RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage

Posted by John Elison (A) on August 31, 2014 at 11:15:30

In Reply to: RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage posted by Mel on August 31, 2014 at 06:36:15:

> Is one of these approaches clearly better then the other from your point of view?

Not necessarily! It depends on the active gain stage and the specific SUT. My reference for the past eleven years has been a Pass Labs XOno active phono preamp. I have never heard a step-up transformer that sounds better to me than the active MC section of the XOno. I tried the CineMag 3440A after reading all the accolades, but it didn't measure up to my XOno. Then Bob Sattin introduced me to his CM-1131 and it was the first SUT that I had heard in years that equaled the audible performance of the MC section of my XOno. It didn't necessarily sound better, but it sounded just as good. It exhibited all the same clarity including deep, tight bass response that I had never heard from a step-up transformer. I was seriously impressed and since I needed a second phono stage to use with my Technics SL-1200, I decided to go with a moving-magnet phono preamp in conjunction with Bob's CM-1131. I couldn't be happier with this combination.

My test for any step-up transformer is to reconfigure my XOno for 40-dB MM gain and connect the SUT. The CM-1131 sounded just as good to me as using the XOno by itself configured for MC gain. The CM-3440A did not provide the same clarity and bass response compared to using the XOno by itself. The difference was fairly substantial.

Best regards,
John Elison

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - tubav 06:40:29 08/30/14 (22)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - tlea 05:53:05 09/01/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - jdiamantis 10:27:50 08/31/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - ChesshireCat 12:49:42 08/30/14 (1)

If we're talking about WPP100C.... - amandarae 10:24:20 09/02/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - AudioSoul 08:27:58 08/30/14 (1)

My Musical Paradise MP-P1 only keeps getting better.... - Cougar 15:18:34 08/30/14 (0)

Since you already have a Bottlehead preamp - Paully 08:15:59 08/30/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - John Elison 07:47:26 08/30/14 (14)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - coffee-phil 13:27:04 08/30/14 (3)

Yaqin and Little Bear phono stages both use active feedback RIAA EQ ! - Interstage Tranny 17:24:11 09/01/14 (1)

RE: Yaqin and Little Bear phono stages both use active feedback RIAA EQ ! - coffee-phil 20:53:27 09/01/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - bjh 17:01:36 08/30/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - Theron D 10:00:55 08/30/14 (9)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - John Elison 11:12:06 08/30/14 (8)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - bjh 17:04:10 08/30/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - AudioSoul 12:28:52 08/30/14 (6)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - John Elison 14:00:16 08/30/14 (5)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - Theron D 18:35:45 08/30/14 (4)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - John Elison 19:35:07 08/30/14 (3)

excellent information. thank you John ! best Theron NT - Theron D 19:53:33 08/31/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - Mel 06:36:15 08/31/14 (1)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - John Elison 11:15:30 08/31/14 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage - John Elison 11:15:30 08/31/14 (0)

RE: Best $500 & Under Tube Phono Stage

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