OPINIONS PLEASE - Phonostage for new Rega P8/Apheta 2 - Sutherland 20/20 or Allnic 1201
fsmithjack- your previous rig unquestionably was up to the task. Something was amiss there. Being a VPI owner, can't recall ever reading feedback from other VPI owners with the DL S1. It is a known great cart, but being a very low gain, it does require extra attention to details. Did the supposed "guru" suggest a different cart. That could have been the game changer. A higher gain model and loose the step up? Doesn't matter, you have a great table. It's supposed to be nicer than the RP8 This is the "BEST" phonostage based on price/performance at the moment https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/cary-audio/products/cary-audio-ph-302-mk-ii-phonostage All tube, including rectifier. Upgraded parts. I would jump on this if I didn't already have a tube unit. What the heck is "best?" It subjective. |
Oh yes I agree. It was an $8,000ish table / arm and a $11,500 pre/phono set up and it sounded like a alarm clock radio of sorts. Not that bad I'm kidding but nothing even close to my digital. The analogue guru was amazed when he heard my digital. Said is was the best he ever heard with any source but he is more of an old school vintage audio system kind of guy. Awesome guy that spent hours trying to help me out. Would not take a dollar at end of night as I assumed he would all along which stunk because I could not ask him to come back after I bought another cart so now I was back to square one. I would only invite him to hang and listen but not work on my system because I felt bad and that would be wrong. Such a nice guy that I didn't even know and only met he read one of my posts and offered to come over to help as he was local to me. He was really cool and knowledgeable so at lease we had fun listening to music. He told me his 20 year vintage table sounded 1000 times better and something was wrong with the set up. He was thinking cart/phono match maybe. I then bough the step up after thinking it might help but the 326s is a decent unit and known more for the pre but it has mc ability and still nothing. I was going to buy another cart then I don't know how to mount and reading about it only makes things worse to a newbie. Needless to say table sat for weeks and I said "see yea" and dumped it all. Got most my money back and just spent time and focus on my beloved digital.. Now I am back and went the Rega - premounted cart rout and hope it sounds nice and works well. |
tablejockey Thanks - no one has ever mentioned this Cary phono to me? Is it in the same league as the Allnic 1201, Sutherland Duo or the venerable and universally loved Herron VTPH-2A? Thanks |
