advertisement


Phono stage recommendations

R

richef

New Member
Hello all, this is my first post on pfm!

I would be grateful for phono stage recommendations.

I have recently acquired a Rega Planar 8 with Apheta 3 ex demo from a local dealer (I went for a listen and couldn't resit the great offer). This upgrades from my old Project Carbon Debut. I have a Kandy K2 integrated amp and PMC 25.23 speakers. I used the K2 phono stage in the with the Debut, so now need a MC phono stage. I'm thinking of getting something second hand in the £500-£700 mark.

I've been thinking about a Trilogy 906, but there doesn't seem to be many around. It seems to have great reviews and I like the small size. I could get something cheaper while I wait for one to come up.

Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Richard
 
Looked at the Rega Aria, it would seem the obvious stage to marry with your TT/Cart, a used one would be in budget.

There’s a used 906 here https://www.centralaudio.co.uk/index.php?page=stock. Under £1K the 906 was the best stage I’ve owned unless using a DV cart then the P75 would be my choice. They do come up used on here occasionally, I sold mine on here for £600 a couple years back to go to the 907.

As a stop gap you could get a Rega Fono MC.
 
Agree the Trilogy is a great phono amp, if you can stretch a bit more or get lucky you may sneak into a Cyrus Phono Signature which is excellent.
 
Can't go wrong with a Dynavector P-75, especially mk4. Right in the price ball-park I believe, and stunningly good performance for the money - especially with Dr.T mode with low impedance MC carts.
 
If you can find an EAR Phonobox second hand it is fairly versatile and a great sounding phono.

You can get excellent support from EAR if you ever need it.
 
I'm using a Chord Huei with my P8/Ania Pro and it's an excellent match. (Also have the same speakers as you).

The 906/Aria/P75 are all good recommendations though.
 
The only ears that matter are yours.
Any choice is likely to be very, very influenced by every other component in the replay chain.

Bite the bullet, invest and get comfortable with whatever you go with - BUY S/H.
Then find some more ££££ and invest in something else, sit back and compare................... sell-on whatever you least prefer at break-even or close to if you bought wisely. Repeat.

The painful bit is finding the ££ for the second component to try. When you are happy, content or too confused, you'll get that back.

Use HiFi Shark.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
The P75 is very good as suggested above. I think I had the mark 3 version and used it in Dr T mode. No problem selling on, if outgrow, want to change or don't like it.
 
The best available at anywhere near the price is the Arkless GTi, by my good self:) NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. But will be coming back in a few months time. It was designed to thrash the Dynavector P75. Which it does. For nearly half the price. Check out the reviews on pfm.
 
Arkless Electronics said:
The best available at anywhere near the price is the Arkless GTi, by my good self:) NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. But will be coming back in a few months time. It was designed to thrash the Dynavector P75. Which it does. For nearly half the price. Check out the reviews on pfm.
Click to expand...

It is a wonderfully chilled and detailed stage. How could anyone not like it?
Been there, done that on the circuit of the tester.

Better than a head amp'........................... :)
 
I just want to mention a couple of considerations about transimpedance stages.

The transimpedance thing can sound great (and usually does) but means that there are either no loading options, or only very limited adjustment. From memory the P75 in that mode does have a couple of options. The only transimpedance stage I can think of that had lots of adjustment (labelled "gain", and not loading in the conventional sense) was the late-lamented RSL one, which I owned for a couple of years and liked very much.

The P75 is great (especially in VFM terms). I'm on my second which I keep as a spare/comparator unit. But it is a little on the noisy side (pre-Mk4 anyway), and while massively entertaining, also a little coloured to my ears. You can, of course, also run it conventionally.
 
Another very happy p75 owner here, I’ve had every iteration of it,currently using the mk4 which is a stunning stage, a bargain for the price imo. I certainly won’t be changing it anytime soon.
(Unless they release a mk5..)
 
stormyuklondon1 said:
Another very happy p75 owner here, I’ve had every iteration of it,currently using the mk4 which is a stunning stage, a bargain for the price imo. I certainly won’t be changing it anytime soon.
(Unless they release a mk5..)
Click to expand...

So what is it better than, in what system, with what cart'(s)'?
 
Vinny said:
So what is it better than, in what system, with what cart'(s)'?
Click to expand...

That speaks to the issue with these threads - they're all good, with some variations, and everyone understandably shares their experience. But few (if any) have actually heard them all, and even fewer in the same system....
 
My point entirely @Tim Jones

Absolutely.

SO much here is posted in isolation, no comprison, which in someting SO subjective, verges on meaningless.

One day it will sink in? Maybe?
 
I had a 906 for the same reasons- all the great reviews, to be honest it didn't do much for me so I moved it on. Nothing terrible but I could barely tell when it was in/out of the system using the on board of whatever amp I had at the time but then so many others suffered the same fate, I really struggled hearing anything between a whole raft of the sub £1k stages.

I'm a big fan of Lehmann amps in general and I was pleasantly surprised with their Black Cube SE I had for quite a while, wish I'd never sold it to be honest as it would have been a great 2nd or back up phono stage, especially now considering my P75 has been terribly unreliable and out of action again. Wouldn't mind trying their more expensive stages at some point.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top