2. analog
  3. 178443-1831

Phono stage options - balanced with XLR both input and output...

I really like my Elac PPA-2, it's surprisingly good and has bested the few others I've tried.  I use XLR/balanced for input and output (for the first time with this one).

It is starting to glitch, and I am considering purchasing another one ('preowned'), but before I do wanted to check here what options you know of in terms of fully balanced phono stages with XLR input and output.

go4vinyl
ditusa's avatar
ditusa
2,176 posts
 

 I don't know what's inside your PH2, but AR is not known for balanced circuits.

I think what @lewm is saying is that Audio Research equipment is not AES48 compliant.

Mike

vinylvalet
930 posts
 

+1 Zesto Audio. Very quiet, excellent sound quality, balanced in and out.

lewm
13,787 posts
 

I confess lack of knowledge about the very latest ARC preamps. If the internal circuitry is balanced in the strict sense of that term, then I must apologize for conveying the wrong idea. Certainly classic ARC units were not balanced, eg, SP10, 11, etc.

went to ph2 website. Mea culpa. It’s balanced.

oldears
386 posts
 

Ayre P-5xe

stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,531 posts
 

Ayre

More to discover