LCR phono stages we know about


Lately, I have become enthralled with LCR phono stages, based on some personal listening experiences and on the fact that many designers I respect are involved in LCR phono design. However, I don't really feel that I have a complete picture re what's out there in terms of commercial products. If you own or have heard an LCR phono stage and have an opinion, please name the product and feel free to render an opinion of it, compared to other phono stages of any type with which you are familiar. Thanks.
lewm
"I would also like to hear from anyone who has actually listened to any LCR type phono"
I have listened to the Ypsilon (driven by a Lyra, on a Yorke parallel arm, S Yorke 10 TT). Mind you, I just heard it: I never had it at home.

Well, it is very detailed and gives the feeling of not adding or doing anything to the sound. Strange because it has a tube somewhere in the circuit, caps & inductors -- bu that's the impression it conveys. In other words, as if it's not in the system at all.
Sonic result: The details are most noteworthy: there is detail even within what may sound like a dynamic crescendo with another phono (say, the big Pass or the small FM acoustics). Typically, you will listen at high volume, the music is magical. I don;t know if the Y's dynamics are equal to other top phonos (or worse or better) -- I couldn't really tell.

Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near being able to afford $26k for aphono -- or anything else for that matter!
Lewm, I've heard the H3000v in my system...and have heard the H5000 in friends systems. The H5000 is likely one of the the very best out there. The H3000v I heard definitely presented things is space with much more palpability. Just eerily real soundstage and how the instruments are portrayed...I can only guess that this is from the LCR network...
I own a Lounge MK3 LCR phonostage. They now sell for ~$250. I believe the load is 47K ohm, 100 pF. The gain is 40dB. Works well with my Sumiko Bluepoint No. 2 cartridge. Considered one of the better budget (under $500) stages out there. I have not done comparisons so can’t comment directly.
I agree with Jfrech's analogy. The Allnic does have a palpability and involving presentation that is addicting. I have owned the Allnic H3000 for about 8 months and still learning it and still trying to figure out the best load as there are 16 options! However, with my Jubilee MC there are realistically only about 10 options but they do each present differently.
" is that it places only an inductor in series with the system, which has very low DC resistance compared to the resistor MANDATED in RC type RIAA "

My point in posting was to highlight the fact that not all RC RIAA implementations require that high value series resistor and that yes, removing it does yield improved dynamics, palpability, touch etc. I have heard the difference in two different phono pre's: a single ended parallel feed design and a differential series feed design. In each case switching from series to shunt resistance resulted in big improvements in the above mentioned areas.

So you are right. Providing a low resistance path through the phono stage is beneficial in my experience. I just wanted to point out that LCR is not the only game in town when it comes to doing that. You seem to have implied that with the above quote.