Darlington Labs MP8b Phono preamp?

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Rocket

Re: Darlington Labs MP8b Phono preamp?
« Reply #20 on: 4 Feb 2025, 01:34 am »
Hi,

Hagerman Audio Labs also sell the trumpet phono stage which takes either mm or mc cartridge. I had this phono stage, I probably shouldn't have sold it but I upgraded my preamp to SST Ambrosia which had a phono stage already.

Its within your budget. Jim used to be a regular on Audiocircle and he's had products for sale for years. His Trumpet phono stages are highly reviewed. I bought mine and I live in Australia and it was a very smooth transaction.

https://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/collections/phono-preamps/products/trumpet-mc-vacuum-tube-phonostage

I've also had the AVA Vision Q phono stage which I thought was very good as well.

https://avahifi.com/collections/for-vinyl-lovers

All the best.

Regards Rod

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Darlington Labs MP8b Phono preamp?
« Reply #21 on: 4 Feb 2025, 02:48 am »
Thanks for all the replies.  I ended up getting a great deal on a Gold Note PH-10 phono preamp.  I really like its adjustability with an LED screen and a scroll knob.  It is also balanced.

Rocket, I reviewed the AVA phono preamp for AVA.  It is a very nice phono preamp but in my system is was a little light in the midrange for my tastes.  I like a full, tonally rich midrange and the Gold Note has that in spades and it has very good air and transparency.  But it cost 4 times of what the AVA does new.

Thanks again.

JimBobWay44

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 8
Re: Darlington Labs MP8b Phono preamp?
« Reply #22 on: 7 Feb 2025, 07:51 pm »
I.Greyhound Fan, did you get a chance to audition the Gold Note PH-10 or any of the other recommendations prior to purchasing?  Just wonder what the other options you tried with your system.

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Darlington Labs MP8b Phono preamp?
« Reply #23 on: 8 Feb 2025, 01:07 am »
I.Greyhound Fan, did you get a chance to audition the Gold Note PH-10 or any of the other recommendations prior to purchasing?  Just wonder what the other options you tried with your system.

No I did not. I read just about every pro and user review that I could find and it has the sound that I am looking for.  I bought one used from Canada for 975  U.S. dollars with shipping included. I am taking a leap of faith.  I can always flip it and probably get more than I paid.  They sell new for 2200.  No one here in the Twin Cities has the preamps that I was looking at.  I could have bought the Darlington or Pro-ject Tube Box DS3 and returned them if I did not like them but the Gold Note I suspect is better than both.

I also like the fact that the Gold Note PH-10 has RCA in and XLR balanced out.  No special cables needed like the Darlington.  Plus it is so adjustable that you can use any cartridge with it.  No dip switches like the Pro-ject.   Just an LCD screen and a knob to scroll through settings that you can change on the fly.

I should get it sometime next week.

I am eventually going to pair it with a Hana ML MC low output cartridge.  I eventually would like to find a good price on a used VPI Scout to replace my vintage Thorens TD-145 which I will give to my son along with my Vista phono preamp and a Nagaoka MP-200 cartridge that I just love.

I will post a review when I get it.  I already bought a pair of Belden 8402 XLRs for it.  I really like the sound of the 8402 cables which sound better than my Cardas Parsecs and AQ Columbia's.