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Vincent PHO-8 phono pre amp.......first impressions.


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1 hour ago, Grimmie said:

 Not to say of course that I'm not open to more increments of improvement, :lol: what Valves are we taking @okitoki and what sort of dollars. Over time I might stave off the urge to upgrade again, having left a doubting worm in my brain that I short-changed myself, by ding a little tube rolling.

Such a beautiful stereophile statement: 1st comment: 'I'm extremely happy' and the very next comment....'you have improvements? bring me these improvements!'.

 

This sums up most of us all perfectly...the lovely mix of happiness / enjoyment and never being quite satisfied!

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5 hours ago, Grimmie said:

 Not to say of course that I'm not open to more increments of improvement, :lol: what Valves are we taking @okitoki and what sort of dollars. Over time I might stave off the urge to upgrade again, having left a doubting worm in my brain that I short-changed myself, by ding a little tube rolling.

Friend replied and said it was a Mullard ECC82 12AU7 made in GB ???

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BTW there is an entire separate thread on 700 tube rolling...I had no idea what I was reading but it was kind of educational...and @lovetube then listed some of the 12au7 tubes on the classifieds...that was a few weeks ago though...

 

so 12au7 is the tube type and you can get different company's...OK....sounds fun!

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Plenty of ways to go for an incremental improvement then. Might give time for the warranty to run out before I nullify it with internal component changes but will have to find how to book-mark this page and in future the worlds my oyster. Won't be needing the Ascention,  Sutherland or Whest after all.

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I bought one of these about a year ago and I'm quite happy with it. It is my first separate phono stage (was using a mixer) and for the money it would be hard to go past. Good clarity, tight bass and crisp highs but it lacks warmth and can be a little forward and analytical at times. To address this I run a Yaqin CD3 tube buffer after it which results in a very pleasant all round sound. 

 

To my ears the MM section is much better than the MC (no loading options). I was running a 2M Silver cart through the MM section, then got DL-301 MK2 for the MC. The improvement was about 10% which I was a bit disappointed with. I put a Little Bear head amp between the TT and the MM section and the improvement is about 20% compared to the 2M Silver. 

 

In hindsight I should of looked for a sub $1k tube phono, but it's been a fun journey and I'm happy with where my setup is at. 

Edited by Abstract
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  • 1 year later...
50 minutes ago, Topclassier said:

Hi lads. Proven that I stay with MM (Clearaudio Performer v2, Nagaoka MP-500) and MM only, would I be sustainably happy for years with the PHO-8? Just bought one on a whim  :)

Yes mate. Very good Phono pre for the money.

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3 hours ago, Topclassier said:

Hi lads. Proven that I stay with MM (Clearaudio Performer v2, Nagaoka MP-500) and MM only, would I be sustainably happy for years with the PHO-8? Just bought one on a whim  :)

 

It was a productive whim indeed.....I predict you will be very satisfied.?

 

Read this: https://www.devotedtovinyl.com/whats-the-best-phono-preamp-under-500/

Edited by stevoz
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1 hour ago, Batty said:

I wonder how much better than the PHO-8 it would be, I love my PHO-8, had it a year or so now.

Carts are MC - AT OC9/III MM Shure V15 type III.

Aye, at more than twice the price of the PHO-8 it would want to bring something new and better to the party. 

 

Have any other gurus here had a look at the specs and can they shed some light on where the price difference might lie?

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1 hour ago, Jebediah said:

Aye, at more than twice the price of the PHO-8 it would want to bring something new and better to the party. 

 

Have any other gurus here had a look at the specs and can they shed some light on where the price difference might lie?

 

I just checked them and the spec's appear to be identical (same THD, S/N ratio, input and output impedance, input sensitivity and amplifier gain)......but the PHO-500 has a USB output.??

 

Must be some component upgrades you would think to justify that price difference but the PHO-8 is heavier, weighing in at 2.7kg's all up whereas the PHO-500 weighs 2.4kg's all up. Strange.....?

 

PS: I'm no guru though!?

Edited by stevoz
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Thanks Steve. I just checked the specs against the PHO 701 and it seems very similar as well. Similar price point to the 701. I think I'd rather the tubes myself ;)

Edited by Jebediah
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Guest Muon N'

Those specs won't tell the story, need to know the circuit design and how it differs from the PHO 8, and components used as mentioned.

Can't find any informative information in those areas when I looked.

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What’s the MC performance like on the PHO-8? I’ve just ordered one to pair with a Pro-Ject Classic and 2M Blue cart, but I’m also considering upgrading to a different deck and Quintet Bronze. Anyone able to comment on the sound of this combo by any chance?

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1 hour ago, chronomancer said:

What’s the MC performance like on the PHO-8? I’ve just ordered one to pair with a Pro-Ject Classic and 2M Blue cart, but I’m also considering upgrading to a different deck and Quintet Bronze. Anyone able to comment on the sound of this combo by any chance?

 

Not on that combo in particular but I do have a DL103 and it sounds great through the PHO-8. I will add that the MC circuit is very quiet (as is the MM circuit) on the PHO-8.

Edited by stevoz
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6 hours ago, chronomancer said:

What’s the MC performance like on the PHO-8? I’ve just ordered one to pair with a Pro-Ject Classic and 2M Blue cart, but I’m also considering upgrading to a different deck and Quintet Bronze. Anyone able to comment on the sound of this combo by any chance?

I found the sound and noise floor appealing on the PHO8. Only problem was, I need more gain after purchasing "Grace". So I sold it and got a Valab FT1 that had 65db gain and more.

Edited by Wimbo
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I often wonder if there would be much difference performance wise between the PHO8 and my GS Communicator with PSU1, although I'm keen to explore a tube phono stage, so the PHO701 holds some interest for me. 

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I haven't heard anything via the GS Communicator but I can vouch for the other GS products i have as fantastic - so much so that one of them I never switch in and out and the other i simply switch out for the fun of change.  I think the Pho8 is a ripper also.  I really like the look of the 701 with that visible valve and light. 

The Pho8 imo is quite a warm phono stage as it is, the tubed version i can only imagine will be even more so.  If it keeps the soundstage and other good bits of the Pho8 and adds some valve textures it would be a great addition.  Not much out there on it to read about and not sure if there is any rolling potential in the 701,  but if there is this would add to its appeal and flexibility.

 

I guess it comes down to what else is it competing against at the price point and/or does it bat outside the crease like the Pho8 does at its price point?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just thought I would mention an interesting possible upgrade for PHO 8 owners. I read recently in a review (and referred to the same in the 'What In Analogue Have You Bought Today?" thread a little while ago) here: https://www.devotedtovinyl.com/whats-the-best-phono-preamp-under-500/  .....that replacing the supplied IEC power cord with a Pangea Audio AC14 shielded power cable would.....well I'll just paste a quote from said article (in which the Vincent won the shootout?).

 

"The bass on the PHO-8, to me, is pretty good.   But, you can actually improve the bass on the PHO-8.  In order to get better bass, I detached the supplied power cable and purchased the Pangea Audio AC-14 power cord.  I was skeptical that a power cord really enhance the sound—and boy was I wrong.

Once connected, the bass made a significant jump in improvement—I was pretty surprised how noticeable it was.  You won’t be blowing out the windows of your home just by changing the power cord, but you will notice that your records have much more depth and overall “THUMP” to them just by switching to a suitable cord like the Pangea."

 

Well, the Pangea is well over $100 in Oz so I thought I'll try this claim with a cheap shielded power cable from China ($28.......https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1m-3ft-Hi-End-Hifi-Audio-Power-Cable-Power-Cord-AU-Plug-Audio-Cable-Home-Office/253934655101?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649) , the same as I already have running on the TT. It arrived today so I have been playing a few LP's tonight to test it out.

 

As far as bass goes, yes a small improvement, if anything, it has tightened up a little as well, which is very nice.....but in regard to the 'depth' the review spoke of, this is where I am noticing a tangible improvement. Soundstage more 3D, instrument separation up a notch.....grin suitably wider. 

 

A cheap upgrade that so far, seems to live up to the claim......?

 

Edited by stevoz
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46 minutes ago, Batty said:

Not really worth it for me as I need to run about 3m to the wall socket for my system.

i just jumped on to have a look. I have some Audio Principe power chords running to my AVR and Integrated amp and quite like the outcome.

 

Not suggesting all things are equal, but the seller mentioned in @stevoz post seems to have varying lengths, including 3m and 4m  - both under $50. 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4m-13-12ft-Hi-end-Home-Theater-Audiophile-HIFI-Audio-Power-Cable-Cord-AU-Plug/254188150124?hash=item3b2ecb5d6c:g:ShkAAOSw8U9bxFYz

 

My need is 1.5m and for around $30, I might suss things out.  If the claim is valid its cheap bonus, if its snake oil or doesnt present as well to me i can use it with the kettle LOL

I also have the Schiit Mani with the separate swagman PSU so this powerchord could be interchanged when i play around with phono stages.

 

Edited by 08Boss302
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On 17/05/2019 at 10:33 PM, stevoz said:

Just thought I would mention an interesting possible upgrade for PHO 8 owners. I read recently in a review (and referred to the same in the 'What In Analogue Have You Bought Today?" thread a little while ago) here: https://www.devotedtovinyl.com/whats-the-best-phono-preamp-under-500/  .....that replacing the supplied IEC power cord with a Pangea Audio AC14 shielded power cable would.....well I'll just paste a quote from said article (in which the Vincent won the shootout?).

 

"The bass on the PHO-8, to me, is pretty good.   But, you can actually improve the bass on the PHO-8.  In order to get better bass, I detached the supplied power cable and purchased the Pangea Audio AC-14 power cord.  I was skeptical that a power cord really enhance the sound—and boy was I wrong.

Once connected, the bass made a significant jump in improvement—I was pretty surprised how noticeable it was.  You won’t be blowing out the windows of your home just by changing the power cord, but you will notice that your records have much more depth and overall “THUMP” to them just by switching to a suitable cord like the Pangea."

 

Well, the Pangea is well over $100 in Oz so I thought I'll try this claim with a cheap shielded power cable from China ($28.......https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1m-3ft-Hi-End-Hifi-Audio-Power-Cable-Power-Cord-AU-Plug-Audio-Cable-Home-Office/253934655101?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649) , the same as I already have running on the TT. It arrived today so I have been playing a few LP's tonight to test it out.

 

As far as bass goes, yes a small improvement, if anything, it has tightened up a little as well, which is very nice.....but in regard to the 'depth' the review spoke of, this is where I am noticing a tangible improvement. Soundstage more 3D, instrument separation up a notch.....grin suitably wider. 

 

A cheap upgrade that so far, seems to live up to the claim......?

 

I have never heard of someone getting audible gains from changing a power cable  but at $30 it does look kinda cool. 

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