Which Phono Preamps do you really enjoy to listen with ?

Turntables, tonearms, preamps, amps, cables, monitor speakers. What do you use to play back your one-off dubplates or pressed records? (related topics, too.)

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tubeactive
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Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2014 6:08 pm

Which Phono Preamps do you really enjoy to listen with ?

Post: # 28937Unread post tubeactive
Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:40 pm

Hi all ! I am new to the society but have been actively involved with tube preamps and tube amps for more than a few decades. Starting out with an intense interest in hifi in the early 1970s, caused by my older brother's Dynaco ss gear, my first system had to beat his. So, I auditioned oh so many brands back when there were audio stores in every neighborhood. My first system used a Harman Kardon Citation Eleven with a cool solid state amp, the SAE XXXIB. Speakers were carefully chosen to compete with my bro's KLH 5s. I chose the large Advents, only one pair, because I couldn't afford the Stacked Advents driven by Phase Linear amps I heard at Audio Exchange and the Stereo Warehouse.

The Citation preamp was okay but not good enough. My system did sound better than my bro's Dynaco ST-120 driving those chesty KLHs. We had more than a few shootouts going from room to room. I quickly saved up $$$ and sprang for a Soundcraftsmen PE-2217 which many of you will remember had a built-in stereo ten octave graphic equalizer. That came in handy dubbing the live tapes I was trading at that time. However, the system would surely take a turn when I stumbled on an advertised hobbiest system sell-out. One guy was moving and had acquired Dyna ST-120 and ST-70 amps, a Dyna PAS-3 tube pre and PAT-4 ss pre, AR3 speakers, plus an AR table with Shure M91ED. What a score !

The AR3 were well blown and quickly resold for parts to pay for half of this package. I tried every combo possible; first the tubes vs ss, then the ss pre with tube amp, tube pre with ss amp, Dyna vs SC pre. You all know what happened, right ? Of course the tubes won ! Sweet and clear won over better on paper ss gear. Most importantly, the tube phono preamp opened my ears.

I have since been through many dozens of preamps in my reference listening system. The inspiration of the active feedback RIAA EQ networks used in the PAS can still be very valid today. Implemented within hundreds of tube units through the years within consumer, commercial, even studio grade gear, I believe feedback EQ is still the best way to listen to record playback.

Feedback vs Passive EQ has been debatable for many decades. The different paths to the same end, enjoying disc playback, does come down to subjective preferences and system combos. While I can enjoy certain Passive EQ equipped phono preamps, my reference systems have always kept the active feedback EQ preamps around for phono playback; because they simply sound best to my ears in my systems.

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tubeactive
Posts: 16
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Re: Which Phono Preamps do you really enjoy to listen with ?

Post: # 28969Unread post tubeactive
Sun Feb 16, 2014 12:17 pm

All right ! This forum seems slow for replies; so, I'll reply with more ranting. I don't use the Dyna PAS any longer. It was simply a convenient mainstay in the very early 1980s, until I graduated to an Audio Research SP3A; then a hard to get Paragon E. That Paragon E is probably my best sounding Phono stage. It's been hot-rodded a few times; but the original Cascode 12AX7 Phono Stage is fantastic ! Over thirty years later, it is still a reference grade preamp. It's Line stage is okay, even nice; it has the usual capable Cathode Follower output. While there is also a cathode follower after the cascode preamp stage "driving" the feedback EQ network, I am not a big fan of the cathode follower line level output stage.

To my ears, the simpler plate follower Line Stage output, sometimes with a bit of non-frequency discriminating feedback added, surpasses the sonics of most of the cathode follower preamps I have tried. Which have I tried you might want to know ? Well, there have been many contenders, my friends, including Audio Research SP-3A, SP-2(ten 12AX7s); Bogen PR-2, PR100A monos; Craftsmen 350 monos; Fisher 400C, 400-CX, 50C monos, 80C monos; Heathkit AA-20, AA-11; HH Scott 121C monos, LC-1, 130; Luxman CL-32, A3400/30; Paragon E, 12; Precision Fidelity C7; Theta and then some. I have also tried Marantz 7, Marantz One(monos), Fairchild 240(monos), 248; ADC B-100 (super rare fourteen or ten 6DJ8 tube stereo dual mono power supply equipped); Conrad Johnson PV-2, PV-6; and then some more... But, without a doubt, the plate follower output equipped line stages found in the Arkay SP-6, Eico HF-85 and Lafayette KT-600 take the cake.

Is it shocking that 1960s reasonably priced (at that time and thru the 1990s) preamps, even hobbiest built kits could sound as good as better built, more modern line stages ? Well, don't let it surprise you. Some sound engineers still need to hear their transformer coupled line stages as their reference. Honestly, whatever works for you and whatever brings you absolutely enjoyable sounding playback is very valid for you. When I use my simple cascade 12AX7 feedback EQ phono stages with only two 12AX7s, short cable coupled to my reference Line Stage (Aux In of my Eico HF-85 or KT-600), I am totally delighted with my record playback. If I should break out the Paragon E as my preamp or phono stage, I could be more delighted. However, psychoacoustics as they are, with our lousy psychoacoustic memories, whatever we listen with can sound fine; even very fine.

Remember when we drove around with our friends, listening with a cassette player through the factory car speakers, or better, those Jensen coax or Triax speakers ? Remember when the driver pushed in the power booster/EQ amp ? Wow ! What a difference, right ? But, then again, if all we had to listen with in the car was the Beach Boys or Beatles on the AM radio, or factory 8 Track ooohh, playing through those single or dual elliptical driver speakers, couldn't we enjoy that ? Yes, we could. While good sound engineers, musicians and hard-core listeners alike can recreate the missing sonic info within their minds, all of us can instantly hear differences if they are switched in quick enough. However, we need to remember (pun intended) that admirable sounding tunes played through decent gear can be more than adequate and very satisfying. Such is the psychoacoustic reality.

I normally listen to '50s thru '80s music; besides classical, earlier jazz and blues. One of my listening ideology concerns has been and still reigns very important, is considering how the recordings were made. Typically, much of my favorite '60s tunes were mixed and recorded using tube electronics, cut with feedback EQ equipped tube amps, monitored and played back with tube amps. Thus, when critically listening to these faves, shouldn't I listen with tube electronics just as my favorite performers were listening ? Shouldn't my record disc playback utilize feedback EQ, thus decoding the encoded recording with the proper time and space continuum, so I can hear all of the "action" of the music ? Yes, folks, tube preamps with feedback EQ works very well...

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studiorp
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Re: Which Phono Preamps do you really enjoy to listen with ?

Post: # 28972Unread post studiorp
Sun Feb 16, 2014 2:34 pm

Hi, I had an Acrosound S-1001 some years ago, wonderful sound, all tube, then I have sold it in Usa, because I prefer the solid state sound with a tube amp .
I have too the Acrosound Stereo 120 working.

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tubeactive
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Re: Which Phono Preamps do you really enjoy to listen with ?

Post: # 28978Unread post tubeactive
Sun Feb 16, 2014 8:41 pm

You know, I have one of those Acro 1001 preamps, as well. I pass by/see it every time I walk thru the mancave ! It is a very worthy preamp ! Yes; it sounds very sweet and endearing. Even though it uses a unique tube compliment, one 7247 and one 7199 per channel, it was well thought out sonically. Build quality, with it's cramped innards, hard to get at circuit board and not the best sockets, makes it tough to upgrade or renovate. Soundwise, it could be worth the effort !

So, you use an Acro Stereo 120 as your main listening/monitoring amp ? Which ss preamp do you favor ? One of the surprisingly good sounding ss preamps is the classic Phase Linear 2000. With its' Ambience circuitry switched in, the 2000 or 2000 Mk II yield good detail with a nice soundstage. They remain a "sleeper" still beneath the "collectible radar" that many of us fear. PS Audio also made some very nice sounding ss phono stages. Has anyone listened to the newish Parasound preamps ?

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studiorp
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Re: Which Phono Preamps do you really enjoy to listen with ?

Post: # 28981Unread post studiorp
Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:22 am

Actually I don't have a true preamp, only a Dbx 400x for link all my recorders old and new.
I drive my Acro 120 directly with the adjustable output volume of Pioneer Ct-a7, a super cassette deck, wonderful sound.
About the Parasound preamps, unfortunately I don't have still heard the sound.
I had some years ago a Proton (Nad) very good, sound very transparent, no colour add.
About the phono pre, actually I am using a Vivanco, simple and good with an Audio Technica dj head, simple and wonderful, full sound, and cheap price.

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