(2012) Stereo Analog Source Components
- Details
- Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2012) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $1350
Website: www.densen.dk
Michael said: If you’re not ready to take a big leap into high-priced analog sound, the DP-Drive is an affordable alternative. It’s a minimalist design, it sounds good, and it’s well built -- a good value that should find a home in many mid-priced analog rigs.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Solid but not extravagant basic phono stage.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2012) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $1199
Website: www.musicalfidelity.com
S. Andrea said: I was thoroughly impressed with the performance of the Musical Fidelity M1ViNL. It’s the cleanest, clearest phono preamplifier I’ve heard in my system. Those qualities allowed me to hear more fine detail than I could have imagined from records I thought I knew well. If you’ve ever had any doubts about vinyl’s potential for being a high-resolution medium, the M1ViNL should help to dispel them.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Excellent phono-stage performance and an even better value.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2012) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $349.99
Website: www.parasound.com
Ron said: With the Zphono.USB Parasound has created a niche product that, for audiophiles and music collectors of a certain age -- or any age, for that matter -- may prove supremely useful. As a phono stage it hits way above average, and if offered alone would be exceptional value for the price. Actually, it is offered alone, in the form of the original Zphono (still available for $200). Consider the inclusion of the flexible, high-quality A/D converter as almost a gift. This is a smart, sensible, well-made product that makes it fun to be in this hobby.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Analog to digital done right and cheap.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2012) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $12,000
Website: www.simaudio.com
Graham said: At $12,000, the Moon Evolution 810LP phono preamplifier is not the cheapest way to create an entirely convincing musical event in my listening room, but to my ears it’s the best way. In it, Simaudio has created an effortlessly musical and utterly transparent window through which audiophiles can listen to and, more important, connect with their music. The word reference may continue to relentlessly rain down, but for me, the Moon Evolution 810LP will continue to be the parade.
The gist: As good as it gets for analog.