Valve phono stage

@donvito101 - thanks but Upscale do not ship tube components outside the U.S. Although I have contacted a Manley dealer in NY who does...

@lewm - I appreciate your suggestion but I want a dedicated PS.

@dangcaonguyen - the problem is it's nearly $9k 

Call Kevin at K+K audio.  This is one sharp, honest guy.  This is a guy who can discuss the balanced issue and to the sound of the caps resistors tubes etc...

You will not get Marketing hype and maybe the best deal on a musical phono stage.

Keep the arm the phono stage is alot more important.  Tubes are a great way to get real sounding music in your home.

Enjoy the ride
Tom

Infection, **If** the balanced inputs of your fully balanced Wyred 4 Sound STP-SE Stage 2 preamp provide significantly better sonics than its unbalanced inputs (and I doubt that anyone not having experience with that particular design can do more than speculate about that), and if you want to consider the Herron or some other phono stage providing only unbalanced outputs, you may want to consider the possibility of converting those unbalanced outputs to a true balanced pair of signals using a Jensen transformer.

Although I have not used Jensen transformers myself, based on a number of experiences with them that have been reported here by highly experienced audiophiles my impression is that they are quite good. And for that matter, the excellent Allnic phono stage that was suggested earlier uses a transformer to drive its outputs, although it apparently has a fully balanced internal signal path and provides a lower output impedance than the Herron would in combination with a transformer. (The output impedance difference would most likely not matter in your case, though, given the 60K input impedance of your preamp, and assuming that interconnect lengths would not be particularly long).

The Jensen PI-2RX listed on this page ($250) would be a suitable transformer, IMO. An additional benefit it would provide is that it would eliminate the possibility of any ground loop issues between the phono stage and the preamp.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al

Forget the above. Buy a Precision Fidelity C7. A great cascode tube phono stage with level controls and source selection designed by Bruce Moore (Paragon, MFA, Audible Illusions). Available on the used market for around $500!

I’m too am looking specifically for a phono pre with a proper balanced output for use with a *differential* bipolar headphone amp/pre-amp. I have the digital end covered with a fully internally balanced R-2R ladder DAC that has a wonderful output stage. Now it’s time for my turntable to get the same treatment.

Note: I have listened to many sources both balanced and single ended with this particular bipolar head/pre and the ones that provide the true differential balanced signal sound like absolute magic. The SE ones converted to “balanced”, not so much.

I’m not as married to tubes, but prefer them as early as possible in the signal path when looking for that sound signature. So I’m eagerly watching the results of this thread!