Best cost no object tube phono

A couple people who live on your side of the planet have this unit. I have not heard it, it is quite expensive, and but as Ferris Bueller said, "if you have the means...": http://emt-international.ch/e/jpa66.php 

@syntax - Syn - have you heard the EMT? 

Hi @rauliruegas - thanks, I'm not in the market, I was curious about the EMT b/c I know a few people who have the unit but never heard it. @syntax thought it was colored.
The FM Acoustics line was always very expensive. At this point in my life, with my system, I'm not looking for the best in the world-- the system is very good and to my liking. I have been buying more recherché records and prefer to put my money into music, mainly older, often obscure vinyl. I like finding stuff off the beaten path. Sometimes, I strike gold, musically and sonically.
If I do any gear upgrades, I may eventually change out my Avantgarde Duos which are getting long in the tooth. Because I'm partial to the sound of the Lamm ML2 amp, I need a very sensitive speaker. As a long time electrostatic listener, I was able to quickly adapt to horns, which have an immediacy like a good electrostatic with a different set of trade-offs. I'll leave the FM Acoustics stuff for those still on the climb. Me-- I'm getting older and less in acquisition or upgrade mode -- much love for the old records, though. Thanks for your thoughts....

@syntax said "for ME, it is like a „Equalizer“ ..after listening, I closed that chapter and never looked back"-- 


Interesting. What are you using now as your main phono stage? I still have the Allnic, only rolled the rectifier. It really works well in my system, although some looking for "more detail" find it "burnished."

@rauliruegas - sorry to have confused things. I am not equating the electrostatic with the horn in any way except midrange clarity. Impedance, amp demands, etc. all different. I do run my original Quad 57s, which I have owned since around 1973-4 in another system in another room, they were restored, along with a pair of Quad II amps that date from 1961, also restored with primo glass in them. Totally different character, but the midrange on the Quad-- oohla,la. And the horn gives me the clarity, with dynamics, and by adding big subs to the woofer system of the Duo, I get bass impact. The thing that really gelled with these was a switch in cartridges from the Airtight or Lyra to Koetsu stone bodies-- bass with body. Who knew?

@inna-- been there. I've had this pair since the mid-70s, set up at one point as a mini-HQD system. I boxed them in 1990 when I bought a pair of Crosby-Quads. I promised myself that at some point I would restore the 57s and when I moved, I had the opportunity. They got shipped off to Electrostatic Solutions, and when he finished his work, they were shipped to me in Texas. I put them back on the stock feet. I'm good with them- this is how I first used them back in the '70s, and learned to listen through this speaker. It's cool to have owned gear for almost 50 years that is still delivering the goods. Not a speaker meant for all purposes, but for what it does well, it's a classic. If I want to go big, I use the bigger system upstairs. That thing can now deliver serious bass, coupled with the horns mid and top and I'm happy. 
My experience in the past was not satisfactory in adding woofers. I suspect Maggie bass panels might work, I know some have advocated open baffle designs, or other types of bass augmentation. The old Quad can give you the impression of big bass given the size of the panel, but it isn't terribly deep and won't play loud. It isn't meant for Sabbath, but it's great for jazz, voice, folk, etc. 

@inna- the real step forward wouldn’t be the amps on the bass it would be to use horn loaded bass. And for that Avantgarde charges a couple Porsches-- not the cheap ones, either.
That’s why, if and when, I may look elsewhere-- I don’t have room for the Trio in my room anyway. Maybe the Everest. But, then I have to bi-amp and that raises another host of issues in terms of amps. David Karmeli has done it using the older M2 JBL and stacks of ML2s. The Lamm amp isn’t crazy money used. But, I’m not there yet. I do like Avantgarde it’s jut that the prices Euro to dollar as Jim Smith has said, don’t make it easy. I think he quit distributing the line, so he said, b/c he couldn’t do it and lower the price sufficiently to make it attractive. The Duo Mezzo is over 65K. For that kind of money, I’d want more even though I can get an accommodation. We’ll see. I’m not in need yet. Just anticipating that’s the next thing I’ll need to change as the system ages....