Solid State Phono Stages

@thiefoflight 

"i appreciate measurements, but 100% agree that at the end of the day it’s how it sounds to me, and in my room, and that matters the most". 

Your statement strikes a chord, I am wed to, and ensure when I am in the process of learning I get as up close and personal to devices/equipment of interest as possible, and this regularly means I am in a room that is dedicated to the use of the items of interest, this allows a subjective evaluation and reasonably accurate assessment .

For myself, I would class any evaluation not undertaken like the above, especially if a device is not demonstrated, as a fantastical assessment which will most likely be quite flawed.

Having a demonstration, preferably in the home system, is the most important if the enjoyment of listening to a music replay is the priority, ones ears being used in the selected environment for the equipment, are the only methods required to tell if the set up is delivering in a totally satisfying manner for the end user. 

@pindac Nicely said. 

Dear @herman ​@thiefoflight  :  " at the end of the day it’s how it sounds to me, and in my room, and that matters the most. "

I agree with you and with herman too about those 10db developed by almost any room system where 0.4db deviation can see " silly " to considerate.

What any one of us like to listen how it sounds always has different quality levels. We can be satisfied iwht a truly expensive room/audio system but even there exist other " better " quality levels.

Of what depends that wuality levels/grading of what we like? depends of many room/system issues but mainly of what be our MUSIC/sound targets. Through the years as almost any one of you I builded what I have trying to achieve that target and still am in that quest.

My target is try to stay nearer to the recording no matters what and for I can stay nearer to the rcording any room/system link is critical to achieve that target. At each single liiiiiink in the system chain I must look that that link develops the lower any kind of distortions from the source to my ears.

If we are talking of the way imperfect analog medium the inverse RIAA eq. curve deviation is way important because any db fraction affects at least one and a half octave and obviously its harmonics. Phono stage is only and example of what I look to achieve my target and this is why my hono line preamps has a deviation RIAA that measure 0.011 db No this kind of specs is not what makes the whole difference on what I'm listening but that ridiculous deviation RIAA counts in the overall room/system MUSIC/sound reproduction. I take care at any system link.

In the other side a swing of that silly 0.4db amkes me think that something is not really good in that expensive phono stage design, that's all. Today a 2k phono stage gives us 0.1db in that spec. It's not a true critic to the OP unit is only a " way of thinking in " loud " way ".

The main advantage that gives us that target and how been there is that if we have any system link at its minimum distortion levels there is no way that the room/system MUSIC/sound reproduction don't like it: no way, always will like any one of us .

I don't try to disturb the op or any one else and I don't want to derail the thread.

R.

@rauliruegas Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’m still curious, though - I asked before. Are you referring to the 0.4db on the BMC or the Audionet?

One thing I am skeptical about is uniformity of measurements. Sometimes manufacturers will state a weighted average vs the lowest performing spec across the frequency spectrum. In that case, across most frequencies, the BMC is performing closely to that 0.011db spec. It only deviates that in the low bass regions, which are then able to be additionally compensated in the settings. I would say that in the least, I applaud BMC for publishing the performance across the frequency range, which most other manufacturers are not inclined to do. 

Dear @thiefoflight  : That swing of 0.4db came from the Audionet.

R.