Recommendations for MM Phono ~ Tube or Solid State


As title suggests, I am currently using a MC Cart - Etsuro Bordeaux and planning on adding an SUT. The TT is Garrard 301 with Reed 3P tonearm.

SUT under consideration,

1) Etsuro ET-U50

2) Swissonor PPP-PP Hashimoto HM7

3) EMIA Copper or Silver version

On top of my list is Leben RS-30EQ and Accuphase C-47.

Also planning on adding 2nd Reed tonearm with Miyajima Labs Zero or Infinity Cart. From a purist perspective, what would be your recommendation to get the best out of a mono cart.

Thank you!

128x128lalitk

@lewm @lalitk is correct on the resale value of Allnic. I've had 3 units all purchased used, less than 5 years old purchased for a 1/3 of what they go for new. I'm a fan of Allnic, but the resell value of their products isn't good. I would only purchase used. Their gear is built like a tank so buyers have that in their favor. Their equipment is great though!

What changed?
@lewm

Let me clarify further, after extensive listening sessions with H-6500, I couldn’t justify its price. While H-6500 sounded good, it was not substantially better than my phono board in Accuphase Integrated. The phono board in Accuphase Integrated is pretty darn good and I am now using it as my benchmark. If I am investing in an outboard phono, it should handily beat my current phono and justify the extra spend, right?

With SUT on the way, I wanted to accumulate MM phono recommendations to pity against my Accuphase phono. Again, SUT is a consideration spend and it would be prudent to try this option atleast with one or more outboard MM phono to make a proper assessment. Another reason for phono search is to accommodate my 2nd tonearm which will be used with a mono or stereo cart. You may know, I am getting my plinth built from Woodsong with dual arm boards.

I may end up with two phono’s to accommodate two arms or one that gives me everything I am looking for…I am hoping to accomplish this task with help of knowledgeable members like yourself.

Might want to check out Steve Guttenberg's experience with using SUTs.  Sounds (no pun intended) like an interesting pursuit. Have fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tAPAPmfscc&t=28s

More to the point, if you are investing in an outboard SUT, you can make the case that you don't need the H6500, because in paying for the H6500, you are buying its built in SUTs, which will become superfluous. The words that Raul quoted led me, and probably also Raul, to believe you had already purchased an H6500.  What you say here suggests you borrowed one, albeit you seemed very happy with it.  In my opinion, there is no trick to making a very good sounding MM phono stage these days. As a result there are many good choices, and if you select a reputable one, you almost cannot go wrong, except where your personal taste comes into play.  And for personal taste, you ought not to be relying upon the opinions of a wide variety of audiophiles who own a wide variety of systems and who may hear LPs quite differently from the way you hear LPs.  This may mean just take a shot at something.  If you prefer the Accuphase phono section to the H6500 (and it's not entirely clear that you do feel that way), that suggests you may prefer a solid state device.  Beyond that, all bets are off.

My recent experience with SUT is similar to that of Steve Guttenberg. I was so impressed with how much improvement a modestly priced SUT brought to my system that I questioned why I lived without one for the last fifteen years. SUT is the way to go if you're using a LOMC. A simple MM stage such as a Zesto Andros Spirit would do the trick.