Phono amp recommendations

David,

I have heard the same thing about the Minimax Phono really doing its best with low output MC. I didn't have the chance to hear it at its best and it was still darn good. I only got to use it with my Dynavector 20xh. I forgot to mention that when I was speaking about my experience. Excellent point.

you may want to give the allen wright designed jtli stage a try. i just got one from jay at audio revelation, and im very impressed. using it with a scoutmaster/jmw9 signature arm/shelter 501 mkII cart. it's extremely neutral and it's really helped unveil my system. give jay a call and he'll probably let you try it out before you buy. he's a good guy. i'm just a satisfied customer, nothing else...

http://audiorevelation.com/

Sberger, how would you compare the jtli to the Dynavector P75, I see you have used the Dynavector in the past.

A suggestion, and another candidate for a nice phono stage, and one I had gotten myself used recently, but in absolute mint condition from another A-Gon member here, is the Sutherland PHD. I acquired this Phono Stage for exactly $2,000.

This Stereophile Class A rated Unit delivers beautiful, dead quiet performance, listening is smooth, very detailed, defined with my VPI 19 MK-IV-Glider Combo, is battery operated by 16 D-Cell batteries, and has virtually unlimited possibilities for Load, and Gain with boards that are user adjustable, and that also custom values can be configured-gotten for the unusual requirement of a special loading resistance.

My own personal freind of 10 years, Thomas M. Back, an Optical Designer, and Amateur Astronomer par excellence also owns the Sutherland PHD, and give a short review-commentary on the Acoustic Sounds Website about this Unit.

I believe Tom is using a Clearaudio Master Reference Turntable, top of the line Clearaudio Tonearm, and Lyra Titan Cartridge. Tom's biggest problem with other costly Phono Stages he's owned-auditioned, was living very close to many Radio Station's Antennas, and the consequent RFI problems he was having. He gets absolutely none with the Sutherland.

I've found the Sutherland to be very dynamic, and with the dead silent noise floor, Many LP's begin to take on an almost "CD" level of slam, bass solidity, and another nice quality I note is great separation-individuality of individual instruments-voices.

I was looking for a great sounding Phono Stage that offered good versatility with the ability for no compromise loading, and gain features, and the Sutherland provides this perfectly.

My other choices where the Aesthetix Rhea, and the PS Audio GCPH. Looking back, I'm sort of glad of not going with a Tube Driven Stage, and the headaches that can be caused by tube issues like hum, tube rush, bad tubes, tube rolling, and being at the mercy of sellers with their NOS boutique tubes running into the hundreds of dollars alone.

Wish you the best in finding what you desire, and hope this helps you. Mark

the p75 is really terrific, but frankly if you're planning on using it with a non dyna cart, i'd suggest looking at somehing else. as many others including myself have said here and other places in the past, the pe mode for the 75 is it's strength. with a dyna 20 xl cart, it's magical. with another dyna, it's very good. with any other cart, it's hit or miss. the jlti is much more flexible, and much more refined. i have never used a stage this good, so it's hard to compare, but i would say it provides a deeper soundstage, much greater separation, and just an overall better sense of the music. yeah, it's higher quality. but remmeber, it's almost 3x the cost. hope that helps.