Problem with phono stage

I haven't posted much here, but do read quite a bit and love to learn; I have learned a few things on this thread and find much of what @atmasphere, @geof3 (and others as well) have posted to be helpful and make sense to me. However, @rauliruegas, you are obviously knowledgeable, and have a lot to offer, but I would prefer you leave the personal attacks out of your posts. In my opinion, personal attacks don't help you, the OP, me or others and cast a shadow over the rest of your posts. 

I am still scratching my head a bit as to why when the only thing changed between the two scenarios is the phono stage that we get an "unlistenable" experience; it could be that the Lehmann requires a different setup I suppose, or that it does a much better job at exposing other weaknesses in the system - but I would find a way to verify the Lehmann is performing to specification before proceeding down other avenues. I have bought (and fixed) a lot of used equipment, and found that sometimes what sounds fine to the seller can mean they did not know or could not hear that there was a problem.

The A28 phono stage appears to be a simple single gain stage op-amp based design, but owning and listening to a few reputed 'better' ones (A Sutherland PH3D and a Croft Micro 25 for example), I think it does quite well. I would not say the built in stage is better than the Lehmann, but if that is so, I would think the Lehmann should sound better through the A28. My other external stages certainly do. 

@rauliruegas

Dear @jjss49 : Thank’s for that but I’m still learning and willing to each single day, far away to be an expert by my self. Btw, congratulation for your Townshend, well the Harbeth’s and Rel’s too.

I think like all forums, people come to learn, and sometimes, have to have patience with those who express views which are hard to accept, given their own biases and experiences... nonetheless the forum is a valuable one... we have pursued this hobby and passion for so long, but there is always more for us to learn

in terms of analog front ends raul, i still have that lovely Townshend... the arm damping is quite special, has real benefits i think ... i also accumulated a vpi classic w 3d (what a tank, but sound is not quite as good as i hoped), also a refurbed oracle delphi w origin live rega arm (wonderful deck. lively easeful) and most recently a well tempered amadeus (mad scientist firebaugh maybe but the sound is just brilliant)... always more excellent units to try and experience!  

Dear @emilm :  ""   but talk nonsense  ""  ? ? well maybe could be nonsense to you and other gentlemans too but you can be sure that that " talk " has true and real foundation.

Now,  ""   to match this entry level Phono?  "" you are rigth that the Lehmann because its price level is an entry level phono stage but when was introduced in the analog market and even today and due to its very good and wise design outperforms easily units in the 3K price range, please read all the reviews on that " entry level ".

In the other side I already gone in deep with your Arcam and sorry to disturb you about but has not the quality level than the Lehmann. Just an opinion.

I'm still learning but everything I learned came mainly doing several mistakes taking bad decisions and choices and taking advises that came from gentlemans that had not the rigth knowledge levels but I did not knew they had not because I was even worst than they.

Anyway your post was welcomed.

R.

Dear @ejb 14 : "" you leave the personal attacks out of your posts. """

I’m really worried that you think what I posted with that gentleman is a personal attack even if look like that because is far away from there, not only with him but with no one else any where.

Things are that when I read that some one is spreading every where in the audio world forums again and again information that in the last times almost never happenned/happens I think that not only me but any one with the rigth information needs to post about because is each of us responsability to really help in between us increasing our each one audio overall subjects knowledge levels and the only way to do it is taking facts that can be proved that it really happens.

Your post appreciated and sorry that’s my way of thinking: share true today experiences, nothing else. I’m married with MUSIC not hardware or software or " imagination "/illusions but true live MUSIC.

R.

Ummmm...  I am as lazy as the next guy about looking up facts before leaping to criticize or correct someone else, but according to my research (3 internet sources), the Nagaoka MP110 is a MM cartridge (Moving Magnet), as asserted by Atma, not an MI (Moving Iron) type.  Furthermore, Nagaoka do not make or market any MI cartridges in their current line-up, according to at least one website and contrary to Raul's claims.  I would also assert without further research, because I have done the research many times for many cartridges in the past, that the value Atma-sphere used in his example, 500mH, is very typical for the inductance of any MM cartridge.  It can be a bit higher or a bit lower in individual cases, and variation in the value would of course affect the resonant frequency when combined with cable and input capacitance. I think Atma made that very clear in his analysis.  Further, many if not all of the cartridges that Raul lists in his vitriolic response are MI types in fact, not like the Nagaoka.  MI types do indeed tend to have much lower inductance than MM types, as Raul shows us, but that is irrelevant to the OP's issue.  It is unlike Raul to make such a factual error, but there it is.