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VAC Owners:Outboard Phono Stage?

I'm contemplating my next upgrade. Thought you guys could help. I spin mostly vinyl. I have a great analogue front end that feeds a VAC Standard LE pre and VAC PHI 200 amp, both of which I love. The MC stage on the pre is really good, but a little noisy (hiss). Kevin is sending me new 12AX7s that Brent will test for very low noise at the VACtory. Those guys just rock! My question, however, is how much do I need to spend on an outboard MC phono stage if I want a significant upgrade to the already wonderful sound of the built-in stage? I know, why don't I just enjoy the wonderful sound? Because it's upgrade time, baby! There will always be a next level (we really need a 12 step group for this hobby). I'm looking at the Zesto Andros ($3900), the Herron VTPH-2 ($3700), and possibly the new Manley Chinook ($2200). Ideally, I could audition these in my system, but the nearest dealer is far away, so I'll have to order one. Any thoughts are welcome. Thanks, Alón (no, not Wolf) Alonski  (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread) 03-17-12

Responses (51-100 of 117)

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it. 03-25-12   I vote that we honor bill (wrm57) with an audiophile eloquen ...   Alonski 03-25-12   fwiw, and i have no familiarity with the steelhead, my take ...   Almarg 03-26-12   Alon, thanks for the compliment. i was mainly just talking ...   Wrm57 03-26-12   Bill, no worries, your post was very helpful to me, even if ...   Alonski 03-27-12   Ok, i'm intrigued. i took jfrech's advice and did some resea ...   Alonski 03-27-12   Might also check out the e.a.r. mc4, this is the one i am de ...   Jfrech 03-27-12: Podeschi Upgrade to better vac preamp with phono built in is the route i would go too Podeschi  (Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread) 03-28-12   Hi. you dont replace your mc stage with a sut you run the su ...   Podeschi 03-28-12   Jfrech, i've got you to thank for opening this can of new po ...   Alonski 04-21-12   Gentlemen, i promised to follow up on my progress, so here' ...   Alonski 04-21-12   Excellent. i just ordered the cinemag 1131 sut made for my m ...   Podeschi 04-22-12   Alonski, that was my experience with my ear mc-4 sut. my de ...   Jfrech 04-22-12   Outstanding, alon! and i must add that it's always a pleasu ...   Almarg 04-23-12   Hey podeschi, this little jewel box is blowing my socks off. ...   Alonski 04-23-12   Jfrech, i would love to do a blind a/b with the ear and bob' ...   Alonski 04-23-12   Al, thanks for the kind words. yes, my vac has both mm and l ...   Alonski 04-23-12   Alonski, i love your description - spot on, "i love tha ...   Podeschi 04-27-12   Gang: i have had the steelhead for 5-6 years, bought it new, ...   Whart 04-30-12   Alón, thanks for posting 1131 impressions - i surely underst ...   Mulveling 04-30-12   You either have the magic or you don't. when i bought the h ...   Podeschi 05-01-12   In case anyone is still interested in the sut audition... i' ...   Alonski 05-02-12   I now have bob's devices cinemag 1131 mono (made for miyajim ...   Podeschi 05-02-12   Podeschi, nice to have you in the "smitten-by-the-1131& ...   Alonski 05-02-12   Right on, alonski. i would also add to our cinemag infomerci ...   Podeschi 05-05-12   An infomercial... now why didn't i think of that? you see, p ...   Alonski 05-09-12   I have been following this thread with interest- since a ste ...   Whart 05-12-12   Alonski, i bought the e.a.r. mc4 sut i've been demo'ing toda ...   Jfrech 05-19-12   Jfrech! this is all your fault and i'm very grateful. the so ...   Alonski 08-16-12   Alonski: i bit late to this party perhaps, but thought i wo ...   Mbump 08-17-12   I agree with mbump. i have not heard anything in my system ...   Podeschi 10-08-12   Podeschi and mbump: i'm still waiting to hear keith's phono ...   Alonski 10-08-12   Alonski, i agree with your statement made in relation to hea ...   Dev 10-08-12   Received my vac 450s and it is incredible....as great as my ...   Podeschi 10-09-12   Dev and podeschi, congratulations on your superb choices. i ...   Alonski 10-09-12   Even though i am not a phono guy, i've had vac gear for year ...   Fplanner2010 10-09-12   Having said that, i can also agree that going from 1 to 2 20 ...   Fplanner2010 10-10-12   Agree with fplanner. two 200 amps will be a big step up and ...   Podeschi 10-11-12   Fplanner: "huge difference and afterwards had a hard ti ...   Alonski 10-12-12   I have the vac 2a preamp which is direct coupled input to ou ...   Jwm 10-26-12   Hey jwm, ok, now you're just showing off! just in case yo ...   Alonski 10-27-12   Alon, i agree with you. i had many other preamps before. i h ...   Jwm 11-30-12   Update: well folks, i spent a lot of time with the vac sig m ...   Alonski 11-30-12   Congrads, you will love the preamp. there is a cd you can bu ...   Jwm 11-30-12   Jwm, thanks. i look forward to getting that cd phono stage b ...   Alonski 11-30-12   Alón, congratulations! that is exciting indeed. a note of ...   Almarg 12-01-12   Kab makes an inexpensive riaa adapter that enables you to pl ...   Whart 12-01-12   Bill, that looks to me like an excellent suggestion. you ap ...   Almarg 12-01-12   Thanks you guys! i wasn't planning to try anything without a ...   Alonski 12-01-12   Alón, yes, that is exactly what i am recommending that you d ...   Almarg 12-03-12   Thanks al and bill. your advice and suggestions are apprecia ...   Alonski 12-03-12   Props to albert porter for turning me on to the kab device. ...   Whart 12-03-12   Alón, re your three questions: 1)as you may realize, regard ...   Almarg 12-04-12   I own the vac signature ii with phono and have been pleased ...   Hifimaniac 12-06-12   Bill and al, thanks once again for sharing your experience a ...   Alonski 12-11-12   Oh no! say it's not true... not yet! as i wait patiently fo ...   Alonski 12-11-12   You know its going to be a phono stage and probably a preamp ...   Jwm 12-12-12   Ears over ego. i could have bought the signature preamp to m ...   Podeschi 12-11-12   Alonski, contact kevin and change your order to the statemen ...   Knghifi 12-12-12   I think it was pierre laval, a pretty famous judge, who said ...   Whart 12-12-12   I spoke to kevin today, and in his inimitable quiet manner ( ...   Alonski 02-10-13   Gentlemen, after weeks of anticipation torture, i finally r ...   Alonski 02-10-13   Good for you, alonski. it's nice to hear about someone enjoy ...   Whart 02-11-13   Hey alonski you put a huge smile on my face the way you desc ...   Hifimaniac 02-11-13   Hifimaniac, that is easy. the companies that seem to get the ...   Jwm 02-11-13   Congrats alonski! business must be great that kevin can jac ...   Knghifi 02-11-13   Kevin recommended 1960 era phillips 7308's for the 6922's bu ...   Hifimaniac 02-12-13   Whart- thanks, it's really all about the hobby for me. music ...   Alonski

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