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I have an EAR 834p Deluxe MM/MC phono stage. It's the longest running piece of gear in my system. I love it and plan to never sell it. At least, until I have to downsize everything (at 73 years old, downsizing is a real thing). The MC section is crap, just being honest, but with my Bob's Devices 20:1 SUT that doesn't matter. The TT is a Rega P8 and the cartridge is a Ortofon MC Cadenza Black. Yes! Life is good.
While I love the sound after a decade I do get a bit, what's the word? Bored? Maybe. Sometimes "new" is better.
A couple years ago, I bought a PS Audio Stellar Phono and while it was very good and convenient it just didn't satisfy long term. Off to Audiogon with it's head. Back to the EAR. Fine.
Last year, I changed from my Rogue tube integrated amp to a Naim Supernait3 integrated. And, as per usual ran my EAR phonostage and SUT into an AUX input on the Naim. I'd been told by others and reviewers that the Naim prided itself in have a truly fine Class A MM phono pre-amp section but I'd never tried it.
At least, I hadn't until yesterday. Now the Rega > SUT > Supernait3 setup is showing me there is good fun in trying something new. Especially when you don't have to buy some $2700 piece of equipment to experience the NEW!
Old records sound new. Fun, on a finally cool weekend in South Texas.
Follow Ups:
Upgrading the phono stage and/or the preamp makes a bigger difference that spending $$$ on a turntable, IMO.
I upgraded earlier this year and even my speakers sound better.
The blissful counterstroke-a considerable new message.
Even your speakers sound better? Interesting. Does that mean they sound better regardless of the source or just when the turntable is playing? I had a Sony CDP that sounded great, one of the reasons I got rid of it was because the sound of the system with other sources seemed to get worse with the CDP sitting on the rack (plugged in or not).
But it always has.
I was using a line-stage with an external phono pre, picked up a DB Systems DB-1 used from DB Systems, and to my ears at least, it's a lot more accurate than the old front end. The old stuff was very good, especially considering the price point, but it sounded--again to my years, and this might even be entirely room dependent--like it emphasized upper mids and lower mids. The Fried Mode RII speakers sounded annoying on most music with vocals.
But with the DB-1, the peaks I was hearing are gone. The Frieds pretty much just disappear. Vocals sound like a human voice should sound. Everything smoothed out.
The CDP sounds better, too. Lacks detail compared to the turntable/cartridge/phono stage chain though.
The blissful counterstroke-a considerable new message.
Thanks for the clarification. Did you try your old phono section on the aux input (or other line level input) of your new preamp? Since the preamp sounds better the old phono section might not be as bad as you think - considering the great improvement you got with the new pre with phono section built in maybe there was no need to bother.
The native phone stage, same thing. Much more accurate than the external unit (it was an MS Phonomena II).
I think a lot of gear, the bass and upper mids are punched up. The DB-1 doesn't do that.
As a caveat, I've got a fairly lively room, and made my own sound absorbing panels to deaden it down a bit. In another setting, the old gear might be more pleasing to my old ears, who knows?
The blissful counterstroke-a considerable new message.
Edits: 10/09/23
When I had the Exposure XV with built in phono I knew that I was going to stay with the line when I upgraded. First thing I bought was the external phono stage - costed as much as the integrated that had a very nice phono section build into it. Might have been the same phono circuitry with a massive power supply but worth every penny in sonic improvement to my ears. When I got around to replacing the integrated with separates is when I got to hear how good the phono section actually could be - and also the how good or bad phono cartridges and TTs I once thought great actually were.
Too bad good SUTs aren't cheap. My phono section can be MC or MM but I have to change a board (I've got both of them). I've been using Dynavector low output MCs for years and have 0 interest in giving them up. That said I'd like to add a MM in the $1000-$1500 (ClearAudio) into the collection but not so interested in swapping boards more than once. The cost of a good SUT is prohibitive as is the cost of a new phono section with selectable inputs (which is risky as well). I'm not suffering without it so I'll probably continue hanging out for a financial windfall.
I've sound some absolutely wonderful MM carts, used, on eBay from the late 1980's. Audio Technica was really on their game then just on the dawn of the CD era. These can be bought in great shape for a few hundred dollars and are fun to experiment with.AT had a logical naming/numbering scheme for all their cartridges which make it easy to tell the stellar models from the also rans. An AT155LC (Line Contact) is better than a AT125S (Shibata)
I have an AT 155LC that was top of the line in 1985 with a Line Contact Stylus and a Beryllium Cantilever.
These sold for over $400 38-years ago. Which is nearly $1,200 in today's money. When you find them, they are usually a couple of hundred dollars. Just be sure to get an original stylus - there are some bogus "replacements" out there. I compared mine with the well regarded Ortofon 2m Black and the old cart was heads and tails above the new kid on the block.
UPDATE: I just looked online and did find one for $275 but most were in the $400 to $650 range. I guess the word is out on these.
Edits: 10/08/23 10/08/23 10/08/23
I'll still need a SUT for the MCs. At one time I had a Clearaudio Virtuoso wood MM cartridge and I thought it was great. I pulled the MM card out of my phono section, put the MC card in when I got a Dynavector 20XL and soon after a Dynavector XX2. I sold the Virtuoso. I'd like to get a modern Clearaudio MM but I'll have to put the MM card back in the phono section. If I had a SUT I could swap carts without changing the card. Thanks for the suggestions. I just got an update on the XX2 and am blown away by how good it is. I have a degree of confidence in the ClearAudio because of my previous experiences with the line (I had the Virtuoso Wood and an entry level ClearAudio cart that is my all time best sounding low priced cartridge). It's on my nice to do list - really nothing on my audio to do list is important - at least until the vintage gear in my system is not working.
Mine is dandy through a Simaudio LP5.3 phono pre.
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