[Rocket]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Messing with gain settings on my 8B and Su7 and it's got  a really nice balance overall.
These have a lot of gain you probably won't need depending on your pre etc. Seperation in the soundstage, superb. Adjustability more than any phono i have had. I've had many just not wacko prices.

Cued an album yesterday, Rogue Cronus DARK on mute. Going to on, I had to check to see if I had it on my Aux phono/ position it was, so silent I was wowed. Which contributes to everything else about its description.
Never bright or harsh depending on cart or equipment or vinyl.
Using a Shelter 501 mk3 it is neutral warm a bit with the Shelter.
You want hyper detail,go to a AT33ptgll.

Also watch the Ph10 read some awful comments on their customer service concerning repairs.

How do you like the combo of the Shelter 501 and the MP-8b?  I ended up with the PH-10 but I am not sure if I am going to keep it.  I am using it with a MM Nagaoka MP-200.  I did not realize that the PH-10 is really for MC carts.  I was planning on buying the Shelter 501 MKIII as I like warmer sounding cartridges.  The other cart that I am looking at is the Hana ML mkII,  I am still interested in the DL MP-8b phono pre.  Right now the PH-10 sounds great but on some recordings it can be shouty with a MM cartridge.  There are not a lot of settings for MM carts with the PH-10.  There are quite a few for MC carts.  It is so frustrating that there are no professional reviews or even detailed user reviews on the MP-8.  Reviews for the MP-7 are mixed but generally very good but it does not appear to be the giant killer that it was made out to be.  DL has listed on their web site that the MP-8 is comparable with preamps in the 5000 dollar range and I am very skeptical about those types of claims.  I would find it hard to believe that it can better the tremendously huge sound stage, musicality and microdetails of the PH-10.

I just emailed Darlington Labs to see if they want me to do an amateur review on the MP-8b.  We will see. 

[bacobits1]

Since you need "pro reviews" this is one that pretty much describes the Shelter 501v3 here on my MP8b and the Su7. Yes it's warmer to my liking. The AT33SE Prestige 2 is hyper detailed, I dialed some of the highs back.
I never heard a PH10 never looked at it either. I check very carefully what I purchase. I did see there were a few used on Audio Mart $1400

501 v3 Review>https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2018/1/23/shelter-model-501-iii-mc-phono-cartridge. They have been out for awhile, I also had the v 2 before.

The MP8b's filters tailor to your taste or run flat, the active Su7 raises the bar on ambiance and sound staging Recording venue, great tone.

The 8b alone is no slouch. All extremely quiet, you cannot hear the stylus in the groove.

BTW, there are some awfully nice used $$ cartridges FS. Depending on hours use I don't hesitate to overlook these.
I picked up a Dyna 10x5 mk2 low output for a good price. Also nice.

Kieth at Darlington may not loan out one because they are on back order and all spoken for. 

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I do not need pro reviews but when I cannot demo a unit, I like to read user and pro reviews and I take both with a grain of salt.  There is so much hype for the DL MP7b from users who put it on a pedestal and then I read a pro review and it was just ok even though the reviewer liked it but you could read between the lines.  I am always skeptical of products that claim to punch way above their price point.  And to claim that the 1K DL MP8b compares to 5K phono preamps, I just tune out or roll my eyes.

I did email DL to see if they would let me do an Amateur review of the MP8b and they declined.  Too bad.

I bought the Gold Note PH-10 and I can tell you that it lives up to the hype.  It costs 2300.00 new and I paid 975.00.  The sound stage is huge, wide, tall and deep.  It gives great spacing between instruments and has excellent air and transparency despite having a lush midrange.  Detail and resolution are excellent and it picks up micro details that other preamps I have used have missed.   My only issue with it is that it can be bright sounding with certain recordings and I am extremely sensitive to brightness.  That is why I want to try a Shelter 501 MKIII with it.  I read that it is a good match for the PH-10.  I won't be able to buy one until November. I can tell you that if the GN was not a little bright sounding that it would be the last phono preamp that I would own, it is that good.   If I decide to sell it I will probably buy a fully loaded PH16 and an SUT.   Or I may try the DL MP8b.
https://www.tubes4hifi.com/PH16.htm

I did find the Gold Note to be a little shouty on records that have a high dynamic range.  The gain is very high and with MM cartridges you can turn down the gain minus 3db which helped some.  With MC carts you can turn it down minus 6db.  So I took out the XLR's and ran it single ended which fixed the problem.  The GN is really made for MC cartridges as it has so many adjustments but for MM there is only one adjustment available.  I think that part of the issue is the Nagaoka MP-200 is not a great match for it as it is very punchy and there is a little too much.

[bacobits1]

The Nag 500 is supposed to very good. You will drive yourself nuts.
That Shouty bright dynamic range is everywhere, may tame it but never get rid of it. Makes you wonder what they are doing hearing at the Mixing boards.
I stopped last year. My vinyl was on the back burner till I got the Darlington's. I got the bug to fire it all up again. No Mo futzing. It's all not going to be perfect, sit back and listen.

Of course, best wishes with your decision.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

The Nag 500 is supposed to very good. You will drive yourself nuts.
I stopped last year. My vinyl was on the back burner till I got the Darlingtons.

I have a plan.  If I keep the GN, I will go with the Shelter cartridge.  If I sell the GN, I have the Nag 500 on my radar along with the Clear Audio Maestro V2 MM cartridge which is almost twice the cost of the 500.  If I go MC I will still consider the Shelter along with the Hana ML MKII.

All these cartridges will bring a little warmth to the sound.  My whole system is tuned this way.

[bacobits1]

Yup, sounds like a plan, good!