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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

128x128infection
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,800 posts
 
@infection I mentioned earlier about how you can't just buy tubes off the shelf and expect them to work in a high performance circuit.
Lew's advice is good- those tubes are in there for a reason. This isn't saying that you can't do better- you can, just expect that when you buy a hot-shot tube be it boutique or NOS, that it may not be as quiet or low microphonics as you expected and you may have to return it and try again.

We buy tubes 100 at a time, so we have more examples to go through to find the tubes in the box that sound right. I'm sure that's what Keith is doing too.
dentdog's avatar
dentdog
498 posts
 
BAT
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@lewm 

Apparently we agree on that, and we agree that REAL ECC801s/802s/803s are very rare and very valuable in the crazy tube collector market. If yours are real, good for you. I do have some real Telefunken ECC83/12AX7s, and I only know they are real because I bought them in the 70s, from a reputable source, before this craziness began and before the Chinese and Eastern Europeans started making bogus TFKs and Amperex and etc tubes.  

I could not buy mine in the 70s, i was born in the 70s, but i bought mine from Tube Museum NYC. They are real with diamond etc. Those guys are pretty serious about tubes. I have also purchased a matched quad of Telefunken military E84L (EL84). Original boxes etc. I was working in a printing business, i can recognize an old prints (and old factory boxes).

You are right that tube collectors market is crazy, but it is not my problem anymore and i am happy about it.  
infection's avatar
infection OP
808 posts
 

@lewm  @atmasphere - thank you both for informing me. I didn’t think of matching. I still have much to learn with valves!


What do you guys think of the Allnic H1201? The reviews appear favourable...

lewm
13,039 posts
 
Allnic H1201 is probably very good.  This is based only on reading, but I have seen back and forth discussions of H1201 vs Herron VTPH2, suggesting that the two are in the same league.
Chakster, Good that you found a reputable seller from which to purchase your rare TFKs. 
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