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Valve phono stage

I’m considering switching to valves for my phono stage... can any of you guys recommend any with balanced outs for around $3800?

Current phono stage is Whest PS.30RDT.

I’m currently using a Roksan Xerxes 20Plus with Origin Live Encounter arm & upgraded Lyra Skala.

Or would I reap great rewards from an arm upgrade...?


Thanks

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lewm
13,358 posts
 
oholter, you have an advantage on me, because you have owned and aesthetics Io and I have not. However everything I can find on the Internet about it suggests that the phono circuit is balanced, contrary to what you say above. Do you know differently?
mds's avatar
mds
119 posts
 
i know you wanted balanced but If you don't mind going single ended Tom Tutay can Build you a Tube Phono Preamp for less than your budget.

mds
infection's avatar
infection OP
809 posts
 
@o_holter  - thanks. I've decided against the Rhea now...

@steveyork - yeah I saw that, thanks. I'm still deciding what to choose...

@mds  -  I've never heard of him... do you have a link to his site?
bpoletti
1,556 posts
 
@lewm Take a very close look at phono cart signal generators. Doesn’t matter if the cart is MI, MM or MC. They are NOT balanced, they are single-ended with a + and - pole. One strand of wire that runs from the hot side of the connector to the ground side. No neutral.


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cleeds
6,036 posts
 
bpoletti
... Take a very close look at phono cart signal generators. Doesn’t matter if the cart is MI, MM or MC. They are NOT balanced, they are single-ended with a + and - pole ...
Huh? A stereo phono cartridge is inherently balanced; there is a separate hot and ground for each channel.
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