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Phono preamp selection

So my budged dropped to about $1,000 for a preamp, which will be matched with the VPI Classic, Lyra Delos cart and Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum tube amp. The usual suspect and main candidates are:

1. Heed Audio Quasar
2. PS Audio GCPH
3. Sutherland Ph3D
4. Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena

Heed is the only preamp I can probably audition. I've heard good things about all four, but I am intrigued by the battery powered units, which remove any issues with the power supply. All four pretty much offer as much flexibility as one might need. I find the Nova manual very confusing regarding the gain and load setting, which turned me off to it, but otherwise sounds great. The GCPH modded is apparently absolutely incredible, but it's outside of my price range at the moment. I feel sort of weird about the Sutherland being powered by D-cell batteries.

I'd love to hear your recommendations and opinions. Thank you.
actusreus
br3098
994 posts
 
I have found the Sutherland PH3D to be a very good SS phono preamp. It is extremely neutral and honest, and has absolutely no background noise whatsoever. By honest I mean that well recorded LPs sound great, and poorly recorded LPs sound like crap.

Yes, all of those D cells were a concern when I received the unit, but they work well and have a long life. They also weigh the unit down nicely so that it sits securely on a rack shelf. Inside, it's a well-built unit made with high quality components.

I haven't heard the Heed. The PS Audio gets rave reviews but I tried one for a couple of weeks and din't find it special - neither good or bad. The Nova Phonomena is another great unit. Michael Yee designs great phono stages. The Phonomena is a very good amp, but IMHO not as quiet or neutral as the PH3D. But are smply my impressions in my system. YMMV
thorman
1,262 posts
 
You may also want to consider a used ( if you can find one ) Vacuum State JLTI Phono amp..I picked one up off Audiogon and have been very pleased..Excellent product for the asking price........
213cobra
885 posts
 
The Jasmine LP2.0se will handily outperform every phono pre on your list, and offers up to 70db gain.

Phil
actusreus OP
733 posts
 
Thank you all for great suggestions and advice.

213cobra, do you have the Jasmine? If you read on Musical Surroundings website, they rather strongly criticize preamps that offer too much gain for the job. Apparently, the unit works much harder than it needs to at the cost of sound neutrality. The Delos needs only 55 dB of gain according to the KAB calculator. 70 dB sounds way too much and it's not adjustable on the Jasmine; 55 dB for MM carts apparently didn't work too well for a Lyra MC cart a reviewer was using. I'd also prefer to have a 47k Ohms load setting for the cart since Jon Carr suggests experimenting with a wide range of load settings for Lyra carts. What cartridge are you using, if you are, to be so confident the Jasmine outperforms the other preamps? Considering how many positive reviews the other units have got, that's quite a ballsy statement!
downunder
1,329 posts
 
Agree with jdolgin

a s/h EAR 834P will be a hwole lot more musically satifying than the other units. It also has the ability to sound better as your system gets better.

Roll in a couple of mullard tubes and your EAR steps it up a couple more notches.
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