[dvb]

I am leaning towards an AVA pre amp, but I an unsure about the phono stage.  I currently have the well-regarded Wrightsound WPP100-C, and am wondering how the AVA phono, integrated into a pre, would compare.

I would be using a high (2.5) output moving coil, DV20XH.  

Comments?

[cooney]

I don't know about your Wrightsound, but the phono stage in my T7SLR sounds very nice with my 2.5mv output Benz-Micro H2 MC cartridge.  Plenty of gain.

cooney

[dvb]

Thanks for the comment about the gain. There was a thread below that had me wondering about it, especially as the DV isn't super-high output.

[orthobiz]

I'm running a Linn Adikt with no problem with my T7 ECR. Am loving it! And a headphone jack, too!

biz

[dvb]

I am now the proud owner of a T7SL preamp, with phono, just bought off Audiogon.

Nope, no R upgrade yet (vintage July 2003), but wonderful sounding as is.  A great match, of course, with my AVA500ex amp.

Wonderful, that is with my Bolder Mensa DIO DAC -- it really brings CDs to llife, as I had hoped (and as the passive pre did not).

The phono section is very good, but not quite at the wonderful level.
It is doing a wonderful job passing on the signal from my Wrightsound WPP100C phono pre --

The T7 phono staget has produced some very pleasant mid range timbres, and has high-lighted some instruments, such as woodwinds, that were less prominent before.

It is certainly better than the Rotel and "Black Cube" clone I had before.  Not surprisingly, it does not match the Wrightsound -- for example, while there is bass, it is not as articulate, such as in picking a bowed bass viol.

I am using stock tubes, and may consider rolling in some better tubes.  Any suggestions?  I also recall reading a post by Frank on this site that the R upgrade does wonderful things for the phono stage.  That is not quite in the budget for now (Perhaps I'll be in line for the r,s,t,u,v upgrades by then! ; )  )

I am quite happy keeping the WPP100C, although I had thought of selling it to defray the costs of this purchase, to generally simplify things.

[Tonto Yoder]

Simplify???
We don't need no stinkin' simplification---get yourself another TT to plug into the AVA phono!!!!

[dvb]

Great Idea -- I've been wondering what to do with my old Systemdek IIX!
And why sell the old headphone amp and Sennheisers, when I could plug them in along side the Grados in my AVA?  

And that old TT and speakers I meant to take to the Sally Ann today,  why, I'll just heap them in the middle of the living room floor!  Right, Honey?  Umm,  Honey?  (Thank God she never reads this stuff!)

[JoshK]

yeah, dvb, sell me your wright phono cheap!