What is the best solid state moving coil phono section?


Either stand alone or in a preamp? I have owned various iterations of Curl Vendetta SCP-2 as well as a Crosby modified Spectral DMC 10Z and have compared the Vendetta against the stand alone Levinson unit. My particular Vendetta is one of a small number that incorporate custom Teflon caps in the RIAA as well as John's latest thinking on wire and connectors. I would characterize it as extremely fast and transparent with an incredibly low noise floor and excellent height, image width and depth. Tonally, I find it to be very good but different from the best tubed units. Likewise, it resolves images differently, with a sharper definition of the edge of instruments and performers but with somewhat less of the sense that intruments/singers have three dimensional bodies.

The only product with which I am familiar (note that there is an universe of phono stages that I have never heard, thus the question) that I find superior is the phono stage in the Blowtorch preamp. I own a Blowtorch sans the built in phono thus the need for the Vendetta.
fcrowder
I once read about the FM Acoustics and Sutherland phono amps, real high end stuff. The writer did not compare them to the Vendetta
Try the Pass X-ONO. Wonderful sound, no solid state feel, as quiet as you can get.
If there is $2000 to spend than www.dact.com can offer a state of the art phono section + power supply that you'll have to enclose by yourself into chasis. There is a big + if you can choose a shape of the chasis to fit your components isn't it?
For a good bang for your buck if you can find one, the CJ Motif MP-11 is very good. List was around $2000+. Used I've seen them for $600 to $700.
Have you heard the American Hybrid Technology's AHT Non-signature? I heard it only once and only for a few blissful minutes! It was the finest, most realistic portrayal of a musical event I had ever experienced! Go see if you can borrow and audition one. A store in NYC called "TOYS FROM THE ATTIC" still carries it. Check out their website: www.tfta.com.

Good luck on your quest!
Jojo