Phono Stage

@flash56 I have a phono stage en route that features lundhal SUTs for MC gain. It’s a completely different design than my current Whest Two.2 that achieves gain with op-amps if I’m not mistaken. I wouldn’t write off every single phono stage in favor of SUTs for LOMC cartridges. I can tell you that whatever you got it will face an uphill battle with something like the Whest, within same price category. 

@audphile1 I own a couple of Lundahl SUTs. I find that I prefer the Cinemag's sound as far as my system goes. However, the Lundahls are good SUTs. I am sure that you are correct about active MC gain. I happen to own an old Sonic Frontiers SFP-1 that uses a JFET as the MC gain stage. I obviously am a tube man. It is a similar design to the Manley Chinook without the built in loading resistors. It just has soldering posts. Which is fine for me. I would rather tweak in the loading myself than have preset choices. With that said. It is good warm sounding tube pre that uses a JFET MC gain stage. I used it for years into a SS integrated and it sounded great.  So maybe I was a bit too harsh in my statement. Your point is well taken. I have nothing against SS. And I am sure that many SS preamps would integrate well into my system. It is just that I am finally at a place where I can explore a totally tube driven signal chain. And I am finding it an enjoyable experience. I must admit that I like the fact that my current setup does not have one semiconductor in the signal chain when playing vinyl. However, I also must admit that both the phono pre and the integrated use bridge rectifiers rather than tube rectifiers. That really doesn't count as being a part of the signal chain, but it would be nice if they were also tube rectified. I wish that I had other audiophile friends so that we could compare different components. I would like very much to hear your Whest. Unfortunately, everyone that I know thinks that I am obsessed and suffer from OCD when it comes to audio. And they couldn't care less about high quality sound. They tell me that I am crazy for spending the amount of money that I do on a stupid stereo. They say this with a straight face, as they drive up in their brand new $60,000 vehicle, When they have a perfectly fine vehicle sitting in their garage not being driven. But I guess that in their mind that is different and somehow more legitimate. 

@flash56 lol

I spare my non audiophile friends from knowing how much the audio stuff costs. They ask and I just usually give a ballpark.

it’s usually something along these lines…

How much was this turntable? Well this is a cool brand they make stuff ranging from $1000 to $100,000. But how much was yours? Nowhere near any insane amount…don’t worry about it. 

And since they don’t care about any of it including the sound quality, I don’t demo my system to anyone other than my audiophile friends or friends who love good music. Much healthier for everyone this way.
 

@billstevenson 

"next to impossible"

Halcro was the final inspiration for my setup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfVk430hwU4&list=RDtfVk430hwU4&start_radio=1

His video proved that the JVC Victor TT101 (mine is a TT81) maintains perfect speed even when 3 tonearms/cartridges are simultaneously lowered providing 3 x groove friction. (Charles Kirmuss would not approve).

You give me yet another opportunity to promote the idea of two tonearms: with my three, friends bring their cartridges here, we instantly compare (as well as compare Mono to Stereo).

This SUT with 3 inputs makes that a simple turn of a knob, select one of 4 transformer windings, or PASS for MM

and make some temporary pencil marks for my adjacent Cayin’s volume knob (which only varies for this purpose).

Shown On Top of my Preamp on a Naturally Ventilated Surround/Stand I designed

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/9703

Above was two fixed, 1 removable headshell. I changed to three arms, all with removable headshells, I couldn’t be happier

IMO, fixed cartridge arms is a needless and limiting idea, I moved mine from long fixed to shorter removable, no audible difference except theory and long arm’s mathematical ’less error’.

The very famous SME 3009 (and 3012) with removable headshells, were and continue to be amazing!

@signaforce 

Congrats on your decision and purchase, enjoy!!!