Manley Labs Chinook Phono Stage

[miner]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Bung99.......Manley did not cause your transformer to fail. You purchased the Chinook used without a clue how the previous owner used and/or abused it, so being upset at Manley seems misguided to me. Replacement parts are rarely cheap, but $500 isn't that bad if it will get you back up and running. It could have been worse if Manley didn't have replacement transformers available. Then you would have a Chinook door stop.

Exactly, like my Olive O4HD POS.

[miner]

Originally Posted by audioguy3107

I've always been a little curious as to how quiet the Chinook should be. This is my first phono preamp, so I have no idea what the common phono stage should be like when it comes to noise. My Chinook sounds very good to my ears, but there is quite a bit of tube rush/hiss, but only when you turn it up. That being said, my volume pot on the C 2300 goes from 0 to 100. My normal listening level is around 35 or so (Avalon speakers are not the most efficient, but I also don't listen very loud). Once the volume gets to about 50 or so, that's when I begin to hear the tube rush, so basically about halfway up the volume ladder. Anyone know if this is normal or not? Does the same with the stock tubes as well as NOS Amperex I just put in. I guess it could be an issue if I ever want to crank it up. Should this thing be silent until you get to insane volume levels?

Do you feel the Chinook bettered the C2300 phono stage?

[Wasatch]

Originally Posted by audioguy3107

I've always been a little curious as to how quiet the Chinook should be. This is my first phono preamp, so I have no idea what the common phono stage should be like when it comes to noise. My Chinook sounds very good to my ears, but there is quite a bit of tube rush/hiss, but only when you turn it up. That being said, my volume pot on the C 2300 goes from 0 to 100. My normal listening level is around 35 or so (Avalon speakers are not the most efficient, but I also don't listen very loud). Once the volume gets to about 50 or so, that's when I begin to hear the tube rush, so basically about halfway up the volume ladder. Anyone know if this is normal or not? Does the same with the stock tubes as well as NOS Amperex I just put in. I guess it could be an issue if I ever want to crank it up. Should this thing be silent until you get to insane volume levels?

Again, the Chinook is pretty quite. My listen volume is around 11 o'clock on the Jumbo Shrimp. I need to put my ear up to the speaker to hear anything in regards to tube rush, and it's pretty low. If you do hear it change over time give Manley a call, they will help you out.

[audioguy3107]

Originally Posted by miner

Do you feel the Chinook bettered the C2300 phono stage?

Yes definitely, I did a comparison once I got it just for curiosity, The Manley sounded much more open and smooth. The phono stage in the C2300 was no slouch, but it couldn't compare to the Manley. Things really improved when I hooked everything up with MIT shotgun interconnects......they sound smooth as silk compared to the Audioquest cables I was using. Overall, I'm very happy with the Chinook, no desire to upgrade at this time!

- Buck

[miner]

Audioguy,
With tube phono into tube line stage the tube rush is not too bad? When I was looking for a phono pre to use with my C2300 I could not find anything under $3500 that bettered my 2300 - I will now try to find s dealer that will loan me one to try (yeah, good luck with that). What AQ cables were you using prior to the MIT?

[Wasatch]

Originally Posted by miner

Audioguy,
With tube phono into tube line stage the tube rush is not too bad? When I was looking for a phono pre to use with my C2300 I could not find anything under $3500 that bettered my 2300 - I will now try to find s dealer that will loan me one to try (yeah, good luck with that). What AQ cables were you using prior to the MIT?

I believe any high-end dealer (local) that carries Manley will loan you one. That's one thing that separates high-end dealers from the other stores (Good Guys, Circuit City, .....whatever stores that carry stereo gear). Maybe a on-line dealer might do it for ya.

[audioguy3107]

Originally Posted by miner

Audioguy,
With tube phono into tube line stage the tube rush is not too bad? When I was looking for a phono pre to use with my C2300 I could not find anything under $3500 that bettered my 2300 - I will now try to find s dealer that will loan me one to try (yeah, good luck with that). What AQ cables were you using prior to the MIT?

No, tube rush has never been a problem....both units are extremely quiet....now of course if I turn the volume up to insane levels that I would never listen to you can hear tube hiss, but it's quiet as can be at normal and even louder volumes. I was using Audioquest King Cobras before the MIT Cables.....they just had a harsher edge to them that I couldn't seem to get rid of. As soon as the MITs went in, it sounded much smoother (granted the AQ cables weren't nearly as expensive as the MITs.

- Buck

[miner]

Thank you for your replies audioguy. I will take a second look now.

[miner]

I just placed my order for a Chinook and am looking forward to the experience of what post-C2300 phone pre will be like. I was always satisfied with the McIntosh phono stage but have also been curious what an outboard stage could reveal. My cartridge is an Ortofon Cadenza Black. I will start the resistance at 100 ohms and listen from there. Any other Cadenza Black owners care to share their phono stage setting?

[jdandy]

Kevin.......I operate my Ortofon Cadenza Black through the moving coil phono stage of the C1000C/P solid state preamplifier. It is superior to the C1000C/T tube preamplifier phono stage that I also had, and is more open, dynamic, and quiet than either the C1000C/T or my C2300 moving coil phono stages. In a word, it is exceptional. I have tried the 25, 50, 100, and 200 ohm resistance setting with my Cadenza Black and ultimately settled on 100 ohms as being the best sounding setting.