I really appreciate your treatment of phono stages (I don’ dare call the phone pre-amps after watching another of your reviews 🙂). I’m using a Schiit Mani with a moving magnet cartridge (a Stanton 500 Mark II), and while it is a work-horse, I think the ‘kit’ could be improved upon. I plan to upgrade the cartridge first, but I’m fairly certain the phono stage will need to be upgraded as well. Saving my pennies and watching reviews; enjoy most all of yours. 👍
@kjk1422 - did you resolve your problems using a 0.5mV MC cart with the Vertere (asking as I'm thinking about buying one and am concerned)? Did it have insufficient gain even when dip switches correctly set?
Hello Paul, I see in the list that you didn't try any MM cartridge with it. I am a bit worried about capacitance since it's only 100pf or 430pf which is quite high. I have Goldring 2500 cart and I am worried about absence of 200pf load capacitance. Second thing is that cart has high output 6.5mV, phono lowest gain is 40.2 dB. So I am a bit worried about clipping and distortion. What do you think, can it be a problem, should I contact Vertere to check it out before purchase?
My mistake and apologies - I was reasoning that most people spending £1k on a phono amp would be using a MC cart but, of course, there are high-end MM and moving iron designs out there. I did do some brief tests with a suped-up Trichord Dino as a reference and didn't hear capacitance issues with my similar-ish Goldring 1042. The latter has a narrower capacitance range of 150-200pf. Your 2500 is more forgiving at 100-200pf. So you should be ok, I reckon. My 1042 has the same sensitivity figures too and I found no issues there either. But look, you need to be sure on this so, if you're at all nervous, contact Vertere for confirmation.
@@TheAudiophileMan No need apologies! I am very grateful for this review :-) Yes, currently I am using Goldring 2500 but I consider to go for Goldring Ethos later, so I would like to buy some phono which can handle it and show full potential of the cart. I will maybe contact Vertere because I have some "hot" records in my shelf. If you compare Trichord (+ battery power supply) vs Vertere, which one is "the one"? Both are superior, but I have no chance to listen to it in direct comparison, because any of the two is available in Czech Republic, so your opinion is very welcome!
@@mrrx Thanks :) Probably the Vertere in terms of space and air around the mids. The Dino remains an excellent performer though. If you did go for the Dino, you wouldn't be disappointed.
I see one dealer in the USA and they're in Colorado. Have you ever heard of CiAudio 's PEQ•1 MKII MM/MC Phono Preamplifier with the optional (a must) dual power supply or I should say not hear it? By that I mean it has almost no sound artifacts that I have heard from other preamps that are not really expensive and it's soooo quiet with MC cartridges that no tube preamp(they all hiss) at any price can perform. When I first auditioned it compared to a $6500.00 tube phono preamp and a $4000.00 dual mono solid state design both well known brands, I was floored at how the CiAudio's stage dimensions simply disappeared. The floor fell away; it just expanded in all dimensions. It looks so simple too. Priced about the same as the Vertere with the dual power supply.
In the UK that would mean spending a third more to find out so I'm not sure the comparison would be wholly fair. I would also be looking at products like the Icon Audio PS1 as a better, more equal comparison too and I do love the PS1.
Hi paul is it because a phono amp is designed to amplify low frequency noise , that it is prone to such noise it’s self? I must admit I’m not up on the technical aspect of this problem. But have heard you regularly pay particular attention to this phenomenon on other hifi equipment. Best wishes as always 😀👍👍
I’m looking at this phono amp or at least the current version MK11 and the Chord Huei, I am not a fan of dip switches hence I like the Chord as it’s easier to make adjustments. How would you compare the Chord to the Vertere as you have reviewed both?
Really very interesting, thanks. Great content, I love the diverse choices of test vinyl, obviously a serious audiophile. Are you running a music store Paul, seeing varied vinyl behind you makes me wonder, I had The Reflex "Politics of Dancing", and I've noticed others. I like your delivery and content, well done for talking to the audience offering useful information, I am saving for a Phono Stage to sit with my Audiolab 8300A and 8300CDQ which at 53 years is the best combination I've had. I kept my Epos Elan 10s and my REL T-3 and currently play from a Pro-ject 1Xpression Carbon with an Ortofon 2M Silver Cartridge. Music covers 36 years, 2 vinyl records of note, George Benson's "2020" album and Dave Grohl's "Play". Keep up the good work, thanks.
