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How much difference will a phono stage upgrade make?

For the past couple of years I’ve slowly been upgrading my audio equipment. I currently have a Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP integrated amplifier, an EAT C-Sharp TT with an Ortofon Quintet Black MC cartridge, and Tannoy Revolution XT 8F speakers. The weak link at this point, it would seem, is my phono stage, which is a Pro-Ject Tube Box DS. All things considered, my system sounds really good to my ears, but I can’t help but wonder what a phono stage upgrade would bring to the table. I’m looking at the Manley Chinook Special Edition MK II, which is a big step up in terms of cost, but I wonder how much better it will actually sound. Has anybody made a similar upgrade, and was there a marked uptick in sound quality?
12hz
big_greg
6,670 posts
 
I had a project tube box, I think it was the tube box S. It was okay, but there was a noticeable improvement when I replaced that with a jolida jd9. The musical surroundings Nova phonomena was also an improvement over the tube box. My most dramatic improvement was upgrading from the jd9 to a Manley Chinook. After reading this thread tonight I swapped out the Chinook for my parks puffin just for kicks. The parks puffin compares very nicely to the Chinook and the puffin is only $400.
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inna
7,347 posts
 
Anyone compared directly Allnic 1201 or 1202 with the Manley and Sutherland phonos ? Yeah, comparing tube stages with solid state may create additional difficulties, can be just very different.
I am asking because I have Acoustech designed by Sutherland and thinking ahead. Almost certainly will go after tube phono, almost..
dontbuymp3s's avatar
dontbuymp3s
6 posts
 
If you like the sound of the Pro-ject can I suggest the Pro-ject Phono Box RS with the battery PSU. I use it with a Quintet Black S giving excellent results. Don't hear it with the standard PSU you will be disappointed.
oldschool1948's avatar
oldschool1948
503 posts
 
I have a NAD M12 pre/dac, a Technics SL-1200G TT with an Ortofon Quintet Black MC cartridge, and Tannoy Definition 8 dcti speakers.  The sound was quite good using the M12's phono input.  I purchased a Parasound JC3 Jr and the sound is sooo much better.
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