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Phono stage for tube system - recommendations?

I recently swapped my Blue Circle driving Merlins for the well regarded Ars Sonum Filharmonia integrated. I have gained a fair amount of air and presence but lost a smidgen of attack especially on higher spectrum of frequency. Front end is a Shelter 901/SME-V/Orbe SE.

I was previously considering moving from my modified GCPH to a tubed photo such as the K&K Maxxed out, Herron,JLTI Artemis, or Aesthetix Rhea, but am now having second thoughts going all tube, and contemplating upgrading along the lines of a Solid State Phono stage instead.

On the solid state side, the candidates are the usual suspects: Pass Xono, ASR, Whest, Tom Evans.

I'm sure at least a handful of members have come to this fork and have some experiences to share. Thoughts welcome!

Thanks,
Ben
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jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I am in a similar situation. I'm currently using a VAC Avatar Super integrated tube amp with a Walker Audio Signature solid state phono stage with great results. I have used tube phono stages before, but I tend to agree with Lloyd Walker on this issue, at very low signal levels, SS is better.

I've been to Lloyd's home, and he has tube amp and preamp, but SS phono stage. His theory being that signals at very low levels are even more prone to 'unbalance' in the dual triode tube stage than even low level signals in a tube preamp. It's hard to find perfectly matched tubes, and tubes that will stay perfectly matched over their lifespan. This is more audible at lower signal levels. YMMV.

Cheers,
John
tpsonic
1,092 posts
 
For SS phono,don't overlook the Aqvox 2CI.It is a sleeper.Great soundstage,timbre and PRAT.I use mine with a tube integrated-simply delightful.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,931 posts
 
Jmcgrogan2, if what you say is true, then Lloyd has not spent a lot of time working with tubes! The 'unbalance' issue is literally a red herring.
palasr
528 posts
 
Dan,

Since our get together, I did both the Audio Note tantalum resistor upgrade, as well as a MOSFET upgrade on the CCS...if anyone out there with the K&K still uses the old Supertex part, switching to the IXYS part is a massive upgrade (all for 89 cents from Mouser).

I wouldn't mind another friendly sit-down with your Doshi ;-))

-Richard
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
Richard, I can see that happening with the other things going on pretty soon.
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