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Solid State Phono Stages

I used to be an all-tube guy, but I’ve now ventured into the realm of high-end solid state with T+A and no longer have any itch to go back heavily into tubes. Now, the only tubes I have left in my system are in my Modwright PH9.0X phono, and from what I’ve demoed against it, it seems to be a giant killer. I do love it, but I’m curious to try a higher end solid state phono stage to see what more noise and more music might sound like. Unfortunately T+A does not have a standalone phono stage, so I’m looking at other manufacturers and open to other opinions.

I currently have a Clearaudio Innovation Wood table and Air Tight PC-1s cartridge. i listen to a wide range of music, from Zeppelin to Vivaldi to Beck to Coltrane to Yello. The stage would ideally have between 65-74db of gain, maybe adjustable to 60db at minimum, and have variable impedance values. A balanced output stage would be ideal. I don’t ever really plan to have a second arm, but most stages that retail over $7K tend to have multiple inputs anyways.

My budget would be at tops ~$8K for a used unit. The unit that is sticking out to me from what I’m reading about is the Simaudio Moon 810LP. Another high on the list is the Esoteric E-02. I’ve also come across the Pass XP-27, the Gold Note PH-1000.

I’m looking for a stage with some personality in its character, not one that is overly refined. I’d love for it to be dynamic and bold when it should be, and also gentle and refined when it should be.

The only solid state stages I’ve ever owned and tried were the Pass Labs Xono, which was clean sounding but a little noisy and brittle sounding compared to a PS Audio Stellar Phono. I’ve liked all my tube phono stages better than both of those units.

I’ve also considered going further up the tube stage route, looking at Doshi 3.0, Aesthetix IO Eclipse, but I’m hesitant unless I can hear those in place. 

What solid stage phono stages have you loved, and what have you compared them to?

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boothroyd
365 posts
 

@thiefoflight 

looking at the Phono Loco and it looks like it requires a balanced input into the stage

Your cables should work fine as they are. Current (no pun) production typically uses RCA inputs.

ghdprentice
6,423 posts
 

I hope you will report back as to what you do and find. My journey has been in the opposite direction… I found Audio Research for phono stages decades ago and once I got to ARC tube phonostages… there was no going back… I now own a ARC Reference 3. Next same with preamps… now Reference 6SE… then DAC and amp… Ref160s… After decades with the wonderful Pass ss amps I can’t even begin to think of going back.

 

So, I would be really interested to hear your impressions when you get your new Phonostage.

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

The smartest thing is likely to stick with the Modwright PH9.0X phono. (IMO)

I had the Sim/Moon on the short list, as well as Sutherland.
It sort of depends on the cartridge though. If one is playing many cartridges then the Sim/Moon has combo that can be selected from the front panel.

If one is inclined towards MI or MM then I doubt that the transimpedance are “the go”. I am pretty sure that the Sutherland requires only MC… so no MI or MM.

And there is the SUT crowd. So whether it is “build in” or outboard, then that drives one to a different set of phono stages.

If one already has a nice phono stage then a good case can be made to just stop there.

My system has zero hiss at full volume, except with the phono stage… and the old ARC is limited to MM and 42dB (or maybe 48dB) of gain. And the ol ARC PH2 has a fair amount of hiss and low level noise… which starts to get audible a bit higher than where I normally have the volume at. So it is not bad, just it’s not perfect.
And I am limited to using only High Output coils.

Hence; I decided to upgrade the phono stage. And I have more cartridge options available.

If I had something like the Modwright PH9.0X phono, I would not likely have done so.

 

I’ve liked all my tube phono stages better than both of those units.

I got a used tube phono stage. And most are not overly “tube hungry” like a power amp can be.

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
2,845 posts
 

I’ve always had tube phono stages. But I decided to give a SS one a try and I’m glad I did. I bought an SPL Phonos and am very happy with it.  Very dynamic with great bass extension and tonally very neutral. This is the one I’d recommend. 

ghdprentice
6,423 posts
 

”And  the old Audio Research PH2 has a fair amount of hiss”… That was released in 1992… thirty years ago. 
 

My ARC PH8 had no hiss as does my REF 3. 

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