Phono Stage upgrade to complement Dohmann Helix One Mk 2

@drbond 

funny you say that about @rauliruegas  - i always find my discussions with him to be very productive. It might just be he is not a fan of Ypsilon - I've never them. Please remember we all have our own natural prejudices - me I am not a fan of KSL/Kondo - Zanden and Dartzeel - all well loved brands and I'm sure to many ears are mana from heaven - I find them either mushy or too coloured. 

Many a reviewer has very specific loves/prejudices - Martin Colloms loves Naim and Linn - Roy Gregory anything stocked by Audiofreaks (he had to answer letters about this in hi fi plus) - Michael Fremer (anything new and stupendously expensive) 

Many a reviewer has very specific loves/prejudices - Martin Colloms loves Naim and Linn - Roy Gregory anything stocked by Audiofreaks (he had to answer letters about this in hi fi plus) - Michael Fremer (anything new and stupendously expensive) 

And most reviewers will wax poetic as out the positives, or maybe “they” find the reviewer that will be positive.

So it is a bit of a feedback-loop as negative reviews, do not result in a negative reviewer getting more products to review that “could be” heavy on the negative side.

Dear @drbond  : "  I've never heard music any better than with the Ypsilon amplifier and pre-amplifier.  Even with my "lowly" Manley Steelhead connected to they Ypsilons, "

Well that could be because you do not listened something really better, that's all and does not means Ypsilon is what you think i's. Even that now you could question the validity of my posts you can be sure that I know what I'm talking about and more important I know why I'm talking in that " dramatic " way. I only want to help and that you stop to spend money instead to invest in true high quality performance level audio items.

" I highly doubt the JC1+ would produce anything close to what I currently hear.  ", well one reason is that the JC have a way better design. @lohanimal  agree with all your post.

R.

Well the Ypsilon Hyperion monos got a blisteringly good review in both Absolute Sound and Stereophile. Michael Fremer concluded that the Ypsilon passive preamp was as transparent as his reference Dartzeel. He also concluded that the Hyperion monos were as good as the Dartzeel 458 mono’s

"Side 2 was mind-bogglingly better than I’d ever heard it, all of the inner instrumental voices clearly revealed. Especially amazing was the return of the trumpet call, backed by delicate, barely audible woodwinds that were now clearly delineated—and, a few minutes later, the triangle, each stroke’s attack, sustain, and decay convincingly reproduced with great deliberateness and delicacy. And string pizzicati were perfection." MF review

It is clear that the Ypsilon PST100/Hyperion monos are superb by any standard.

In my experience the most compelling systems are those where the owner has selected a speaker they like, and then they found the best amplifier to drive those chosen speakers. In the case of @drbond he owns Atmasphere OTL’s, CJ , and Lamm M2.2 mono amps and has concluded the Ypsilon Hyperions are superb in his system on his Soundlab speakers. I don’t doubt this having heard many amps on Soundlab A1’s, both tube and solid state, they are very sensitive to amplifier choice.

You cannot select an amplifier based on specifications, they are only a guide. Of course if one partakes in copious amounts of tequila and electric puha then perhaps a JC1+ might be perceived to be SOTA

Now back to phono stage options....

@drbond , You make a big mistake underestimating John Curl. The JC 1+ uses totally first class components and very slick internal layout. It is less expensive because it is mass manufactured in Taiwan. Robots do a much better job than humans and we all know that surface mount is better than through hole. There are many people who think the JC 1+ is one the best amplifiers made regardless of price. 

@rauliruegas, FM Acoustics has a very colorful web site. The 233 has way more features than I will ever need or use. It looks beautifully made. It's "Hum and Noise" spec is very misleading. "Equivalent input noise below full output 22 Hz - 22kHz: - 137 dBu." I have no idea what that means. I know what "A weighted signal to noise ration" means. It is certain that they are two different ways of characterizing noise and can not be compared. The Seta's signal to noise ration even improves the lower the impedance of the cartridge. 

@lewm , I totally agree that Channel D's web site is fractured and should be re-done. Rob Robinson is a computer geek and they view life differently than normal people. However, your comments on the companies name and product's name are trivial to say the least. By virtue of his feeling that digital RIAA correction is superior to analog filters he has already lost the analog audiophiles. No great loss IMHO. I plan on trying it when I get the unit as I already have the programming. Don't worry. I also ordered the analog circuit.