Re the standard bone stock non-Signature version of the Rhea: I am a fairly advanced DIY guy. From where I sit, the Rhea uses pedestrian REL polypropylene and metallized polypropylene capacitors at critical points in the circuit. Indeed, my inherited Janus did not blow me away with its performance in a very full out system, albeit the Rhea seems to sport a more elaborate phono circuit than does the Janus. I probably heard it the way Doug describes it somewhere here. I then replaced the coupling capacitors of both the phono and line stages with some polystyrene film and foil types that were lying around in my stash of parts. The results were a revelation; in every way imaginable the sound was far better. So good that I decided to spend a little more money on Vcaps. There's not much else you can do to the Janus/Rhea because of its very sophisticated switching circuitry. So far as I can tell from photos, the main advantage of the Signature version is a capacitor upgrade. If you can afford it, go for that version. OR, get a competent tech to upgrade the capacitors in the plain Rhea. I think this latter strategy will go farther than tube rolling can ever take you, for less money.
Which phono preamps among these three?
1. Manley Chinook Tube phono stage
2. Whest PS.30R
3. Aesthetix Rhea
I picked these three because they are currently available for sale in audiogon, and all three have very good reviews. All three are a bit over my budget at the moment, but I expect to get enough fund in the short future.
I mostly listen to Jazz (50s-60s) and classicals, occasionally pops and rocks. Rhea is more expensive than the other two, but Rhea supports three inputs while the other supports only one input, switchable to MM or MC. The other two cost about the same as used Rhea.
If you are to pick one, which one? For what reason? Is one definitely better than the others? Or, they are pretty much in the same league with different characteristics?
2. Whest PS.30R
3. Aesthetix Rhea
I picked these three because they are currently available for sale in audiogon, and all three have very good reviews. All three are a bit over my budget at the moment, but I expect to get enough fund in the short future.
I mostly listen to Jazz (50s-60s) and classicals, occasionally pops and rocks. Rhea is more expensive than the other two, but Rhea supports three inputs while the other supports only one input, switchable to MM or MC. The other two cost about the same as used Rhea.
If you are to pick one, which one? For what reason? Is one definitely better than the others? Or, they are pretty much in the same league with different characteristics?
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- 38 posts total
- 38 posts total