About 3 days ago i hooked up my current-injection phonostage (47 Labs Phonocube) to my system and i was blown away! We were sitting here with a friend of mine who often comes to my apartment. Even him is quite familiar with the sound coming from my two Luxman PD-444 turntables with various tonearms and cartridges, using different phono stages. Prior to that we already selected our "cartridge of the month" just for fun, it was an MI cartridge (Grado Signature XTZ) connected to WLM Reference phono stage with upgraded load resistors (100k Ohm Vishay). The second best was LOMC Fidelity-Research FR-7fz connected via Luxman toroidal silver SUT to JLTi 47k Phono stage, probably it was too bright.
I want to tell you that same FR-7fz on FR-64fx with W-250 counterweight and N-60 stabilizer never ever sounded as good as with the 47 Labs Phonocube phonostage. The impedance of this cartridge is 5 Ohm, the output is 0.24mV. Prior to that i have tried this cartridge with Gold Note PH-10 phonostage direct, with WLM and JLTi direct, also with ZYXCPP-1 headamp and with two different SUTs too.
With 47 Labs Phonocube the cartridge became so alive and emotional contact with the music is so strong that i can clearly say this is the best phono stage i have ever heard. We did the same next night and again and again... My feeling is like i’m right there with musicians, the sound is so dynamic and open that it’s a kind of psychedelic experience. The rest of the chain is passive Pass Aleph L preamp and First Watt F2J current source power amp, upgraded Zu Audio Druid mk4 speakers with latest Zu Audio drivers (101db) and Radian super tweeters.
What i am gonna say here:
With current-injection phono stages you don’t have to think about loading at all, no optional loading! But it’s completely different experience with relatively low impedance LOMC cartridges. And i did not try my Phonocube with Miyabi cartridge yet, so i can only imagine the result, because it was designed for Miyabi. I decided to check FR-7fz with Phonocube because i am using this cartridge in my system often and i thought i knew its character.
I believe our @lewm experienced something similar with his new current injection device with his MC2000.
My advice to others:
FORGET ABOUT CARTRIDGE LOADING!
Look for current injection phono stages for your low impedance LOMC cartridge, there are quite a few on the market. None of the conventional phono stages with optional loading in my arsenal (like the Gold Note PH-10 with PS-10 or JLTi mk4 for exampe, or my WLM Phonata Reference) are even close to the sound coming from the current injection little phonocube (without optional loading).
I am using original Phonocube, but here is a DIY version with schematic (to read how it works).
I want to tell you that same FR-7fz on FR-64fx with W-250 counterweight and N-60 stabilizer never ever sounded as good as with the 47 Labs Phonocube phonostage. The impedance of this cartridge is 5 Ohm, the output is 0.24mV. Prior to that i have tried this cartridge with Gold Note PH-10 phonostage direct, with WLM and JLTi direct, also with ZYXCPP-1 headamp and with two different SUTs too.
With 47 Labs Phonocube the cartridge became so alive and emotional contact with the music is so strong that i can clearly say this is the best phono stage i have ever heard. We did the same next night and again and again... My feeling is like i’m right there with musicians, the sound is so dynamic and open that it’s a kind of psychedelic experience. The rest of the chain is passive Pass Aleph L preamp and First Watt F2J current source power amp, upgraded Zu Audio Druid mk4 speakers with latest Zu Audio drivers (101db) and Radian super tweeters.
What i am gonna say here:
With current-injection phono stages you don’t have to think about loading at all, no optional loading! But it’s completely different experience with relatively low impedance LOMC cartridges. And i did not try my Phonocube with Miyabi cartridge yet, so i can only imagine the result, because it was designed for Miyabi. I decided to check FR-7fz with Phonocube because i am using this cartridge in my system often and i thought i knew its character.
I believe our @lewm experienced something similar with his new current injection device with his MC2000.
My advice to others:
FORGET ABOUT CARTRIDGE LOADING!
Look for current injection phono stages for your low impedance LOMC cartridge, there are quite a few on the market. None of the conventional phono stages with optional loading in my arsenal (like the Gold Note PH-10 with PS-10 or JLTi mk4 for exampe, or my WLM Phonata Reference) are even close to the sound coming from the current injection little phonocube (without optional loading).
I am using original Phonocube, but here is a DIY version with schematic (to read how it works).
