I was spinning some vinyl and thought it might be interesting to play the same record "The Travelling Wilbury's" through all three phono stages I own. I started listening with the Gram Amp3 which was already in the system. Next came the Cambridge Audio 640P which I think is good with MM cartridges but not a good match with the Benz MC Gold. Of course I had to dig out my 15 year old Rotel RQ 970BX.

The only thing that changed in my listening to the phono stages is with the stages themselves. I kept the same cabling and other equipment. No adjustments to the turntable or cartridge were performed.

Some interseting observations;

The Gram Amp3 was the more forward of the three. The soundstage beginning in front of the speakers' plane. The Rotel soundstage began at the speakers' plane. The Cambridge had the most recessed of soundstages.

The Rotel had the greatest depth and imaging of all the phonostages. The Krell has a very wide soundstage and the Rotel is the only one to equal it. I had not used the Rotel with the Krell before. One of the songs on the album has all 5 singing and taking turns with solos. The Rotel created the audible illusion of each member taking his place front and center while the other four were a few feet and singing back-up. I was impressed with the sense of physical presence and change of position for the different members.

The Gram Amp3 is best with dynamics followed by the Rotel and lastly the Cambridge Audio again when using a low output MC cartridge. The Gram Amp3 and the Rotel have the best bass. The Rotel has the best definition of the soundstage and that is what I am finding very enjoyable.

I will be running through them again in the next few days but as of now I find the Rotel is having the best synergy with the Benz, Rega, Krell and MoFi OML 1's.