Best Phono Pre for Teres

Flyingred, Who say's everyone who plays guitar through a tube amp is playing through it becouse it distorts........ Ever heard Les Paul??

I am running a ZYX Airy 3S through an Audio Research Ref. phono and am very happy. I have it loaded at 100ohms, which seems to work well in my system. I have not compared to any others though.

Chris

Bebop,

I guess you didn't read my post on your thread.......... I have an Airy 3S w/silver base (.24mv) running into an ARC reference phono in my system. It sounds incredible. I am using Hovland MG II phono cables which are a big improvement over any others I have tried including: Nordost Quattro, Kimber, and Audience. The ARC actually has enough gain from it's MM input (which bypasses the internal x-former) for the Airy. It sounds a little better in this configuration to me (a bit more pure if you will, but it's really, really a small difference, and I like the MC input for some more powerful Rock stuff as it's a little more dynamic in the bottom).

I have not heard the IO or Manley, but I did borrow a Whest from a local dealer recently. I much preferred my ARC in almost every way. The Whest was quieter though.

Hope this helps, it sounds like you have a fun decision to make.......... It's a bitch trying to decide what top flight phono pre to get to go along with the rest of your rig......... which is one of the best.

Chris

Raul,

In response to your post on tube gear (and please know I am not trying to start an arguement, as I have always found a good deal of insight and wisdom in many of your other comments on Agon). I have been a professional musician for almost 20 years, I play acoustic and electric guitar. I have extensive experience in the recording studio and mixing live sound in numerous concert venues. I can only say from this expereince I would rather eat nails than play my guitar through a solid state amp. Further some of the most coveted and respected studio gear ever made uses tubes in it's signal chain. The recordings that many of us love from the 40's-present day have been recorded with tube microphones, etc.

I am not an electrical engeneer and don't mean to hijack this thread but for my tastes I feel that tubes are a critical part of my experiences in sound reproduction. Whether playing my Stratocaster through my '59 Fender Tweed Twin, recording my voice or acoustic guitar in the studio, or playing Louis Armstrong back on my home system.

Like I say, I'm not trying to start a fight here, but IMO and I'm sure many others tubes rule!!!