Allnic H-3000

[Whart]

For various reasons, I'm ready to try another phonostage. While the Steelhead has served me well, and is quite flexible, easy to tube roll and built like the proverbial [fill in blank], I never loved it straight-in, and now that my Lamm Reference line stage is down for the count (Vlad is in Europe, so it can't get fixed until he's back, which is another story), I'm reduced to using the Steelhead straight in again, and I can hear why I never loved it, standing alone. It sounds, in a word, like 'hi-fi.' Good 'hi-fi' but not what I want. For all the reasons people have discussed endlessly about why addding a line stage to the system makes it better, that has certainly been the case with the Steelhead.
I won't get to audition the Allnic before I buy it, but from everything I've read, and folks I've talked to who have used it, it is quite good. It's not cheap, but it also isn't in the Ypsilon/Audionote price range either, has the LCR approach to phono equalization, and, forntunately or unfortunately, like Lamm, is the product of a 'one man' show.
I've also been poking around on some of those DIY sites, not because I can, but because some of these folks are pretty daring in trying less conventional circuits, playing with old style horns and the like.
Reason for post?
Views (not that they will tell me what the thing is going to sound like in my system, but a range of experience is alway valuable) on the H 3000 in its latest incarnation?
It will interface with my Lamm Reference line stage and the ML2, which remains one of the best sounding amplification devices I have owned and used.

[Whart]

Well, i dunno if that's good or bad- i hope the phono stage is as quiet as this thread, i can always talk to myself... Since my Lamm L2 Ref line stage crashed, and i need to wait a while for Vlad to come home to fix it, I am going to use a joule 150 mkII as a stop gap. I'll be curious to hear how it sounds, my guess is that it will be more romantic than the Lamm line stage. Still have the Steelhead in the system until the Allnic arrives, but the Steelhead is on the market. I'll post something in the classifieds here.

[Whart]

The Allnic is here, and I'm burning it in- I ordered one of those reverse RIAA thingamabobs, to move things along. It definitely presents differently than the Steelhead, and although I am very reluctant to pass any meaningful judgment, given that my usual line stage is out of commission and the Allnic needs some break-in time, I think it is very, very promising. One nice thing is that, apart from the rectifier tube in the power supply, it doesn't really require tube rolling, or so I gather. I would still be interested in others' experiences, with the usual caveats about system dependent results.
More later,
Bill Hart

[hhwilson99]

Always been impressed with Allnic electronics. Not sure that I could afford any of it but sure admire your tenacity in moving forward with your acquisition. As you have stated the reviews are all very positive. It is certainly classy looking gear. Would be very interested in your opinion on the comparison between the old and the new. Can you give a brief description of your take on he sonic differences?

[cmalak]

Bill...congrats on the Allnic H-3000. I read Marc Mickelson's review a while back (The Audio Beat - Allnic Audio H-3000 Phono Stage and http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/analog_by_allnic.htm). In terms of analog, along with the ARC Ref Phono 2, it is his reference phono. I am sure it a great unit and enjoy it. Let us know how it continues to break in and how the sonics might change once you reinsert the Lammie line stage once it has been fixed

[Myles B. Astor]

Originally Posted by Whart

The Allnic is here, and I'm burning it in- I ordered one of those reverse RIAA thingamabobs, to move things along. It definitely presents differently than the Steelhead, and although I am very reluctant to pass any meaningful judgment, given that my usual line stage is out of commission and the Allnic needs some break-in time, I think it is very, very promising. One nice thing is that, apart from the rectifier tube in the power supply, it doesn't really require tube rolling, or so I gather. I would still be interested in others' experiences, with the usual caveats about system dependent results.
More later,
Bill Hart

The RCA 5u4g sounds best to me (definitely better than the Amperex) with the earlier the better. There are a few other exotic 5u4gs but they run big bucks. A lot has to do with the tube's contribution to the stiffness of the power supply.

[Whart]

Thanks for all the responses, everybody. I was using the Allnic with a Joule LA 150mkII while my Lamm line stage awaited Vlad's return. It sounded OK, but not spectacular, partly because it was breaking in and partly because the Joule wasn't synergistic (oh, that word) with the Lamm ML2. (The Joule, which is now for sale- i bought it only as a temporary stopgap while awaiting Vlad's return from Europe) sounds like it would be a good match for big solid state amps. It has what sounds like big beefy bass and nice sweet highs, but not a lot of resolving power in the midrange, at least by my standards, in my system. Nonetheless, I forged on, using the reverse RIAA conditioner to add to the burn-in of the Allnic and playing quite a few records over the course of the past few weeks. At this point, I'd guess I have over 100 hours of time on the Allnic.
So, I get the Lamm line stage back from Vlad (i-vodstock) yesterday. I plug it in and get everything warming up. I usually run a couple record sides at low volume while the amps warm up (they don't start doing magic until about 45 minutes in, you can hear when they open up- it's not very subtle). But, because I was curious, I actually goosed the gain slightly after about 15 minutes. The thing was MAGIC! Big, dimensional, open, and lot's of little sounds going on that i never, ever heard on this system before (and it is a pretty resolving system). As it really warmed up (I figure the Lamm line stage really takes a while, and i usually just leave it on all the time and replace the power supply tubes every year), what struck me was the amount of individual instrument or voice information that was being conveyed in its own place in space. Not 'detail,' or 'resolution' in the usual sense, and not that 3d holography that you get with some good tube systems where everything has a similar dimension, but stuff going on in percussion, and front to back, that I simply never heard on this system. The bass- and i never thought of the Lamm line stage as a prodigious bass producer- was just astounding, and in combination with the Allnic, had far more tone and nuance than before. I have never loved the bass on the Duo, it is just not the same as the horns for obvious reasons, but the set up now makes the discontinuity far less conspicuous. Of course, I started pulling out records, and not the usual audiophile stuff (yeah, i did some of those too, but old Janis Ian, old Phoebe Snow, JT, etc., lot's of 'standard' pressings that just sound good). My wife literally had to come up and say, dear, 'it's nine o clock,' don't you want to have dinner?'
I recently retired from the fulltime practice of law, and though I'm still working (music business related and internet), I have more time and can work from home. I bought so many records in the last 30 years that i never listened to; I bought a collection from a dear friend who passed away years ago that has lot's of great early jazz, japanese pressings, etc.
I'm dragging it all out! Call it the honeymoon phase, but this system never sounded so good.
The Steelhead seems far more compressed by comparison, and on loud passages, sometimes there would be a shouty quality to the horns, now it is just dynamic and louder, far louder than I would expect, given the nominal volume setting. (I don't listen at high db levels, my general objective is to retrieve the information at very low volume, so the 'natural' volume of a given recording is usually what i strive for). The system is way more dynamic now.
The killer is, if we sell our house soon, all this stuff gets packed up, and i start with a new room in a new town. The room i am in is 'dedicated' and has lot's of odd angles (it's at the top of a very old, large wooden house), but it was never a designed from scratch room. Yes, i did the usual subpanel and dedicated lines, etc. but I want to get better control over my AC when I move to Bush country. So, the adventure will continue. (And, my only real gripe, apart from the bass, is dealing with that goddamn pump for the Airline. I hate the thing! It's noisy, it spits oil and I'd love to go back to an arm that doesn't require it. But, the TT/Arm combo is a great source- and my only source- until i make the leap to tape).
For now, put the Allnic in the category of a 'must hear' phono stage. I'm sure the ARC REF, the big Boulder, the Ypsilon, etc. are equally fine, but there is some quality of finesse without hyperdetail that I am getting from the Allnic that is positively unique.
Myles, on recitifer tubes, I've already got a collection going. I started with the chinese tube- who knows how it really sounds, the unit was brand new (it got shipping from south korea to my door quicker than a microwave oven i ordered from Amazon). I used a NOS Tung-Sol which sounds very good. Right now, I have a first series fat base Mullard in it, but I have the RCA, another Mullard and a few other odds and ends. I'm gonna try them all.

[Myles B. Astor]

The Chinese tube will take a while to break in. Not bad. Not as good as NOS tubes.

[lotus340r]

Very interesting. I am also looking at the 3000.

Has anyone compared it to the ARC ref 2 ? I get the impression that the ref 2 is possibly a little overrated at the price ? I read at least 2 reports on how it was at least equaled or perhaps even bettered by a simple Tom Evans SRX which is well under half the price. Tom Evans has a new stage out called the mastergroove which improves upon the srx by another big margin as well and people who have heard it are saying its unequivocally the very best thing they've ever heard.

[Whart]

I can't compare the ARC since I haven't had it in my system. I've owned alot of older ARC stuff over the years. And have heard a variety of the newer stuff in settings that were varied, e.g., dealer showrooms, shows, and the like. My impression (and this is solely an off the cuff impression) is that the ARC would be very detailed, and have that holographic quality of their best tube products. The Allnic may sound a little softer, which may contribute to the view of some people that have heard it, that it is euphonic, or 'rounded' although liquid and gives a very 'real' dimension to instruments. All of these are words, though, and certainly won't convey what either piece sounds like in a given system, with different associated electronics. I can say that the Allnic is very involving and at least in my system, given its strengths and weaknesses, does not sound soft or 'rounded.' And of course, there is such a subjective element to all of this too. I think at this level, it is probably worth trying both, if you can manage it. I am going to hear a few other pieces at a friend's on Monday, and will eventually have him hold the Allnic for me during my move to Austin- that will be an opportunity for him (and perhaps some others) to compare it in a variety of system settings. He is a dealer, not an Allnic dealer, at least at this moment, so I don't want to issue 'invitations' in his name, but if the opportunity arises, and he is willing, I'd be glad to let you know, assuming you are anywhere near the northeast. And, if you are near New York, you are certainly willing to come over and listen to it in my system, subject to schedule and when I break this system down- which may be soon, depending on how our house sale process goes.There are also a few others who are authorized to sell the piece, who may give you the opportunity to listen to it and perhaps compare it to the ARC. I think as CMalak mentioned above, one reviewer uses both, perhaps if you write to him, and ask nicely, he'll invite you over and you can report your findings as well.
So much is system dependent, I would be hard pressed to come up with any definitive conclusions about any of these pieces without knowing how they sounded in a variety of systems. I gather than the ARC Ref piece has been well received by many serious listeners, and at least in my experience, ARC has provided good support. Beyond that, couldn't speculate. Haven't heard the Tom Evans stuff at all, although over the years, I know it was considered state of the art, at least by the folks over at HiFi+.
If you do get a chance to compare any of them in a controlled setting, it's worth reporting back. I can tell you that the Allnic takes a while to break in, and as mentioned, will benefit by playing around with the rectifier tube. Right now, this system of mine has never been more musical, but that conclusion is obviously within the constraints of my set-up and of course, my ears and prejudices. (I can't reproduce super deep bass given the speaker and room, so there's an area where, perhaps, the ARC would shine in the right big system).
PS For what it's worth, that same reviewer mentioned above did respond to a reader request for his views on the ARC Ref 2 v. Allnic H3000 and he made some interesting observations here. http://www.theaudiobeat.com/letters/...ember_2011.htm