Phono pre for Technics SL-1000R (Esoteric E-02?)


Hello!Is there any Technics SL1000R owner? I would like to know if it's easy to match with a phono pre or are any brands to avoid. 
I read some time ago very good reviews about the Esoteric E-02, any experience?
(My amp after de Techincs-phonopre is a 2a3 tube amp)

Thank you guys, I learn a lot every morning with my breakfast reading all the posts I can read. (#whitecamarossteam)
ramon74
@lewm
Since I have owned and used an atma-sphere MP1 for more than 20 years 
Hey Lew, by any chance do you also have MA-1's?OMG just went to your system MA-240? 6C33C's? what did you do Lew to get such beauty from RalphAnd ESLs? what?
Superb system Lew, hats to you


I bought the MA240s in "kit" form from Ralph back in the late 90s.  My pair were among the last ones he made, and I wanted to assemble the circuit such that each 6C33C could be separately biased, which required 3 separate driver tubes, one for each pair of output tubes.  At that time, I knew very little about circuit design or tubes or how to read a schematic, even. But I found a local guy who put the amplifiers together for me.  (MA240 essentially equals an MA2 with 6C33Cs instead of a gaggle of 6AS7s.)  Then I started studying tube electronics from books and with input from anyone who would talk to me, including a lot from Ralph.  Over the years I have made many further mods, including I have now reduced the output tube count by using four 7241 triodes per channel, instead of six 6C33Cs.  Gives about the same power but requires fewer tubes all around.  My Sound Lab 845PXs are modified as well.  Sorry for off topic.
I don't think your problems with RFI are likely to be due to something in the MP1 circuit.  Ralph makes a point about the fact that his units are relatively cable insensitive.  I've certainly never had a problem with hum or RFI, and I don't use megabuck cables; I make my cables in fact.
Your journey with the MA240's is amazing, I have the "gaggle" of 6AS7G's but I'm happy with them, the MA-1's are good in their own way.
My existing current Technics has single ended connections into adapter cables going balanced into the MP-1 that's why the RFI issue, if the connection would be balanced yes definitely the problem will be gone and YES his units are cable insensitive, I went replacing cables and trying different ones and if you keep "true" balanced end to end the cable makes no difference, a home made Mogami with Neutrik connectors is good enough.
Since the output from the cartridge can be treated as balanced, why not just put XLR connectors on the ends of your phono cables?  (You do need to use cables that provide two wires for the audio signal and a third wire for ground or if no third wire, which is not necessarily needed, you just connect the shield to pin1 of the XLR.  Pin1 is ground.) Does your tonearm terminate in a DIN connector from which you run a cable with female DIN at one end and RCAs at the other?  That's easy to change.  If you contact me privately, I would be happy to help.  I am stealing the thread by going off topic.
Thank you, I will keep your offer in mind, the only reason I haven't done it yet is I have a stock Technics 1210 mk5 which I'm selling, thought on modifying it with the DIN connector but since I'm selling it and getting a different TT and tonearm I will modify it on the one I'm getting. Single ended connections are a magnet for RFI, with a specific cartridge Stanton (track master?) the DJ one I get a radio station on the left speaker, change the cart to DL301 and I don't get radio. Turn on my digital rig with either cart and I get popping sounds on my right speaker like a faulty tube.Sorry to the OP for all the OT comments.
Thanks again Lew, appreciate it.