Quote:
Originally Posted by jdandy
Serge.......Don't take my comments the wrong way. If the ARC PH7 had a bit higher gain than 57.5 dB I would probably jump on it. There is a nice one on the Gon right now. Actually, I would love to put an Audio Research Anniversary REF 2 phono preamp in my system, but with a vinyl collection that has been reduced to about 100 LP's it is difficult to justify the expense versus the reward. Maybe I'll be patient and wait. Perhaps you'll put your REF 2 up for sale soon at a price I can't refuse. 
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Dan, I doubt I would be parting with my REF2 phono anytime soon. It's breaking in around the clock with granite audio phono burn in cd and I'm also tracking the break in by listening to vinyl at least a few hours a day. It is very, very impressive already. It breathes, it has stunning attack and decay, bass is now starting to gain texture and analog roundness and getting less dry by the hour. Harmonic envelope is starting to open up and it's starting to show me it's musical beauty. I have a long way to go yet for all those caps to break in fully but it is transparent, detailed, resolving and quite dynamic already. I can only imagine what it will sound like if the 600 hr min break in is true. This phono stage is Reference grade indeed.
And this is where I feel I should advise you not to skimp on a phono stage. My $2k EMT cart and 50 year old rest-mod table with SME 309 sounds like the sum of it's parts are at least 3 times the price. The phono stage is certainly not a bottleneck and evidently my analog front end had even more performance potential than I initially thought. Shindo+SUT was very musical and impressive, the REF2 took that and expanded on it by adding quite a bit more sparkle, energy and dynamic slam.
Get the best phono stage you can or want to spend on and you'll be rewarded for many years with outstanding performance. Your vinyl collection will grow from the increased enjoyment you will derive from your analog rig.