I and three audiophile friends listened to a Brinkmann Balance turntable with Graham Phantom tonearm and Shelter 90X cartridge, through an Airtight ATC-2 preamp, Airtight ATM-2 amp, and Avalon Opus Ceramique speakers. The phono stages included the ASR Basis Executive, the E.A.R. 88PB, the E.A.R. 324, the Art Audio Vinyl-1, the Whest, the Eastern Electric MiniMax, the Vacuum State JLTI, and the Korora. By doing A/B comparisons, we arrived at a consensus about the relative ranking of the phono stages. We tried two different phono cables with each phono stage, choosing the better sounding one for the listening tests.
Based on our listening in this system using only one LP, the JLTI was better than the Art Audio, the Whest, the Minimax and the Korora. The ASR, the two EAR units and the JLTI were different sounding. However, they were all in the same sonic category, quality-wise.
Based on our listening in this system using only one LP, the JLTI was better than the Art Audio, the Whest, the Minimax and the Korora. The ASR, the two EAR units and the JLTI were different sounding. However, they were all in the same sonic category, quality-wise.