS plate load to the input tube with the switch from series RIAA resistance to shunt resistance, greatly increasing the dynamic expressiveness. The switch from a JFET to a MOSFET in the JFET/vacuum tube cascode in the input stage, which made for a much more natural musical presentation. And finally the addition of current source fed discrete shunt regulators in the B+ supply which really enhanced jump factor and musical flow. One of the nice features of owning a K&K Audio product is looking forward to the improvements that Kevin continues to make. Improvements that Kevin won't charge an arm and a leg for like some companies. He prices his upgrades on the actual parts cost, not on the sonic benefits.

All that is true for any piece of high-end gear. Constant upgrades and revisions. It's why I usually qualify my description of the Herron VTPH-2 as being the best I've heard. I haven't heard any other phono stage equal it (most aren't even close), but I may not have heard the latest editions or revisions to the more popular units. This holds especially true of the smaller companies that are constantly pushing the performance envelope of each other.

I usually suggest that those looking for a new phono stage contact Keith Herron to see if they can arrange to secure a unit on loan / approval. IMO, it's really the only way to be sure.