Tube Phono Stage vs Solid State What do you think?

Dear Stanwal, Wouldn't you think that "great" phono stages should tend to sound the same on a given system. The "great"-er they are, the more they should begin to resemble each other, IMO. I recently had that experience comparing my Atma MP1 phono section to an Ayre P5Xe. While I gave the edge to the Atma-sphere (which I had tweaked to use a hybrid cascode phono input, rather than an all tube cascode as per OEM, so admittedly not "pure" tubes all the way), the Ayre at times could be indistinguishable from the MP1, just a bit more "dry" sounding.

Lewm- If you think about it, it makes sense. For any single individual, the best sounding [insert component here] will tend to converge, because they are closest to that person's "absolute sound" (irony intended; we each have our own absolute).

Dear Stanwal: That you like op-amps it only means that but that that's the best way to go.

As I said: all depends of what you are looking for. If the ASR op-amps fill your gap good for you: that's your quality level " you die for ", mine is different.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

" but not ".

R.

Swampwalker, Oh yes. Without a doubt. "Great" = the sound I seek. But give or take a few details, I don't think we are all so different from one another in what we seek. Anyway, one's own absolute sound and the difference between two phono stages that both sound "great" to the same guy might or might not be the same thing.