Phono Stage suggestions

HiFi
1

I’m looking for a solid state phono stage to go with my Thorens TD 1600 + ART9xi MC cartridge (100ohms). I really liked the Trilogy 907 that I had a few years ago but wondered if there was similar available for less?

2

Almost perfect match for 9xi 100Ohm and 0.5mV specs

3

What kinda budget are you looking for, I’ve no idea how much the one you’re suggesting costs.

I hugely rate whest stages. The basic one is good but the two.2 is really superb value and they nearly always have some ex demo / show ones on their site.

Gold note also good, a chap on pink fish has a gold note PH5 for sale which should suit your needs.

Or if you want to go cheaper yet, the musical fidelity mx-vynl is excellent and highly adjustable and even cheaper yet the MF Lx-lps is based on the circuit of its bigger brother but uses manual loading plugs rather than knobs. But out the box the lx-lps is for 100ohms and worked well with my transfiguration cart.

4

I like Whest but they are a bit dry, had a .20, Two and then a PS.30 RDT SE and preferred the Tom Evans ones.

6

I really don’t.

Because -

Which is an understatement to say the least.

The Tom Evans is a good shout :+1:

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7

Whest are the classic case of one man’s ‘clean precise and accurate’ is another man’s ‘sterile and unemotional’

I have heard quite a few Whest phono stages but never owned one.

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8

These are very good, for the money.
I have one you can borrow, to try out, if you like.
https://6moons.com/audioreviews/raysamuels/f117.html

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9

Thanks for the offer Greg. Is this one of those oddball products that ChelseaDave used to like?

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10

I don’t think so. There is someone else on here that has one, and thinks highly of it.
It is a well reviewed product, and it and the designer, have been around, a long time.
He has more expensive models, as well.
Look at the top of the page.
https://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/products/f-117.html

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11

You want a Vida
Last Phono stage you’ll ever buy, unless getting into silly money.

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12

The gold note and MF ones go the other way, quite a Saturated and gutsy sound. Definitely not dry.

I ditched all my phono stages as the one built into my amp is superb (as long as the cart works at 100ohms)

13

I had an MF phono and it was ok, changed to a Whest and found it bright/sterile so quickly got rid of it and used an Allnic 1200 for quite a while. I liked the Allnic but the Vida was light years ahead and since buying it I’ve never felt any urge to change it.

Vida is out of your budget new but maybe second hand? Not sure what they go for nowadays.

I haven’t heard the (cheaper) Vida Prima but may be worth asking @murrayjohnson if he has a demo model?

14

I do!

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15

Yep I love my Nighthawk, silent with battery supply, flexible on settings available to adjust on the fly and as no power cable you can place it anywhere.

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16

I also have a Nighthawk
It really is excellent.

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17

This might be worth a try for a relatively low outlay

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18

I generally don’t like ss phono when I hear them but the trilogy 907 is a really nice thing and costs a lot less than some of the recommendations here like the Vida I guess. That said the Vida is very nice too

Lots to try and mostly sell easy if doesn’t suit you for what you pay if you go second hand so why not cycle round a few until something sticks

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19

I’ve got a Trigon Advance phono stage. I like the sound of it.

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20

Sorted. I managed to borrow a few to listen to over the last month and settled on a Belles that I enjoyed listening to records through.

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