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Phono Stage - The great analog tragedy

In the world of analog playback, there is an interesting observation. There has been tremendous innovation in the field of 
Turntable - Direct, Idler, Belt
Cartridge - MM, MC, MI
Tonearm - Gimbal, Unipivot, Linear Tracking

For all of the above designs we find some of the best reference components designed in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Most of the modern products are inspired from these extraordinary products of the past. But when it comes to phono stage, there is hardly any "reference component" from that era. They just standardized RIAA curve for sanity and left it. Manufacturers made large preamps and amps and allocated a puny 5% space for a small phono circuit even in their reference models, like a necessary evil. They didn’t bother about making it better. 

The result? It came down to the modern designers post 2000 after vinyl resurgence to come up with serious phono stages for high end systems. Unfortunately they don’t have any past reference grade designs to copy or get inspired from. Effectively, just like DACs, reference phono stages is also an evolving concept, and we don’t have too many choices when we want a really good one which is high-res and natural sounding. Very few in the world have figured out a proper high end design so far. And most of the decent ones have been designed in the past couple of decades. The best of the breed are probably yet to come.  

It is a tragedy that our legendary audio engineers from the golden era didn’t focus on the most sensitive and impactful component, "the phono stage"

pani
ghdprentice
8,105 posts
 

I never followed the history of phono stages. But I did climb the progress of improvement. I owned one integrated in my preamps in the seventies, then a separate in a ARC PH2, then I upgraded to PH2SE, then PH3. Each time a big improvement in sound from the same table. Once I got to the ARC PH 8 I felt it no longer got in the way. While my ARC Ref 3 and Ref3SE are much better still, they are more on the order of other components in impact. I don't remember any old classic phono stages. 

lewm
13,768 posts
 

From where I sit, it seems that audio components of all types evolve more or less in parallel with each other: in fits and starts.  What's new in phono stages is the idea of current drive and the implementation of integrated circuits, not discrete transistors or tubes, to do the job. But current drive has not and probably will never drive out voltage drive as a way of amplifying the meager output of a LOMC cartridge. As for the RIAA curve, it's a darn good thing that standard was adopted nearly universally by the late 50s.  Otherwise we would have another thing to argue about. Some agreed upon algorithm for pre-emphasis and de-emphasis was essential owing to the nature of magnetic phono cartridges.

noromance's avatar
noromance
10,188 posts
 

Aesthetix IO (1995)

MFA Luminescence C (1990) 

Croft MegaMicro (1987)

Conrad-Johnson Premier 15 (1996)

newton_john's avatar
newton_john
191 posts
 

@pani 

You refer to the phono stage as being the most sensitive and impactful of components. I'd question this because the turntable hierarchy is as follows:-

 bearing > power supply > sub-chassis > tonearm > cartridge > phono amp

pindac's avatar
pindac
3,185 posts
 

The Phonostage being a Tool to amplify sent electrical signal from my own perspective of today is not a Tragedy.

The Phonostage is the device that made using Vinyl as a medium user friendly, where it has been this user friendly attribute, that made having a range of Vinyl Recordings at hand attractive. The range of Vinyl at hand, developed into a collection that is readily at hand to be experienced.

Over time an side interest in Phonostages developed and as a result over a period of many years, I was able to audition a substantial amount of Phonostages, where different circuits have been in use, such a Valve Input/Output - Valve Hybrid - Solid State.

I don't believe I have a preference for a Circuit Choice for a Phonostage, I have been equally impressed by all three circuits types produced by certain designers, as well as being equally unimpressed by all three circuit types produced by other r certain designers.

In the next few weeks I will have a Trilogy of Phonostages where a SS Design is to be added and make Phonostage readily available in the three circuit types.

More importantly, I have the confidence to be sure, that there is not too much more that can be experienced in Phonostage Designs that can undermine my present thoughts on what is to like about a Phonostage performance.

Electronics Skills and Components produce devices that transfer electrical energy as an amplified energy, there is no sound to be heard.

Sound is formed at the Speaker and Speakers function at their best in the environment they have been designed in, the so called ' Worlds Best Phonostage' will meet limitations of how its processed electrical energy is perceived when it is converted onto sound. 

The World Best of one Device is dependent on being used in conjunction with the Worlds Best of other supporting devices needed to produce the end sound, if the success of the designs are to be fully materialised - Yes / No ?

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