On the fence about Vinyl need a good phono stage for A/B testing


Got myself Rega P6, but humm I am not so sure if I want to listen to Vinyl over lossless audio. I have SET tube amp and thinking if I have to get tube phono stage or a good SS will suffice. The speakers will be Legacy Aeris. 

I am thinking ti try out Project Tube Box DS2 but guessing if I should I go all out with Luxman EQ-500 or be rational and settle for Parasound JC3+.

The signal chain will be Rega P6 with Ortofon Bronze -> Phono Stage -> Legacy Wavelet processor -> Line Magnetic 508ia -> Legacy Aeris.

Any advice is helpful.

thanks
geek101
Geek101:

I currently own 4 phono stages with a fifth soon on the way. The Luxman EQ 500 is one of them and it is simply one of the best I’ve heard. Change the fuses (a must) to something more ambitious than the cheap glass it comes stock with. I tried Synergistic Blue, hifi Tuning, etc. The best combination by far was one Audio Magic Ultimate Bees Wax and four AMR Mk2 Gold fuses. I also swapped out the JJ EZ81 rectifier for a NOS Mullard I purchased from Brent Jesse.

Absolutely stunning and the flexibity is right up there with the best. I usually listen to it everyday as it compliments my AMR PH 77 very well.
Oh yeah, it sounds stodgy and thick out of the box, very opaque. It will loosen up at about 100 hours and start to sing around 250 hours. I know many folks exaggerate about components being run-in after like 20-50 hours. I don’t usually have that experience with the gear I buy, it takes time. This goes fast once you pass about 100 hours as it’s more listenable and you are enjoying the component as its becoming better sounding.
If you're thinking about the Parasound JC3+, go with a slightly more costly option: Herron VTPH-2A. I've had a half dozen phono stages over the past ten years including the Parasound and Herron puts them all to shame. With a properly set up TT, the Herron will give an immediate improvement in sound quality. Another nice thing about the Herron, if you make upgrades to your system over time, your phono stage won't be one of them. It is that good.
audiofun, Thanks and how does Luxman EQ-500 compare to others you have and why should one change the fuses?. Pardon me if it is a silly question. 
Geek101:

Not silly at all, it is in the top three or four that I’ve ever heard, and I have listened to more than I can count with some of them costing FAR FAR more than the Luxman. It is quiet, flowing and has excellent timing which is important, a good number of stages completely foul up the timing. The stage is highly transparent with just a hint of lushness/beauty making itself known (you can control this with the rectifier choice as well as the signal tubes). It is not 300B lush by any stretch but it is the polar opposite of the Pass XP25, in a good way (IMHO).

I don’t want to get into the fuse thing but if one thinks about it, all the power coming into the unit is rectified and stored in caps and then released and modulated to the musical/electrical signal generated by the stylus, this is what you are listening to, the power supply. If the first choke point is a chintzy three cent fuse with a crap metal filament (slow blow, Tin, zinc or some alloy) passing the current, a signature is established. Garbage in garbage out. I can honestly tell you that changing the fuses brought about a HUGE increase in the units sonic capabilities.

Nearly all of my components have an AMR MK2 Gold or a Bees Wax Ultimate fuse installed.