There is a Phon' that there might be a opportunity to experience in the USA and one that I have received an audition of on a few occasions.
Also it is one that I know is owned in the UK and has maintained a very loyal following, especially when owners have had it compared to very expensive Phon's in their own systems.
My most memorable experience of the Paradise Phonostage has been at a Bake Off event where the host has a system worth approx' £200 000, one of the UK's renowned builder of the Paradise design was present with their personal model.
The event usually does Valves / Valve Hybrid and Solid State as their own sections and these models are presented in groups governed by Purchase Value.
The Paradise was entered into the Bake Off at a particular Purchase Value range and was speedily removed from the demonstration by the host of the event, to be entered at a much more expensive purchase price for the Phon's.
When used at the lower purchase value demonstration, the Paradise was noticeably streets ahead in its qualities.
It can be stated that Phon's from a certain price range can sound quite similar and only really separate in their perfomances, if a certain frequency is noticeably accentuated during the performance. I put this down to very similar Topologies for the circuit designs used.
In the end Six Phon's were side by side with the most expensive having a Purchase Value of £10 000, interestingly a very rarely encountered Modwright 9.0 Valve Hydrid Design was in this selection.
This selection was trimmed to the Paradise and the Music First Reference going Head to Head.
A Commercial £10 000 Phon' ( Music First Ref ) and Bespoke Kit Built £2500 Paradise.
Each are quite unique and not with the same sonic traits as many Phon's in demonstrations had shown previously.
There was a split between the selection and the attendees who were deselecting Phon's throughout the day were not unanimous in their choice, there was no clear preferred choice.
I could have quite happily spent many many hours with either.