Recommendations for MM Phono ~ Tube or Solid State

@honeyooi 

Thank you for your recommendation. 

I just came across Mola Mola Lupe that seems to check all the boxes for me. From technical standpoint, discrete Class A gain stages designed exclusively for MC and MM peaked my interest. And there is IOS app that allows easy controls individual channel phase, mono or stereo output, and the subsonic filter. Not to mention, 4 fully programmable inputs. I am leaning towards Lupe until someone throws a curveball..LOL

Going to get one for audition before Christmas.

I cannot think of any phono stage that does not operate in Class A. It should not be a bragging point, but manufacturers do it anyway.

@lewm

There is more to Lupe design than just Class A gain stages. There may be other phonos taking the similar approach as Lupe but most phono preamplifiers designed both for moving magnet and moving coil operation use one gain stage to amplify MM cartridge output, with a second gain stage daisy-chained to the first in order to provide the additional amplification required by low-output MC cartridges.

The Mola Mola Lupe differs by having two entirely separate Class A gain stages, one designed exclusively for MM cartridges, the second just for MC. Both are fully discrete designs and are followed by an active analogue filter. The filter uses relays to switch capacitance and resistance in and out to achieve the different time constant values and, thereby, EQ curves.

Can you tell me another phono that takes same design approach as Lupe?

With respect to your desire to add a Miyajima Zero or Infinity, you should contact Robin Wyatt. He is the distributor and knows them well. They can be tricky to manage ground loop hum. I solved it with a dedicated mono SUT and phono…Miyajima ETR-Mono and a mono (only) Tecktron tube phono that Robin commissioned.

I am currently moving away from a Zero and ETR-Mono in favor of a MSL Eminent Solo and a Fonolab Pacto, custom built for mono. You might look into both for a mono rig instead of a Miyajima.