Valved Phono Stage v Solid state for MC cartridges

[Toppsy]

Hi All,
my first posting on the new forum!

My WAD PHONOII is playing up and I'm experiencing drifting of the soundstage to one channel. I have isolated the problem to two things. A dodgy valve base and a couple of tracks that have lifted off the PCB as a result of numerous component changes.

I had intended to rebuild but hard wire everything and use tighter tolleranced audio grade components (0.1% Metal oxide resistors and better Capacitors) and wire with 0.5mm dia solid silver. However, having read latest issue of HiFi world on one article Noel Keywood commented that Valved phono stages are not recommended for use with low output MC cartridges because they are too noisy! So I am contemplating building a White Noise phono stage and Cascade Power Supply.

My question is do you guys have any views on this or experience of the White Noise Audio grade phono stage?

At the forthcoming PHONO SHOOTOUT will there be SS and Valve phono stages to compare? If so I may hold off and attend the meet to get a more subjective listen.

Thanks for your time guys.

Toppsy

PS. My front end setup is: Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck (heavy platter) with Mitchell Technoarm 'a' and Rondo Bronze MC.

[andrew ivimey]

Hello Toppsy, I think JamesD has promissed a solid state phono stage. I too can bring one; a Michell Iso HR with Lithos PSU hand built by Tom Evans himself as the story goes. I need to put it in a decent cabinet though and the clock is ticking... fast

[James D]

Yes, I will have my version of the VSPS (Very Simple Phono Stage) - I use completely different opamps to everyone else, different RIAA schema and a different approach to ground schema and signal layout... And I run it from batteries. Apart from that it is exactly the same as on the web

It's quite good but a good valve stage should bury it... One day I'll finish my valve phono experiements and build a proper unit

James

[buddam]

Colin

I have a WAD PhonoII, with t/xs fed by a Dynavector 20 low o/p. No noise at all.

Adrian

[Toppsy]

Adrain,

the noise Noel keywood is talking about is not audible ( as I understand it) but a consequence of the valves and circuit and the need for step up transformers, I think. Talking to a colleague he says this will blank out small detail from the recording so you do not hear all that is in the groove. I get no audible noise from my PhonoII either. I find the sound very good but my mate who has the White Noise Solid State kit swears by it. Noel also conmmented in the article that SS was the ONLY way to go for MC cartridges. Hence my posting.

[buddam]

Colin

in which case I'd better make sure I get to the phono shoot-out

[NealG]

Colin, I think you are reading Noel out of context, to quote:

"...Finally, valve phono stages release a sound from LP that is unmatched for soundstaging. However, valves are too noisy for moving coil cartridges. Either a simple (x10gain) transistor gain stage must be used or a step up transformer..."

This implys a stepup device is need, as we know. It dosen't make sense for anybody to use an low o/p MC cart straight into a valve phono stage without a step up of some sort. Unless the MC cart is a high output variant.

The old KLPP1 did not have step ups and was fine with high output MC's..