Stageline N powered by a HCDR into a 332 here. No complaints, although I have nothing else to compare it to (phono stage wise).
I certainly enjoy my vinyl set up as much as digital.
I’m sure a lot of StageLine users that power them with a HiCap already had a spare HC to begin with. In those situations where it’s the cost of just the StageLine and the HC costs nothing, it suddenly becomes very hard to beat at that price.
Certainly I got one because I had an unused HCdr and I reckon I’m not alone.
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Exactly this - I had the HiCap DR spare after selling the 282. Perhaps overkill powering the Stageline only but it works well🤷🏼♂️
Sure a Stageline on its own new or used is a bargain and best of all sounds great.
I have found if one has a NAC that supplies an Aux2 Alt providing power to a Srageline (or Superline) it is best to do that rather than power the Stageline independently using a Hicap (or Flatcap). Once the preamp is running with a Hicap the Stageline will be too and the sound is not much different to me (with or without an independent Stageline power supply) so unless one has a spare power supply already it’s not worth buying one for a Stageline. If one has a spare unit then of course why not use it and you may hear more difference than I do.
I’m sure that’s true to some extent. Though a separate HC means the StageLine won’t share any rails with the preamp and vice versa. If I was sans Naim preamp, or had no spare power supply, I am sure I would look elsewhere. A Stageline powered by a DR power supply for 430 pounds (pre last price rise) is one thing. The same Stageline power supply combo for 2 grand is something else entirely.
I’m willing to bet it’s just as easy to find a much better phonostage for 2000 pounds as it is nearly impossible to find a better one for 500 pounds. Ergo, it’s value depends on what you already have.
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I used a StageLine N with a DR-ed Naim psu, now I have a NAC 62 with its own phono cards. I am not sure I can tell the difference, the StageLine sounded good to me.
Why not a second hand Vertere 1-phone mk2?
I’ve only read good things about them, and it’s designed to go with the DG-1?
I’m toying with demoing the DG-1 vs an Avid Diva sometime next year. I would probably go with either the respective vertere of avid phones (both £1k ish)
You could indeed get a Vertere but they are not cheap even 2nd hand just now. The model you suggest is around £1000-1200 plus so that may become the why not if one isn’t looking to spend that much. It’s a good phono stage though.
There are several decent phone stages to compete around the £1000-1200 (new) price point. One of my favourites is a Graham Slee MC Accession, particularly if using it with an MC low-output cartridge. The Reflex C is good too.
Yep, same here. I already had 523S cards in my 82, so my acquisition of the Stageline S was really “just to see what it did”.
For me the Stageline N with Ortofon 2M red gives me the Naim sound i like.
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