Hi All
Please read this first, it's quite enlightening:
http://www.cec-web.co.jp/products/amp/ph53/ph53_e.html
I bought this because Kevin (Definitive Audio) told me that "I started selling the PH53 because it was the best phono stage I could find under £2k".
What the above article will tell you - 3(!) options
1. Standard MM
2. MC, with a wide array of dip switches for capacity, gain & impedence matching
3. MC - XLR ''current injection'' phono *
* there are 2 other (that I know of) current injection phono stages in the market, BMC and AQ vox. Both retail in the £2-3.5k range. All three including the C.E.C. have the same founder/designer's brain behind them. This is no mass market topology, it's a unique invention by an inspired mind.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/bmc-phono-mcci-phono-preamplifier
https://www.stereophile.com/phonopreamps/708aqvox/index.html
If you choose to re-wire your tonearm to XLR, you can have a balanced phono system from cart to amplifier. Since phono carts are inherently balanced, I'd suggest that's a good idea from a noise rejection POV. Dead-silence results in gaps in playback.
I'm not going to give you a review, I'm simply going state a couple of points and put the price up here.
1. This is boxed, one owner from new, bought from Definitive Audio this year (2022).
2. These are rarer than rocking horse plop - definitive are the sole UK distributor, and it's discontinued.
3. I'm not a patient chap sadly, although very fair and hopefully a nice guy. Therefore it will be up for about a week and then I'll just trade it in against something. Please therefore no offers.
4. There is no other way of getting this tech for this kind of money. Period.
Price: £425 (RRP approx £800)
NB
I bought an Ortofon Quintet Black S about the same time, as it's a theoretical very close to perfect match for the phono stage's current injection tech (You can use a wide range of carts, but some measure better than others). If you want to buy this too, open to the conversation - otherwise I'll just keep it. It would be £350, and is again a spring/summer 2022 purchase. Again, these are a shade under £800. Not selling this on it's own however.
That's it, have a great day.
Collect or post, both are fine.
Please read this first, it's quite enlightening:
http://www.cec-web.co.jp/products/amp/ph53/ph53_e.html
I bought this because Kevin (Definitive Audio) told me that "I started selling the PH53 because it was the best phono stage I could find under £2k".
What the above article will tell you - 3(!) options
1. Standard MM
2. MC, with a wide array of dip switches for capacity, gain & impedence matching
3. MC - XLR ''current injection'' phono *
* there are 2 other (that I know of) current injection phono stages in the market, BMC and AQ vox. Both retail in the £2-3.5k range. All three including the C.E.C. have the same founder/designer's brain behind them. This is no mass market topology, it's a unique invention by an inspired mind.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/bmc-phono-mcci-phono-preamplifier
https://www.stereophile.com/phonopreamps/708aqvox/index.html
If you choose to re-wire your tonearm to XLR, you can have a balanced phono system from cart to amplifier. Since phono carts are inherently balanced, I'd suggest that's a good idea from a noise rejection POV. Dead-silence results in gaps in playback.
I'm not going to give you a review, I'm simply going state a couple of points and put the price up here.
1. This is boxed, one owner from new, bought from Definitive Audio this year (2022).
2. These are rarer than rocking horse plop - definitive are the sole UK distributor, and it's discontinued.
3. I'm not a patient chap sadly, although very fair and hopefully a nice guy. Therefore it will be up for about a week and then I'll just trade it in against something. Please therefore no offers.
4. There is no other way of getting this tech for this kind of money. Period.
Price: £425 (RRP approx £800)
NB
I bought an Ortofon Quintet Black S about the same time, as it's a theoretical very close to perfect match for the phono stage's current injection tech (You can use a wide range of carts, but some measure better than others). If you want to buy this too, open to the conversation - otherwise I'll just keep it. It would be £350, and is again a spring/summer 2022 purchase. Again, these are a shade under £800. Not selling this on it's own however.
That's it, have a great day.
Collect or post, both are fine.
