VAC Owners:Outboard Phono Stage?

In case anyone is still interested in the SUT audition... I've got over 25 hours on this puppy and it's rocking my world. Right now I'm listening to Shelby Lynne's tribute to Dusty Springfield and I'm lovin life. I've been thinking about how lucky we all are to be engaged in a hobby that offers endless potential to completely surprise us — whether we're hearing sonic details we never knew were in the familiar grooves of our favorite performances, or hearing unfamiliar performances recomended by fellow audiophiles that render us speechless...

I had a musician friend over last night for some listening and I pulled out the big guns — yes, the "Reference" LPs. While listening, he kept shaking his head in disbelief. I know that feeling, the sweet spot is deadly.

As for the upgrade, I consider this surprising outcome a complete success! At least for a while, I'm out of hardware search mode and I'm going deep into the music hunting mode.

And lastly, an admission, as required by my Audioholics Anonymous program. Here goes: just now, I've listened to side two of Shelby Lynne's album four times in a row already. I just can't help it... It just sounds so goooood. I'm not sure I can stop. My sponsor is gonna have a fit.

Wow, feels good to get that off my chest. Thanks for reading. If you have any questions, please post.

Cheers,
Alón

I now have Bob's Devices Cinemag 1131 mono (made for Miyajima mono)
in my system. So Miyajima is going into Herron's MM inputs. Magic. Meaty,
special, musical, engaging, powerful etc. It is like putting Shindo and Linn
and ARC into a blender. Much superior than without 1131. Now i want one
for my benz lp-s. it brings weight and drama that is captivating.

Podeschi,
Nice to have you in the "smitten-by-the-1131" club.

It's always interesting to share our impressions boldly and openly on these threads... but when your A'gon friends start spending money based on our impressions, one can certainly get a little concerned. What if they don't have the same experience? What if they hate it and resent me for being a tin-eared miscreant?

All I can say is, Alright! Glad you were impressed enough to want two of them. Loved the blender metaphor! Hey, now that there are two of us in this club, we can tell anyone that doesn't agree with us that they are obviously half-deaf cretins who don't have the sophistication to hear the magic this SUT brings! This, of course, will get them to buy it out of sheer embarrassment... Then we can hit Bob up for a commission, and also.... OK, wait, I shouldn't be posting this...

Anyone else ready to join the club?

Right on, Alonski. I would also add to our Cinemag Infomercial I had a funky ground loop hum issue with my Miyajima setup (something about my system). The 1131 fixed that.

An Infomercial... Now why didn't I think of that? You see, Podeschi, that's why you were elected the club's Strategic Marketing Director (in a landslide victory I should add).

I also had a ground loop issue that I never fully solved, even after I installed two 20AMP dedicated circuits!

After much posting and consultation with my electrician and the technicians at PurePower in Canada, I just kinda gave up since I was able to tame it down to a dull, background whine that didn't regularly bring me to the point of psychosis anymore.

But in the first minutes of having the CINEMAG in the chain, I tried the Ground Lift toggle, turned up the volume way past what would be ear-melting level if I had something playing and – whaddaya know, quiet.

The 1131 fixed it with a simple slip of a fwitch!

I am looking forward to meeting our humble hero Bob at THE SHOW in southern California in a few weeks. Anyone else on this thread going?

Alón