New Gold Note PH 10


I had posted a question a while ago about hearing from anyone with experience comparing the Gold Note PH 10 vs. the Bryston BP2 or Clear Audio Smart V2 phono preamps.  I never heard anything back about this subject, so I decided to just simply purchase a new PH 10 and compare it against my Clear Audio preamp.  

First impressions:  As much as I love my Clear Audio Smart V2 and in particular its sound stage and imaging qualities, I have to say that the PH 10 was considerably better at detail and picking out the instruments, especially the low and mid range ones.   The Clear Audio seemed to be a little better at the upper end imaging and the sound stage.  But keep in mind this was with the PH 10 new right out of the box.

I was told the PH 10 needs at least 50 hours of run in time to open up, so I used it for two nights and left it on for several days.  After allowing it to settle in and enjoying a lot of music, I still thought the Clear Audio had a leg up on it in the sound stage/imaging department.   So I decided to listen to a well known record to me with excellent recording and a lot of dynamic range on the PH 10, then switch the wires over to the Clear Audio (which I had not heard in several days by this time), and replay the record.   YIKES!!!  it was like a blanket was draped over my speakers.  I had become so gradually accustomed to the new PH 10 that I had not noticed the slight changes going on with the break in.  When the Clear Audio was swapped back into the system (it took me about a minute to do this), it was night and day the differences.

The PH 10 was by far a much more detailed, pronounced signature with a superior sound stage and the imaging was hands down better.  I am using it with the Audio Technica AT20ss vintage MM cartridge which has an extraordinary frequency range of 5-50K hz, so I was able to take advantage of the Enhanced RIAA curve the PH 10 has.  It is pretty outstanding.   Make sure you break things in!   I love this phono preamp.
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I suppose like anything, it's equipment dependent and certain cartridges like specific impedance.  As I stated, the AT20ss seems to enjoy either 47K or 22K ohm input.   I know that if it were to go any higher than 47K, it would be far too bright sounding.  If I have a recording which is too emphasized on the upper end, I drop the loading to 22K and it really mellows out.  That is what is so nice about the PH 10, you can do it with the turn of the front knob.

I suspect the PSU10 power supply is a nice addition for LOMC as you are depending on a lot more amplification due to the low output vs. a MM with 2.7mv which requires far less, hence the signal to noise ratio is very different.
My ex Audio-Technica AT-20Sla impressed me with 100k Ohm load on this phonostage, at that time my main arm was a tube one. Now i have much better resolution with First Watt F2J power amp and Aleph L preamp. It's system dependent, you're right. But Gold Not does not allow to unload MM cartridge using higher numbers that 47k for MM.

In my experience every phono stage is better with 100k Ohm for MM, here is what i've had from cheap to expensive. 

In other words i would like an MM phono stage with optional loading (lower and higher than 47k) - this is a great option and every user can choose what's the best.  
Slim,  it’s fine to use a 22K load resistor on your MM cartridges, but just realize that you are probably rolling off the high frequencies below 20 kHz. Also, I was not sure what you were saying about the ground cable you have around your house. Whether it’s made of copper or not, I would not think it’s a good idea to have Audio equipment share its ground system with RF generators, as you seemed to indicate. Or did I read it wrong? Like Chakster, I have found that many of the best MM cartridges sound best with a 100 K load. But unlike Chakster, I have no problem using a 47K load, when the preamplifier presents that load as a matter of course. Yes, everything is a little bit better at 100 K but it’s not a deal killer to use 47K, in my system, to my ears. Maybe that’s just me being too lazy to get out the soldering iron and change the resistors. I also agree with Chakster that the nude vishay  TXresistors are THE resistors to use for phono loading. Cheaper Caddock TF020 resistors from Michael Percy are a close second.
A couple of comments:

First, Clakster's  AT-20Sla if I recall was a Shibata diamond on an Aluminum cantilever; this was very similar to the AT15s Universal.  I had one of those last summer which I tested against the AT15ss/20ss which is a super Shibata on a Beryllium cantilever and there is quite a difference in upper end performance.  The aluminum item sounds much more mellow, almost muffled in comparison.  Therefore I would understand why a 100K ohm input would be helpful as it opens up the high frequencies more.  Since I am using the AT 20ss which has a huge frequency excursion of 5-50K hz, it's much more detailed on the upper frequencies and when I run it on 47K ohm input, it's superb.  If I were to get any additional boost in upper range by going to 100K ohms, I think it would not be a good match at all.  The Audio Technica factory suggested loading for the 20ss is 47k with 100-150 pf.  They are probably assuming some average for capacitance in the audio leads from the cartridge to the amplifier at some average user length which may be 3 to 6 feet.  I am using around 2.5 feet, so my capacitance is lower, hence the 220 pf I have works.

The other comment from Lew pertaining to grounding, I am not using generators.  I have an Amateur Radio station with very extensive antennae and high power amplifiers.  Since one HF antenna I have is a 7 element mono band LogYagi with very high gain and coupled to a 1.5kw amplifier, an excellent ground system is an absolute requirement to avoid RF feedback into the transmitted signal and also avoiding RF burns.  I have a few hundred feet of 1/4 inch diameter solid copper running in damp soil about 8 to 10 feet under ground and this ties back into the 'radio shack'.   I use this same ground to ground the cable TV line which is full of 60 hz. noise and my main audio system.  This is what I connected to from the PH 10 which eliminated all noise from the audio circuit. 

Also, I usually run 47K not 22K.  Only on some recordings do I find the 22K to be preferable, but that is not too many of them.
OH, one other comment on the AT20ss and 47K ohm... I have a NOS stylus installed with probably not much more than 50 hours use.  Its very fresh, so it has a lot of upper end compared to a well used stylus, that probably is playing into some of why I like it at this setting.