AudiogoN Forums: Phono stage for tube system

Phono stage for tube system - recommendations?

I recently swapped my Blue Circle driving Merlins for the well regarded Ars Sonum Filharmonia integrated. I have gained a fair amount of air and presence but lost a smidgen of attack especially on higher spectrum of frequency. Front end is a Shelter 901/SME-V/Orbe SE.

I was previously considering moving from my modified GCPH to a tubed photo such as the K&K Maxxed out, Herron,JLTI Artemis, or Aesthetix Rhea, but am now having second thoughts going all tube, and contemplating upgrading along the lines of a Solid State Phono stage instead.

On the solid state side, the candidates are the usual suspects: Pass Xono, ASR, Whest, Tom Evans.

I'm sure at least a handful of members have come to this fork and have some experiences to share. Thoughts welcome!

Thanks,
Ben

Pureretro (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

11-23-09

Responses (1-27 of 27)

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

11-23-09 For the price range you are in i would stay with a tubed pho ... Apachef1

11-23-09 There is no reason to back away from consideraton of the ae ... Rushton

11-23-09: Macdadtexas
I was shocked how good the Graham Slee stuff is. I have an Elevator now, and I plan on buying an Era Gold early next year when I switch to a line stage (Cary SLP05 or ARC Ref3)
Macdadtexas (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

11-23-09 Shelters works well with the graham slee era gold and the el ... Nolitan

11-23-09 Get the k&k, you won't regret it. Clio09

11-23-09 I think the k&k is very special. Bucketjr

11-23-09 Never seen the k&k's and i just looked them up, they look re ... Macdadtexas

11-23-09 I have the art audio vinyl one and find it to help produce w ... Sit

11-23-09 Which model of the k&k are you guys referring to ? thanks. Nolitan

11-23-09 I'm running a whest ps.30 into an arc ls26. the whest has go ... Dodgealum

11-23-09 There is basically only one k&k. it is a tubed stage and use ... Bucketjr

11-23-09 Bucketjr, am looking at their website: http://forum.audiog ... Nolitan

11-23-09 Thanks for the enthusiastic responses. i failed to mention ... Pureretro

11-23-09 Nolitan, its the same circuit. the differences are listed. f ... Bucketjr

11-24-09 Bucketjr, thanks, i did look at those specs, etc... somethi ... Nolitan

11-24-09 I bought a used aesthetix rhea a year ago and have had zero ... Dopogue

11-24-09 Bucketjr, the current model of the k&k uses a pair of 6h23p ... Palasr

11-24-09 At least one of the competitors that palasr mentions was my ... Dan_ed

11-24-09 A couple of years ago i owned an xono and built a first gene ... Brianhutch

11-24-09 I am in a similar situation. i'm currently using a vac avata ... Jmcgrogan2

11-24-09 For ss phono,don't overlook the aqvox 2ci.it is a sleeper.gr ... Tpsonic

11-24-09 Jmcgrogan2, if what you say is true, then lloyd has not spen ... Atmasphere

11-24-09 Dan, since our get together, i did both the audio note tant ... Palasr

11-24-09 Richard, i can see that happening with the other things goin ... Dan_ed

11-24-09 Kevin of k&k audio has a new, fully balanced differential ph ... John_tracy

11-24-09 Looks like the k&k is a worthy consideration. anyone here b ... Nolitan

11-24-09 i would second rushton's recommendation. and i own and hav ... R_f_sayles