Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K

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sunnydaze

Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #20 on: 9 Oct 2020, 03:19 pm »
Agreed!  Mea Culpa.

But that guy just jumped in with a confrontational attitude, added nothing positive, and it set me off.

"Breathe deep the gathering gloom....watch lights fade from every room.....bedsitter people look back and lament.....another days useless energy is spent"      :thumb:

gnuyork

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #21 on: 9 Oct 2020, 03:59 pm »
No need to spell it out.  Unlike you, I know exactly where you are coming from and I understand why you are confused.  Which is why I've gone to great lengths to explain myself and have tried to clear up these confusions.

You, on the other hand, have clearly made no effort whatsoever to understand where I'm coming from.  You simply want to argue and play "gotcha".  That you persist like this is idiotic and proves no point.

My first post was a co-mingled joint post, addressed to both OP and jjs49.  I have clearly explained this already.  You are correct...my post was confusing in that it appeared I was only responding to jjs49.   But I have since cleared that up and explained myself.  Several times.   Yet you still persist.  Why?

My first post included a SS rec because OP requested it.  I have clearly explained this already.

And yes my other 2 recs are indeed "tubed MC phono stages". I have clearly explained this already.  If you disagree with my terminology, fine. No need to carry on like an asshole.

And once again you are factually incorrect.  I never mentioned a unit that was SUT + solid state MM section.  My original post clearly sates one MC phono stage that is "all SS" .  Only a low IQ can interpret it as you have.  Go back and read it.

And you still don't get it...
I originally disagreed with jjss because I did not KNOW at the time he was referring to all tubed units.  I only found that out after he replied to me.  I've said this at least 3x now and you still don't get it!!  Go back and READ.  I know it's hard for you, but do your best to understand.   :roll:

I think most average intelligence people understand me perfectly.  If you are struggling to understand all this, and you clearly are, then yes your intelligence is low.  And for you to persist like this just makes you a confrontational and argumentative jerk.

And you still have added nothing helpful to the discussion.  Just negative energy.  Go troll elsewhere.

So nice of you to judge my IQ and calling me names. Very classy. And I'm the one who is a jerk... Your negative energy started with calling a disagreement snarky to two people who called you out on your wording. I guess you can never be wrong, eh?  One of those types... What a mess.
It's OK though. Carry on. Stay classy, Sunnydaze.

sunnydaze

Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #22 on: 9 Oct 2020, 04:43 pm »
So nice of you to judge my IQ and calling me names. Very classy. And I'm the one who is a jerk... Your negative energy started with calling a disagreement snarky to two people who called you out on your wording. I guess you can never be wrong, eh?  One of those types... What a mess.
It's OK though. Carry on. Stay classy, Sunnydaze.

You continue to misrepresent.  I called jjjss' post snarky not because we disagreed, but because he questioned my reading comprehension.  I thought it was an unnecesary snipe because it was a simple misunderstanding over terminology.

I questioned your IQ because you were factually incorrect several times, and because you insisted on persisting....despite me explaining myself MULTIPLE times.  So your comprehension seems lacking.

You called me out on nothing.  Before you even posted I had already explained myself and cleared up the confusion.  It was between jjss and me and the OP.  No reason for you to butt in.  You added nothing.

Your first post #7 was arguementative and confrontational for no reason.  You quoted my explanation and jumped in insisting I was unclear.  My explanation was clear as a bell.   But not to you.  I suggest you re-read Post #6.  At that point you should have "got it" and dropped it.  But you didn't and you still don't.

"Called me out on my wording?"   :scratch:   Despite the fact that before you even posted I had already explained myself and addressed the confusion?!  Really pal?!  Is that the trivial shit that you are into?!  Get a life!!

So I rest my case.   If the shoe fits......   :dunno:

PS:  I did not call you names directly.  I characterized your behavior as idiotic and asshole-like.

dpatters

Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #23 on: 9 Oct 2020, 05:34 pm »
This thread is now officially useless to the op.

gnuyork

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #24 on: 9 Oct 2020, 05:45 pm »
This thread is now officially useless to the op.

Indeed. This thread got derailed. I just want apologize to everyone reading and especially to the OP. It's not my usual nature, but sometimes the worst of us is trigered online for seemingly nothing.

My sincere apology to all.

dpatters

Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #25 on: 9 Oct 2020, 05:51 pm »
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa5c14-audio-research-ph3-mm-tube-phono-preamplifier-ph-3-moving-magnet-28442-phono

This may suit your needs if you have a HO MC cartridge. AC threads not normally this argumentative. Don’t be discouraged. Good luck with your search.

Don P

woodsyi

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #26 on: 5 Nov 2020, 01:33 pm »
I have been away a little and didn't see the little verbal tête-à-tête here.  Chill dudes. 

I generally agree that deploying tubes can be noisy.  Well implemented design will make it quieter but it is the nature of tubes.  What good tubes has is that je ne sais quoi that some call tube bloom.  It can make vocals and instrument sound "phat" in the most pleasing way.  I kind of use the old Dolby noise reduction on tapes for analogy.  Tubes have no noise reduction.  It will amplify everything including noise in the recording but the music is more live.  You have to pick your own poison.  Nothing is perfect.  Everything is a give and take. 

I use Straingauge (solid state) for one kind of music and Aesthetix Io (all tubes -- PS, MM, MC, everything) for another.  They recreate music differently.  Yes, Io is noisier (even after spending mucho time and expense on tube rolling) but it makes voices and individual instruments sing.  If you hear that tonal elixir,  you don't want to give it up even with the wart -- higher noise floor.  BTW we are talking little noise not a lot.  But some can't stand that noisy background and I get that.  Straingauge, on the other hand, is superb in large orchestral music where macrodynamics require quiet floor. 

I don't know what you can get at this price range.  SUT is a good choice for MC but a good transformer can bust your budget by itself.   Tube MM + SUT (internal or external) may be the best compromise at this budget.  LOMC has it's own allure but you do want that final gain to be quiet.  To actively boost that last 10 - 20 dB for LOMC, the whole design has to be so quiet that it probably can't be done with necessary design and implementation compromises at this budget. 

Good luck and welcome to the LOMC world. :thumb:


VinceT

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #27 on: 5 Nov 2020, 04:26 pm »
I took the advice of many and for now keeping it simple.

I got a nice AVA Vision Q gently used to get things up and running. It sounds nice and it has allowed me to dip my toes in the MC arena. In my house the wiring is from the 60s so I do get some hum at times. I will start to integrate tubes slowly and take it step by step.

Thank to all for the passionate feedback  :lol:

ArthurDent

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #28 on: 5 Nov 2020, 07:12 pm »
A solid budget place to start, you can't really go wrong with Frank's gear. Happy listening, and keep 'em spinning.  8)

ullogu1

Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #29 on: 26 Dec 2020, 05:52 am »
+1 for the Tavish Vintage phono stage

Had one that I had for a while and replaced it with a much more expensive unit. If I were to start another system, Tavish is where I would start here.

Best,
Guillermo

xsb7244

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #30 on: 31 Dec 2020, 06:41 am »
This came out on Sept 25 2020.  The top of the line.  Hagerman Audio Labs Trumpet MC Vacuum Tube Phonostage for $1099.00  I wonder how this compares to his discontinued Trumpet Reference ?

porkfried

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #31 on: 16 Jan 2021, 09:19 pm »
Another +1 for Tavish.  I have Tavish Classic.  I sold my much more expensive Rega Aria
after comparing the two.  Next upgrade will probably be to Tavish Adaggio.


sunnydaze

Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #32 on: 16 Jan 2021, 09:51 pm »
...

S Clark

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #33 on: 17 Jan 2021, 12:55 am »
I can tell more about the Hagerman Trumpet in a week or so.  Jim is building me one in the next few days. 

xsb7244

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #34 on: 17 Jan 2021, 02:32 am »
Hagerman has an outstanding reputation.  He use to have a circle here.  He is also on Facebook.  There is only one user review so far.  But I think the MC Trumpet at $1099 is as good as it get.  Looking forward to your review.

TABARD

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #35 on: 9 Jan 2022, 05:09 am »
Hi, undoubtedly the best match for the Dyna cart is the Dyna P75 Mk IV phono amp. But only when used in Tran-impedance mode. Then this unit will trade blows with any P/Amp at 3 to 4K and beat a good few.

The only better P/Amp than that is a kitset amp whichis featured on the Audio Karma site by HypnoToad, The all singing AD797 MC P/Amp, This unit with a couple of minor mods will match any MC amp at around 5K.

Cheers

dlaloum

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #36 on: 25 Jan 2022, 03:56 am »
I use a JLTI phono stage...

I also had it modified for custom loading, and digital RIAA (with a switch that disables the RIAA... and RCA plugs for whatever loading plugs I want to fit).

The maker was fine with modifying it - it is a great sounding phono stage - and works well with my Dynavector Karat cartridge - among many many others!

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue28/jlti_phono.htm

https://www.customanalogue.com/

dlaloum

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #37 on: 27 Jan 2022, 09:30 am »
Update - apparently Joe no longer makes the JLTI's himself, and probably as a result, can no longer cater to "custom" jobs like mine.

The phono stage is still highly recommended though.

VinceT

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #38 on: 27 Jan 2022, 05:02 pm »
Just to update this topic, I have since moved on from the AVA Vision Q to a used Audible Illusions 3A for not much above my previous budget. I can tell you saying it's been a huge upgrade to my set up is an understatement . Tubes are the real deal!

mick wolfe

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Re: Pre amp for MC cart, budget 1K
« Reply #39 on: 28 Jan 2022, 05:00 pm »
I have been away a little and didn't see the little verbal tête-à-tête here.  Chill dudes. 

I generally agree that deploying tubes can be noisy.  Well implemented design will make it quieter but it is the nature of tubes.  What good tubes has is that je ne sais quoi that some call tube bloom.  It can make vocals and instrument sound "phat" in the most pleasing way.  I kind of use the old Dolby noise reduction on tapes for analogy.  Tubes have no noise reduction.  It will amplify everything including noise in the recording but the music is more live.  You have to pick your own poison.  Nothing is perfect.  Everything is a give and take. 

I use Straingauge (solid state) for one kind of music and Aesthetix Io (all tubes -- PS, MM, MC, everything) for another.  They recreate music differently.  Yes, Io is noisier (even after spending mucho time and expense on tube rolling) but it makes voices and individual instruments sing.  If you hear that tonal elixir,  you don't want to give it up even with the wart -- higher noise floor.  BTW we are talking little noise not a lot.  But some can't stand that noisy background and I get that.  Straingauge, on the other hand, is superb in large orchestral music where macrodynamics require quiet floor. 

I don't know what you can get at this price range.  SUT is a good choice for MC but a good transformer can bust your budget by itself.   Tube MM + SUT (internal or external) may be the best compromise at this budget.  LOMC has it's own allure but you do want that final gain to be quiet.  To actively boost that last 10 - 20 dB for LOMC, the whole design has to be so quiet that it probably can't be done with necessary design and implementation compromises at this budget. 

Good luck and welcome to the LOMC world. :thumb:

 :thumb: I've run with this combination (tube MM stage into a SUT) for years.  If there's a noise issue, I've yet to hear it.