Solid State Phono Stages

@pindac - 100% agree that real world experience is invaluable. I will be attending AXPONA, but it will likely not be a great place to get the most out of phono stages. When I went in 2019, there surely some rooms, but most focused on the proliferation of digital. Also, the rooms and system chains are always different, so chances are it won’t sound anything like it would in my room. I would have to draw conclusions and hope for the best. I have also reached out to my personal network, who has allowed me to try a number of SS stages. But it never hurts to gain perspective from forums as well. What’s happening on this thread may influence me, but won’t solely convince me of any decision. Likely what will is if I can get to a dealer that has one of the top units of consideration and they allow me to demo at home, or if one of those units comes on the market considerably marked down so that I can resell at minimal loss. The latter makes up for most of my audio journey, and it’s been fun to have all the experiences I’ve had as a result, and at times it has even been profitable.

@kerrybh Thanks for advocating again for Simaudio.

@mijostyn Vinyl in general is old tech, as is my cart, but circuit design has evolved in nuanced ways over the last ten years to innovate and outperform, just as it did the ten years prior to that. It was really only the late 70s to mid 90s that went backwards for many (albeit a small few that carried the torch) where 2nd order harmonics were largely given up for specs, and high SNR and CD players became centers for marketing attraction and pushed musicality out of the way. In today’s era where people seek true holography in their experience, both need to coexist, and the tech has gotten better to enable that. Yes, some of the products I’m considering are already ten years old. But perhaps they address areas that compliment the rest of my room and system setup to get me further down the road.

Absolutely love the suggestion for Sutherland and Channel D. I mentioned prior that they are high on the consideration list.

Graham slee Era Gold V. Moving magnet only, but you can step up a moving coil with an appropriate SUT. Michael Fremer seems to like it a lot. I bought one a few years ago, I opted for the stereo/mono switch option. It is very nice. I use both a Jensen and Rothwell SUT with mine, depending on which MC cartridge I have installed at the time. Pair the Era Gold V with the Graham slee PSU1 power supply for even better performance. 

Michael Fremer in Stereophile calls it a "miraculous phono preamp" for its ability to change and dramatically lift an entire system’s sound quality and make music sound more realistic and life-like!

My experience is all about being social and interactive with other enthusiasts.

HiFi is a diminishing concern when the younger generations are considered, and I am happy to support any event that might attract some of the younger individuals, as well as be a face to be met and supply support to any queries presented.

Also through this behaviour to get out and interact, I have been fortunate to have come to know accomplished EE's that are not only adept followers of circuits, but known for being accomplished as circuit designers and have designed works for known Brands as well as take on commission builds bespoke produced to the customer.

 A few of these EE's have progressed to having their own growing Brands of which some the sale items have even got a mention on this forum, not too bad for a modern UK Brand. 

It is a nice moment for an individual, when a Company Owner values your own assessment and is keen to receive an evaluation of a work in hand. This is even more of a moment when the designer is willing to loan a prototype for a prolonged assessment.

Most of my devices I own today are commission built or known Brand Models that are subsequently given as a donor to be overhauled by known individuals who specialise with such products.

As I have been instrumental in participating with the majority of my devices that are commission built, it is not a option to have a home demo', but as I have been assessing the work, produced at different stages, and a participant in the trialing of and the selecting of components, I have a very good idea of the SQ being developed for the devices.

This is a method that has suited me, as not only have I acquired items I am making old bones with, and do not intend on separating from, the friendships formed and maintained are as healthy as the admiration of the products produced. 

I would use the dealer rooms to see products, the real benefit is looking to see if it is possible to be meeting with the individuals responsible for a design.

There is the likelihood, when they are met, they can see a real enthusiast is in their presence, and this can be good as there will usually be a meeting where the individual will be quite willing to exchange dialogue.  A event can be a good place to encounter these types of individual.

At the last public event I attended prior to COVID, a similar dialogue developed between a room visitor and a EE who I was with, with the result being a follow up meeting was arranged and a Bespoke Built Phonostage was produced for the individual based on the standard design being demonstrated during the event.

Whatever method is adopted to encounter products of interest, a product tailer made to to deliver the majority of ones own preferences is not too bad a place to arrive at either.  

+1 @pindac! Wonderfully said. I would say that in both cases, either across industry events, working directly with manufacturers, and buying/selling on the used market has expanded my network in ways I value sometimes more than the gear I end up getting.

While I am curious about SS stages, one of the reasons I love my Modwright PH9.0X (aside from the fact that it kicks serious butt) is my multi-year engagement with Dan Wright. He has been an incredible designer and engineer that listens and provides impeccable guidance. He has designed some products around my needs.

I always tend to find myself keeping in contact with anyone I buy and sell from as well, and the perspective gained from that is priceless. It's unfortunate that forum dialogue and interaction doesn't result in the same level of real-world relationships.

@thiefoflight  …”But I am in the camp that believes that a component can be analytical and be incredibly musical and enjoyable.”

ok, we definitely are talking about definitions.. Maybe it is just because I am an old fart, but analytical to me means overly detailed… achieved by less midrange and bass bloom… causing a highlighting of detail… which always comes at a loss of warmth and generally musicality. It is like slam which is increased by reducing midrange and upper bass… the contrast highlights the fast transient bass (something ss is good at). But the downside is you loose bass resolution.
 

To me you are talking about wanting a detailed musical system… the thing ARC is known for. Analytical has bad connotations to me.