What's my boggle with phono preamps?

[MisterDK]

Recently added this to my media rm 2-channel rig and it's outstanding, super quiet and offers lots of loading options for both MM and LOMC. Only available through the manufacturer so no middleman markup, the Well Tempered Lab was never happier.
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Just wondering why you chose the YORK over the Pyxi, or any others that also offer gain and loading settings.. Must be something you liked about it before purchase that prompted you to get this particular one…

 

[Sgt Shultz]

Just wondering why you chose the YORK over the Pyxi, or any others that also offer gain and loading settings.. Must be something you liked about it before purchase that prompted you to get this particular one…

First, it was recommended by another member here. Doing research I remembered seeing the startup for this, and the reviews were all stellar, some even favorably comparing it to units at 4X the price.

My preamps have pretty decent phono stages, especially that in the Amber and if going separate didn't want to make a sideways move.

It's only offered direct from the manufacturer so no middleman markup and they offer custom loading if requested. Added to that it offers a fairly wide selection of loading options but it's a bit more expensive than those you mentioned so there's that.

And lastly.....price, I found one on eBay still in the box at a great price, offered less and they accepted.

 

[MisterDK]

First, it was recommended by another member here. Doing research I remembered seeing the startup for this, and the reviews were all stellar, some even favorably comparing it to units at 4X the price.

My preamps have pretty decent phono stages, especially that in the Amber and if going separate didn't want to make a sideways move.

It's only offered direct from the manufacturer so no middleman markup and they offer custom loading if requested. Added to that it offers a fairly wide selection of loading options but it's a bit more expensive than those you mentioned so there's that.

And lastly.....price, I found one on eBay still in the box at a great price, offered less and they accepted.

Thanks - I was just curious. Sure is nice to have all the gain and load options, and I’m sure you put ‘em to use..!

 

[Sgt Shultz]

Thanks - I was just curious. Sure is nice to have all the gain and load options, and I’m sure you put ‘em to use..!

Thank you for asking, it's outstanding and I highly recommend it, it's really been a revelation in my best analog rig.

 

[MisterDK]

Thank you for asking, it's outstanding and I highly recommend it, it's really been a revelation in my best analog rig.

Perfect - I like it..!

 

[Sgt Shultz]

Perfect - I like it..!

Standard loading options

 

[ceylon]

First, it was recommended by another member here. Doing research I remembered seeing the startup for this, and the reviews were all stellar, some even favorably comparing it to units at 4X the price.

My preamps have pretty decent phono stages, especially that in the Amber and if going separate didn't want to make a sideways move.

It's only offered direct from the manufacturer so no middleman markup and they offer custom loading if requested. Added to that it offers a fairly wide selection of loading options but it's a bit more expensive than those you mentioned so there's that.

And lastly.....price, I found one on eBay still in the box at a great price, offered less and they accepted.

hey sarge seems that york is sold thru several dealers; looks like the manufacturers price includes the dealer markup.

Where to Buy | Six Acoustic

Where to buy Six Acoustic products - Distributors

www.sixacoustic.com

 

[Sgt Shultz]

hey sarge seems that york is sold thru several dealers; looks like the manufacturers price includes the dealer markup.

Where to Buy | Six Acoustic

Where to buy Six Acoustic products - Distributors

www.sixacoustic.com

That's odd, when searching online and looking where to buy "shopping" it showed/shows nada. But it did show one on eBay and I now have it at more than $300 off list heh heh heh.

OK, just checked the US distributor and they don't show Six Acoustic as one of their suppliers even searching their site with their search window.

Just checked the first two "distributors" on the list, neither show Six Acoustic as a manufacturer they carry either.

So maybe you can order one direct from the manufacturer through these dealers but they don't seem to be directly selling the York.

Searched further and the 3rd distributor on the list does list the York, so apparently there are some Canadian retailers, I stand corrected.

 

[sqlsavior]

Yep, I like to see the tubes

Me too, but...

Exposed tube phono preamps: Budgie, Bottlehead, Pro-ject, and the like were the most prone to noise.

You said so yourself!

When it comes to anything audio, looks take a backseat to performance, at least in my system.

Before I bought my Fosgate Signature on a Black Friday sale, I was on the lookout for used ones. One came up for sale, but without the tube covers. I had read that Mr. Fosgate had done over 100 prototype iterations of his circuit, so I figured he knew what he was doing when he put covers on three of the seven tubes. I passed on the used one - who knows what else was wrong?

Id also try the Rothwell SUT going into he Pixy MM stage. Some like this combo better on the DIY version we built

IME, even an inexpensive SUT like the lowly Denon AU-300LC, run into the MM stage, beat the MC stages on my Luxman L-505u, my Sutherland Ph3D, and my Jolida JD9.

but like Grado told me, why put all that coil wire back in, when they removed it from the signal path for better clarity?

Maybe for equal or even better clarity, as well as superior dynamics. The life, the bounce, is what is missing for me in otherwise superb-active MC stages.

I haven't done the same comparison on the Fosgate, however, and may not get around to it, because a 5mv MI cartridge (my London Decca Super Gold) is delivering more information than any of my MC cartridges, the best and most expensive of which (an Ortofon SPU) was ruined last fall, alas.

For myself, the Fosgate/Super Gold combo is on another level from all of the others, and I'll likely never be able to afford anything better, which is difficult to imagine anyway.

I had one of the Realistic vintage units a few years ago. Fun and sounded good to my ears. There is at least one seller on ebay who refurbishes them with upgrades.

I have an unmodified Realistic 42-2101, that I keep on the Denon/BenzMicro Wood setup in the next room, for the specific purpose of obfuscating jarring spatial discontinuities on some albums, such as Amy Winehouse's Back In Black, a sonic fruit-salad if there ever was one.

Happy listening in 2024, everyone!

 

[ceylon]

That's odd, when searching online and looking where to buy "shopping" it showed/shows nada. But it did show one on eBay and I now have it at more than $300 off list heh heh heh.

nice!

OK, just checked the US distributor and they don't show Six Acoustic as one of their suppliers even searching their site with their search window.

i went to a coupla dealers websites and found it for sale. 2 clicks.

Just checked the first two "distributors" on the list, neither show Six Acoustic as a manufacturer they carry either.

dunno, but the dealers listed, at least some of em, have it for sale on their websites.

So maybe you can order one direct from the manufacturer through these dealers but they don't seem to be directly selling the York.

you can buy from manufacturer or from dealers/retailers for the same price

Searched further and the 3rd distributor on the list does list the York, so apparently there are some Canadian retailers, I stand corrected.

 

[MisterDK]

I thought the old Realistic phono pre’s sounded comparatively smoother than a couple other inexpensive phono pre’s I’d listened to. It still sounds like a cheap phono preamp in standard form with somewhat muddy bass and rolled off highs. I bought two of those for about $25 each, new in box - a bargain, if you’re mainly wanting cheap over good. Most of the current, budget phono preamps discussed here, likely sound better than the old Realistic.

Seems that there are around a half dozen, budget phono preamps that have come out over the past four years or so. Though I really like my 834 clones, I was recently wanting a phono pre with adjustability, that I could use with most any cartridge. I really didn’t want op-amps, but I know they can sound fine, too. I think I’m a bit of a Luddite, preferring tubes or transistors. I also wanted gain and loading adjustability… I made my choice and paid my money - bought the new Schiit Skoll shortly after it was announced. It’s inexpensive for the features offered, everything adjustable by remote control, fully “discrete” design with high voltage rails (no op-amps) etc. They’re very nicely made in USA, look great and it sounds - excellent.

Now I have my easy adjustability for when I play with cartridges and (did I mention?) it sounds EXCELLENT. That said, I still prefer the sound of my newest DIY 834 clone…yup, tubes!

The Skoll:

 

[Ilikevinyl]

My Musical Surroundings Phonomena II phono preamp is dead silent! Using a Schiit LOKI EQ that's also dead silent.

 

[krautmaster]

I love my Schiit Skoll-- especially the ability to adjust on the fly from my comfy chair... also sounds better in my system than the Parasound JC3+ that I was using previously (due to adjustibility of the capacitive loading that was fixed at 150 pF on the JC3+)

 

[MisterDK]

I think they’re a fantastic phono pre, especially at their price!

 

[ceylon]

I think they’re a fantastic phono pre, especially at their price!

just read the product page. very impressive. if collecting phono amps is ur thing, this is an easy add