Is Coincident Statement Phono pre-amp an overkill

Get the EAR 834P.

Maybe one day you will have a table, arm and cartridge that can make the most of a phonostage like the Coincident.

In my opinion, you want to try to keep some sort of balance even during the upgrade process. There will come a time when you make a big jump to the next level - but I don't think this is the right one.

Just let it slide out of your mind and don't think about what could have been. It will come around.

Regards,

I love spending other people's money. ;-)

Clearaudio Concept TT $1400
Concept MM cartridge $250
Coincident Dragons (used) $5000 (?)
Triode TRX-1 Preamp $3000
Vienna Acoustics Haydn $900
Pyle pro phono amp $15

Where are the weak links?

Spend $4500 on a Coincident Phono stage, or spend $895 on a EAR 834P (upgrade that $15 phono stage) and put the $3500 towards your next pair of speakers?

I know what I would do.

Regards,

Charles1dad,

In researching my answer I read the Stereophile review of the Tim De Paravacini phono stage. The EAR 834P has been around for a very long time. The review is originally from 1997 and is a good review; but what I was quite impressed by was the story of Carl Marchisotto (Alon, now Nola) using the EAR between his Phalanx/Poseidon speakers with Audio Research electronics, and a VPI TNT 'table with a JMW Memorial arm and a Clearaudio Insider cartridge.

Now Carl is no fool when it comes to show demos and could have used a much more expensive phono stage there. But there we had the $900 phono stage in a $125,000 system.

http://www.stereophile.com/phonopreamps/797ear/

I am extending your analogy. Now is not the time to lash out on a superstar. Now is the time to buy a great player for a lot less money, perhaps one who is a little long in the tooth and near the end of his career; but who will fit in with the team in the position where there is weakness, and really give the team a solid boost. Shades of "Moneyball". Meanwhile, keeping most of the money in the bank for that next star player that you really need.

Hey, all in fun.

Regards,

Fair comment. The Stereophile review certainly points out the weaknesses of the phono stage. For instance: "The amplifier's overall dark perspective reflected very laid-back extreme high frequencies and an overly round midbass".

I did not mean to make it a battle between the EAR and the Coincident. I am not stupid. But I do think in the context of the original poster's system $1000 is about the right expenditure at this stage. Perhaps there are much better choices than the EAR around that price point.

Regards,

Taste may come into it, but the fundamental determining parameters are imposed by the tonearm.

Since the Concept can come with the Clearaudio Concept MC, we could get a line on suitable cartridges from Fremer's review:

The MC weighs 8gm and has a moderately high output of 0.4mV at 5cm/s. Its body is made of an alloy of aluminum and magnesium coated with a layer of ceramic, and its boron cantilever is fitted with a Micro Line stylus. The suggested vertical tracking force (VTF) is 2gm, ±0.2gm; the recommended loading is 100 ohms.

I would imagine that spending more than $1200 on a cartridge for this player may not be cost effective.

Regards,