Right. Phono stages are a real challenge. Ideally they would be all tube designs because, well, sound better. But its real hard to get as low noise level as we’d like. The Herron is a good compromise. I have the 2A, its awesome. Have tried enough SS to never even want to bother any more. Would be more likely to try all-tube. But who am I kidding? The Herron is a forever thing.
Still, that said, if there was one SS I would try it would be one from Tim dP. All his designs I have heard are very good. Not hardly SS sounding at all. Quite the opposite. Its almost as if a very talented designer set out to make solid state sound like someone’s romanticized idea of a tube design. I would expect you will hear a near dead silent black presentation with just a shade more bloom and glow than you’re getting right now from the more neutral Herron.
Which is more accurate, when they get this close to perfection, who can say? Heck who cares? At this level its all about whatever you enjoy the most.
Still, that said, if there was one SS I would try it would be one from Tim dP. All his designs I have heard are very good. Not hardly SS sounding at all. Quite the opposite. Its almost as if a very talented designer set out to make solid state sound like someone’s romanticized idea of a tube design. I would expect you will hear a near dead silent black presentation with just a shade more bloom and glow than you’re getting right now from the more neutral Herron.
Which is more accurate, when they get this close to perfection, who can say? Heck who cares? At this level its all about whatever you enjoy the most.