What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead?


I'm on a mission to improve my vinyl front-end. Starting point is to replace the Graham 2.2 on my Basis Audio Debut Gold Vacuum, followed by a new compatible cartridge, next will be a different phonostage.

I like the Steelhead but I'm sure there's something better out there. I've around $8K  to play with and prefer to buy used. Has anyone stepped up from the Steelhead successfully, if so, what did you buy and how much of an improvement was it?

Appreciate any thoughts/ideas? 

128x128rooze

Showing 5 responses by whart

@wrm57 are doppelgängers. We seem to make the same moves. I also went from a Steelhead to the H3000, it sounded better in my system. I was rolling tubes in the Steelhead and using the MM inputs at 47k. I also used a line stage which added more meat to the bones. Eva Manley was great to deal with, the thing is really well built but for some reason, I couldn’t get it to open up-- there was a slight electronic glaze to the sound that made it very hi-fi. The Allnic is somewhat polarizing in that some folks who want the last word in clarity and detail find it "burnished" sounding- I didn’t need more detail, but the spatial information and retrieval of ambient cues is what really sold me. I’ve only had to do minor stuff on the Allnic--replaced one funky tube socket and replaced all the audio circuit tubes after 5+ years. I roll the rectifier- have a bunch of really good ones, including a NIB/NOS metal bass Mullard, which is a grail tube. The rectifier I like best for the voicing of my system is a GEC u52 with a cup base. Those are not particularly easy to find these days either. The rectifier will make a huge difference in the sound.

I rolled NOS Tele and Siemens among others in the Steelhead. Didn't change my conclusion. Perhaps @lewm is correct about the cause of what I called a slight electronic glaze. 

I'm not a follower of one brand. I had ARC stuff starting in around 1974-5 and carried on with it until the '90s. Kept my SP-10mkii preamp for the longest- too noisy for my horn based system and finally sold it as well. I still have a Dual 75a that I bought new in around 1975, pretty much unmolested, but needs attention before I put it back into service.

My only recommendation to the OP is to try to hear this gear in your system, which may not be possible if you are buying used. 

 

You ever hear a Steelhead? Have one in your system? I did, for several years. 

Your statement that it can't be surpassed is incorrect. I'm trying to be polite. 

And there is a way to vet a vintage Bugatti, but it requires some depth. I don't pretend to have that knowledge, though I'm familiar with the cars that Ettore made. 

 

This is why I frequent this forum less. Lack of knowledge, strong on opinion and nasty. GFY. 

You won't learn anything from me.