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Most compatible phono pre for Lyra Delos

I am happy with my current set up but I believe I may be able to retreive more detail with a more compatible phono pre. Your input will be greatly appreciated.

I would describe the current sound of my system as fatigue free, easy to hear, articulate, spacious, open, and balanced. In good recordings I get good body with particular emphasis on upper bass. It does not sound bright, nor thin but (depending on the recording) sometimes lack some extension at the frequency extremes.

I mostly listen to the likes of Dire Straits, Supertramp, Steely Dan, Alan Parsons, Eagles, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Jack Johnson, James Taylor, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Natalie Merchant, Tom Petty, etc. You get the picture.

I also enjoy listening to Bob James, Stan Getz, Herb Albert, Chuck Mangione, Sergio Mendes, etc.

My current system:
Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum
Output tubes – Tung Sol KT120
Phase splitters – Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Amp section drivers – Genalex Gold Lion 12AU7

Highly modified Rega RP3 (comparable to a RP8)
Lyra Delos
Dynavector DV-P75 (in enhancer mode)

GoldenEar Triton 7 tower speakers
StraightWire Maestro speaker/interconnect cables
APC H15 1.5kVA Power Conditioner Unit

The Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum needs no introduction.
Same with the Lyra Delos.

The Triton 7 s are able to reproduce a detailed sound with adequate frequency response and sharp transient response. Snap is there, but they are not as dynamic as you would expect compared to a much larger speaker.

The most remarcable aspect of the triton 7s is its ability to produce a wide, open sound with width, depth, and height. They are capable of producing a sense that a voice or instrument is in a particular place in the room, almost dispearing like a good quality monitor would do.

So the question remains; would I be able to obtain more levels of resolution and maybe dynamic impact with a more suitable phono pre for my Delos?

I don't mind buying used/demoed (All my gear is either used or demoed with the exception of the Delos and RB8) but I definitely would like to stay under the $1,500.00 range.

kiko65
pani
1,219 posts
 
Kiko65,
I know most of the phonostages that you have mentioned here. I have heard them quite closely and the kind of improvement you are looking for going from a P75 in general comes only from phonostages at $3k and above (exceptions might be there). My choice of entry level phonostage althroughout has been the Lehmann Black Cube SE (model with the external power supply). It is neutral, quite with excellent flow of music, however it still is not a giant killer. My $3k RCM Sensor phonostage sounds better in every way. I have heard the P75, it is nice but doesnt come to the same level as the Lehmann. I am not suggesting you get the Lehmann, please read on...

Couple of weeks back a friend of mine got home a phonostage which costs roughly about $1300 and that little bugger was not only close to my RCM Sensor phonostage but actually beats it in more ways than one. To my surprise it was a Pro-ject Phonobox RS. Google it. We dont expect a high end product from pro-ject in general but this box was tremendous. It is quieter than the RCM, almost equally dynamic, tonally more accurate and overall more lively too. I could not point a finger at it regardless of the cost. It just comes with a simple SMPS wallwart and it sounds like a bloody $4k phonostage. Pro-ject has just recently release a external power supply as an upgrade for it but believe me it is already amazing with its stock power supply. The Dynavector P75 stands nowhere near it and the same is almost true for the Lehmann black cube se too. It is a sleeper, all reviews are mostly in the european magazine but wherever you read about it you will always find people amazed by the value it brings. Check it out.
kiko65 OP
279 posts
 
This is quite informative Pani.
Thank you so much for your input. I will definitely do some research about the Pro-ject Phonobox RS.

I clearly understand what you are saying. My spare cart is the extremely rare Dynavector 10XGold L which retailed for $345.00 back in the days. Only 50 were allocated to the US. I bought mine NOS for $250.00 and, to my ears, it sounds way better than the much improved DV20X2L; equally impresive but tonally more accurate. Perfect match with the P-75 in enhancer mode and closer to XX-2 standards with its boron cantilever. It gives me about $85% of what I get from my reference cart, the exceptional Lyra Delos, at a fraction of the cost.

Thank you again Pani.


sbrownnw
710 posts
 
I like my jasmine lp2 mkII very much with my rega RP6 and my audio refinement, which I put up against a rogue cronus magnum and mr AR gear sounded more tubelike like the jasmine.
kiko65 OP
279 posts
 
The Complete has a full, involving sound with enough power (50 WPC) to drive most speakers for an amazingly affordable price Sbrownnw.

That said, I prefer my 25 years old reference SS Integrated Amp over EVERYTHING I've heard out there; The Tandberg TIA 3012A. Nothing has ever come close to this beauty!!! Not even the highly regarded Plinius 8200 MKII.

garybegd
4 posts
 
Interesting that both Kiko and Downunder both agree that the P-75 sounds better than the Slee Reflex C. I could not disagree more.

I've had P-75's for about 6 years...first a MKI then adn MKII.I have written glowingly about them and recommended them often. However, I recently switched to the Reflex C and consider it a major upgrade. It has better bass and reveals considerably more detail. Individual instruments sound more real...especially percussion, piano and trumpet. Every day I'm listening to old records and hearing new things. Today I planned to sample one side of Keith Jarret's Nude Ants, but hear I am now on the 4th side, because the first 3 just sound so good.

I don't have a Lyra...I always stuck to Dynavector carts in enhancer mode. Currently its a DV-20L with a ruby cantilever and new stylus from Soundsmith. Arm is an Origin Live upgraded Rega 300. My P-75 will be on the market soon.
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