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Phono stage for tube system - recommendations?

I recently swapped my Blue Circle driving Merlins for the well regarded Ars Sonum Filharmonia integrated. I have gained a fair amount of air and presence but lost a smidgen of attack especially on higher spectrum of frequency. Front end is a Shelter 901/SME-V/Orbe SE.

I was previously considering moving from my modified GCPH to a tubed photo such as the K&K Maxxed out, Herron,JLTI Artemis, or Aesthetix Rhea, but am now having second thoughts going all tube, and contemplating upgrading along the lines of a Solid State Phono stage instead.

On the solid state side, the candidates are the usual suspects: Pass Xono, ASR, Whest, Tom Evans.

I'm sure at least a handful of members have come to this fork and have some experiences to share. Thoughts welcome!

Thanks,
Ben
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Showing 1 response by jmcgrogan2

jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I am in a similar situation. I'm currently using a VAC Avatar Super integrated tube amp with a Walker Audio Signature solid state phono stage with great results. I have used tube phono stages before, but I tend to agree with Lloyd Walker on this issue, at very low signal levels, SS is better.

I've been to Lloyd's home, and he has tube amp and preamp, but SS phono stage. His theory being that signals at very low levels are even more prone to 'unbalance' in the dual triode tube stage than even low level signals in a tube preamp. It's hard to find perfectly matched tubes, and tubes that will stay perfectly matched over their lifespan. This is more audible at lower signal levels. YMMV.

Cheers,
John
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