PrimaLuna Phono ??

I had the board installed and was very disappointed. Dumped the PrimaLuna. Purchased an external phono pre and was pleased, EAR 834.

I had one in my PL2, it was fine. There was not too much difference btw it and the Parasound Zphono, the Zphono seemed to have more gain, maybe a tad more quiet. I got the Zphono with a TT so i sold the Primaluna plus the Zphono can be used with both mm and mc carts.

I did trade up to a Pro-ject Tube Box SE and got even better sound but i dont know if a got 4x the price better sound.

I believe that phono board is made in Holland with very high quality parts. The one in my Dialogue Two performs incredibly well and is extremely musical/detailed/dynamic, etc. I know Kevin Deal offers it as a "convenience," and says he loses money on the deal.

I highly doubt that the Ear 834 sounds much better if better at all (save for some weird system synergy thing with a particular turntable/cartridge system, or perhaps, a different amplifier). When I say this I'm speaking about a fair contest... both phono's feeding the PrimaLuna with the same turntable and cartridge as the source -- and the cartridge has to work well from and electrical standpoint with either phono stage. And of course, volume levels matched.

Honestly, the first time I heard the PrimaLuna phono set up with a very modest turntable and MM cartridge, I was floored.

Hey Plato...

I don't get to go to forums much but I'm waiting for my wife to blow dry here hair so thought I would lurk.  The phono stage was designed by Ex-Goldmund Engineer Marcel Croese and is made in Holland.  It is fabulous as you stated, but if a customer thinks he may get an MC cartridge later it may be better to get an outboard phono stage of which there are many for a couple hundred bucks and are MM/MC.  The phono stage market is so glutted they practically give them away.  

I will spill the beans here and tell you PrimaLuna will have an outboard stand alone phono stage by Christmas that will be awesome.  And completely unique.  No idea on pricing yet.  Stay tuned.