Stand out phono stages

Hi Lohanimal: The old Yamaha HA-2 (1979) and HA-3 (1982) were also of this type.

http://jp.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/special/hifi-history/other/

The HA-2 shipped with a dedicated headshell with two embedded JFETs, thereby bringing the front end of the phono stage forward so that it was less than an inch away from the cartridge. No modifications to the tonearm were required; the tonearm wiring could be used as-is.

http://audio-heritage.jp/YAMAHA/etc/ha-3.html

The HA-3 exchanged the dedicated headshell for a compact encapsulated block that contained two JFETs, had 4 short leads coming in and four short leads going out, and was secured with double-sided adhesive tape. The user could thereby install the JFET block into his favorite tonearm or headshell. Again, no tonearm modifications were necessary.

http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~mai-k/analogue/transe1/yamaha.html

In more recent years, the prolific Japanese DIY amplifier designer Akihito Kaneta (Kaneda) has published at least one phono amplifier design which installs a JFET headamp inside the tonearm headshell.

kind regards, jonathan

Would it be a mistake for me to sell my EAR 834P for the ALLNIC H1201?

Everything that is old is new again, haven't seen the Yamaha's before.

Nice to know that the 70's into early 80's in the time of statement DD's from the big manufacturers still keeps beating so called new technology to the punch. Was the Yamaha any good?

Hi EBuzz - I used to have an EAR 834P. I found it happened to have its own very distinctive musical signature. There are people out there that due to this 'musicality' they simply will not change from the EAR 834p regardless of costs. It is definitively 'tubey'. I haven't got, or heard an ALLNIC - but think about what you want from your phono amp first before buying - I myself preferred higher resolution and tighter bass - is there no way you can get a dealer to lend the Allnic to you