Phono Stage - The great analog tragedy

Subjective Assessment ( Evaluation or judgment that is based on personal feelings, opinions, and experiences rather than objective facts or data).

Subjective Assessment used by myself when encountering a 834p as a EAR Design or a Variant Clone Design has never been an experience where I feel compelled to make an inquiry about how the Model is produced and learn how to acquire a model. In my assessment, there is not a end sound produced that generates an attraction to myself, that is wanted to be pursued for being available as readily at hand to be used.  

Does the 834p fill a room with Sound that is able to be listened to and not wanted to be avoided? Answer is Yes.

The subject of Phonostages and only giving the designs credit as a result of subjective assessment, is going to produce a mass amount of models to be suggested. 

Objective Assessment (A method of evaluation where the questions or tasks have a single, clearly defined correct answer. These assessments are fact-based, unbiased, and measurable, minimizing subjective interpretation. They are often used to gauge knowledge, skills, and understanding of specific facts and concepts).  

As stated by myself in an earlier Post and now with a edit:

" It seems those with a Proper Understanding of the Math will be best placed to give the best advice as to what a Phon' can aspire to be today as a finished design. In relation to the measurements values that can be taken from a modern design and measurement values that was not possible to be taken when produced during eras 20-50 Years in the past."

I Think many so called "audiophile" integrated and standalone phono stages have flattered to decieve and done a disservice to what can still be achieved in the vinyl playback world.

One such design I can vouch for, is to be found within the truly great pre-amplifier designed by the late genius Tim De Pavaracini. One of his legacy products EAR 912 has an extraordinarily capable  phonostage.

Concieved in the late 90’s but brought to the maket in the mid 2000’s The 912 sports Transformer-Coupled Inputs for moving coil cartridges, it uses his custom step-up transformers, which preserve signal integrity and reduce noise as no active gain stage is needed at that point.

RIAA Equalization is achieved without relying on op-amps or digital correction, instead it uses hand-wound inductors for RIAA EQ,

It results in delivering a more natural, analog sound with huge headroom and low-frequency stability.

Dual Phono Inputs are provided so two arms can be plugged in at the same time and MM and MC inputs are fully supported, with switchable gain and impedance settings. That means you can fine tune on the fly to match your cartridge and sound.

Five PCC88 (7DJ8) Valves as used, three soley dedicated to the phono stage, these tubes are known for low noise and long life, contributing to my  EAR 912’s lush, detailed sound.

I love the Studio-Grade VU Meters not just for show, these let you visually monitor levels and optimize gain settings, especially useful when dealing with over-compressed or dynamic recordings.

I like that his design offers Balanced and Unbalanced Outputs, Transformer-coupled line stage ensures signal purity whether you’re running XLR or RCA.

There is something magical about my EAR 912 that  I believe comes from Tims deeper immersion into the recorded music world via his renown and respected innovation founded in studio environments. I always get the ferling I am having my music revealed to me as opposed to it being reproduced to me.

It isnt everyones elxir in the looks department but I have yet to hear a phonostage be it a standalone or integrated that bests the one inside this hugely capable pre amp.

EAR 912 is a good call for an example of something extraordinary.  Someone above mentioned the Mares Connoisseur.  I have not heard it, but I heard the version Lyra licensed and built and it sounded great—very dynamic and vivid sounding.  The Lyra Connoisseur is one of the few solid state preces I would welcome in my system.

I don’t have the knowledge or experience to say anything of value to the OP. I can say that each succession of phonostages I have gone through have taken my vinyl playback to new levels. Lounge LCR MKIII, Sutherland 20/20, 47 Lab Arare and now a Phasemation E-350 all good and each beats the previous. 

The Phasemation E-350 is a Phon' that has been auditioned in a system that is not my own.

It has been used as a Phon' in a line up to be compared, it was new, only a few hours of usage.

As an experience and as an assessment, I recollect the 350 being quite impressive and was comfortable with the notion it was comparable in end sound produced to the most expensive in use during the demo's, which was a Valve Phono' with a suggested retail cost of near £10K.   

The 350 certainly was loaded on the back panel for options to attach to other devices, which is another Plus for it.   

Spec's across devices are not usually openly discussed at comparisons get togethers, the intention is to have a group Subjectively Assess the sound being produced in a particular system and environment.