What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead?

I used to have same phono stage with similar vinyl set up. I replaced it with the VTL TP 6.5. 

Have not heard all, but only thing I have heard better than the VtL is the Boulder 2018.

@mulveling Great information, thanks. I guess the Steelhead retrieves detail sufficiently, does most things very well, but doesn't imbue the sound with the typical midrange bloom and presence that I expect from tube gear. It's a little bit solid-state sounding, as others have alluded to here and elsewhere. @whart above describes it as 'a slight electronic glaze', which I think is a fair assessment, with emphasis on 'slight'. It hasn't responded particularly well to tube-rolling, the tubes I've tried haven't really tilted it away from neutrality to something with a bit more bloom.

With this in mind, I've been reluctant to try an ARC phono as my experience with their preamps and power amps over the years has left me with the impression that their gear is voiced a little on the lean side, a little neutral perhaps. Maybe I need to reassess. 

Cheers

Rooze

Dear @ghdprentice : " my rule is double the cost or it is likely a sideways step. "

Well, it looks as you really don’t read yet the link of the PS Audio Stellar phono stage that comes with a  low price tag of 2.5k and using Ortofon Diamond and Lyra Atlas, SAT tonearm, Continnum TT , Mr. Fremer compares it to over 20 times price tag with phono stages like Dartzeel and the same CH that drbond own which who you agree, go figure.

Fremer " insert " the Stellar in a cost no object room/system and performed at that levels. Of course that if you " insert " the Stellar in a mid-fi system it does not converts the system in a cost no object.

Your rule? fine with me.

R.

@ghdprentice Thanks for the info on the ARC phonostages. As I mentioned in a post from a few moments ago, I've had a long-standing impression that ARC gear is voiced to be very neutral, not at all tubey in any sense. In that way, it's similar to the Steelhead, which also sounds more neutral than other tube'd phonostages I've heard. I'm looking for a little more bloom, more substance - meat on the bones etc, without any loss of detail or dynamics. Given this, do you still think it's worthwhile checking out ARC? 

@rooze 

While you might not realize it, the Steelehad is definitely "tubey" in sound, compared a neutral.  I had a Steelhead for 15 years, and really enjoyed it.  It's a great phono stage.  As you mention, perhaps, you should tube roll:  the 5687 and the 6922 both make a sonic difference.  But you'll probably need to spend $1,000 in 6922 to get a real improvement (early 1960's Siemens CCa tubes).  The currrent based phono stages are much more neutral and precise sonically, so don't go that route if you're looking for more bloom.  Regardless, enjoy your listening.