Hmmm Are you splitting between MM & MC phono stages?
With anything the following is based on what I heard in my system with MC cartridges - mainly my dyna XV-1.
I currently own a TW Acustic phono - wonderful phono stage, natural presentation, pure tube gain with little noise, 3 inputs are fantastic to compare tables/carts. No MM, just MC.
I also use the MM & MC inputs of my Mac MC2300 & agree with Tjnif that the MC stage is excellent.
I used a Pass Xono for quite a while and it is a solid performer that does nothing wrong and is flexible - just lacks that magic that tubes give.
EAR 834P is a fantastic little phono stage, as long as you swap the stk tubes out.
Others that I have listened to in my system are
- Aesthetix IO - single power supply - superb sound but a little noisy for me.
- Aesthetix Rhea - too noisy for LOMC
- ARC PH5 - good sounding for its price
- ARC PH7 - great sound, slightly gray thou,not as flowing as the best and low gain can cause issues in some systems
- Einstein MC - vibrant, forward & dymanic - ultimately just too much
- EAR - 88PB - fanatastic sounding phono - almost bought that before TW.
- Sutherland PHD - very pure & quiet but no micro dynamics
- Kondo M7 & KSL-SFZ - good sound but too forward/agressive and in your face. sounds better balanced as a MM without the KSL transformer.
- Ayre P5e - nice sounding but lacks a little life.
- Manly Steelhead - hifi sounding - sounds more like SS than tubes
With anything the following is based on what I heard in my system with MC cartridges - mainly my dyna XV-1.
I currently own a TW Acustic phono - wonderful phono stage, natural presentation, pure tube gain with little noise, 3 inputs are fantastic to compare tables/carts. No MM, just MC.
I also use the MM & MC inputs of my Mac MC2300 & agree with Tjnif that the MC stage is excellent.
I used a Pass Xono for quite a while and it is a solid performer that does nothing wrong and is flexible - just lacks that magic that tubes give.
EAR 834P is a fantastic little phono stage, as long as you swap the stk tubes out.
Others that I have listened to in my system are
- Aesthetix IO - single power supply - superb sound but a little noisy for me.
- Aesthetix Rhea - too noisy for LOMC
- ARC PH5 - good sounding for its price
- ARC PH7 - great sound, slightly gray thou,not as flowing as the best and low gain can cause issues in some systems
- Einstein MC - vibrant, forward & dymanic - ultimately just too much
- EAR - 88PB - fanatastic sounding phono - almost bought that before TW.
- Sutherland PHD - very pure & quiet but no micro dynamics
- Kondo M7 & KSL-SFZ - good sound but too forward/agressive and in your face. sounds better balanced as a MM without the KSL transformer.
- Ayre P5e - nice sounding but lacks a little life.
- Manly Steelhead - hifi sounding - sounds more like SS than tubes