Thanks for the update 
Well I was able to pick up Sunday night but I think I may have received a defective unit. I get a loud pop every 45 seconds or so during playback. I double checked all connections and ground wire and everything seemed fine. Hooked my chinook ( no pun intended ) back up and all was normal. I emailed ps audio late last night and I’m sure I will hear back today…
These things happen and I hope there is a simple solution but bummed I could give this a fair trial in my system.
1 Like
MM or MC input?
(On my beta unit, the MM side was fine, but the MC side exhibited similar weirdness.)
mm. I talked to Mark who was incredibly helpful. He is confident its a grounding issue on the spp. I am going to hook up the spp to the RCAs and the ground cable to a plugged in but not on chinook. If that takes care of the pop then we have our answer…
I hooked up the ground only to my chinook and all other connections to the spp. No pops or static ! So it’s a faulty ground after all.
1 Like
Thanks for following up and letting us know.
2 Likes
PS audio took care of me. I should have the replacement by Friday. No matter how the comparison with the chinook shakes out , one thing is indisputable - the customer service is exemplary and a model that other businesses should strive to achieve.
Thanks to Mark and Kevin for helping out !
4 Likes
Greetings
I ordered the SPP today, it’ll replace my NuWave Phono converter and should be here sometime next week. I have a lot of LPs to spin, wife has bought over 500 copies from someones collection. I must say this individual took excellent care of the LPs, all inside goodies are still in the sleeves like posters and cut outs. I’ll still use the Phono Converter to make digital copies of my favorite LPs. Something to keep my occupied this winter.
Hello. I have had a limited time with the spp but will post some initial impressions compared to my Manley chinook. The unit is very well built and heavy. One minor nitpick is the power button in the front feels a little flimsy and most of the functions except for mute can only be done via remote. You lose the remote and you lose practically all functionality.
Now on to the good stuff- how does it sound ?
I will draw an analogy to compare this to the chinook. If you are the type that likes to taste every individual flavor in their food/wine then the spp is for you. Very detailed and can hear instruments in time and space The sum of the parts make a whole. If you are the type that tasting every flavor is too distracting from the overall experience and just want to enjoy the food/wine as a sum of its parts then the chinook is for you. Lush, heavy, warm but not as good in separating every last detail out of the recording.
Another analogy in the art world would be the chinook is like impressionism and the spp is like classicism.
Both do a great job but its just a different take on presentation. I hope this helps to those still on the fence
5 Likes
I was also a little frustrated that unmute was only available via the remote. Then I read the manual. If you hold the front panel power button for a second or two, the unit will unmute. The manual says 3 seconds, but for me it unmutes almost immediately.
From the manual:
Mute - When the Mute LED is illuminated red, the Stellar Phono Preamplifier is muted. You can activate/deactivate mute by using the remote control or holding in the front panel PS Audio logo LED button for 3 seconds
Great analogy! I really like that. Does a great job describing the differences you’re hearing between the two units. Thanks for that!!
Today I found a Stellar phono review in a new special edition of the German “LP” magazine.
Unfortunately there’s no reviewer like Fremer who always compares, sets in relation etc. … in Germany you usually get just single reviews with just positive comments without any relation to other competing gear reviewed. You have to read extremely between the lines and care for what was left out to get anything out of such “reviews”.
So also in this case of the Stellar review, no comparison described although it was mentioned that it was compared to the Boulder 508 at a little less than double the price.
This review was positive for the Stellar, but it was no good review in terms of “valuable”… 95% described everything else than sound.
Fortunately within the Boulder review in the same magazine, there was a comparison to the Stellar mentioned. So I just translate a few words for you here.
In the Stellar review, the Stellar phono was described as “gentle, extremely detailed, with demonstratively quite background, noble and in the best sense audiophile sounding.”
Well, that’s nice, but some more valuable info regarding the Stellar was to be read in the Boulder review. There it was mentioned that …
“the 508 sounded noticeably different to the Stellar. The Boulder sounds more direct, muscular and straightforward.The PS Audio paints a bit bigger picture, the Boulder more compact but with at least as good differentiation.”
So finally a great (as the Boulder is more expensive) but too short review for the Stellar … with a hint at the Stellar”s advantages and limitations. Hope it’s interesting for the owners and potential buyers.
2 Likes
Jazznut…i can’t recall wether you have a Stellar PP or not? I suspect that your system is step up from this level?..Now that I have my quiver of Power cables and majority of critical interconnects in place it seems like the digital side of my system is taking the lead in system synergy. I am getting closer to trading up from my New Wave phono converter. Thanks for the German review that the Stellar rates quite well up against a unit twice it’s price point. Never would have seen that without your shout out.
No I don’t have the Stellar phono and let’s say mine is a comparable giant killer at a higher price point…but I follow the feedback on the Stellar as it’s excellently featured at its price point and should at least be outstanding in the typical PSA characteristics soundstageing, ambiance and rich enough, natural sound.
I really look forward to Fremer”s Stellar review…just read the 3.5k Southerland review in the current Stereophile and it contains perfectly everything that I love from Fremer”s review style.Comparative orientation among other gear over a long period, expensive or own gear is no holy cow, pro”s and con”s clearly understandable, each one’s potential preferences considered and the balls to talk straight.
I’m quite sure the Stellar will leave better!
I love Sutherland gear. I had a phd phono and his Director pre-amp. Loved both pieces very much. The Director was my second favorite piece of gear I’ve ever owned. My SLP-05 being my favorite. Would love to hear the Director in my system again.
…I just received my new Stellar ppa…my go to Blue Note reissue spinner is
Bobby Hutcherson " Montara" . Out of the box without a physical comparison to the old Phono converter this new PS Audio ppa has raised the bar on my Analog system to rival the digital playback with Windom.
Oye Como Va
2 Likes
I just bought a phono pre-amp simply to compare to the one inside my all-in-one unit, plus as a possible gift to my son.
The PS Audio one costs £2,500. There are two UK £1,000 ones, Vertere and Trilogy 906, both that the marketing say are “as good as a £5,000 phono amp”. Well, the newish Rega Aura actually does costs £5,000. I picked up a Vertere 3 months old for £600, so interested to see how it sounds. It is made about 5 miles from where I live. I was only going to get a SUT, but that was £600 so thought I might as well get a whole phono amp for the same price.
I have no idea how these things are priced and what makes them good or bad up to the PS Audio price point. Went for Vertere as they make incredible turntables and can’t imagine they would release a bad phono.
What I find curious is that there is so little inside the unit I chose, a phono board and isolated power supply. Compare this to the mass of circuitry on Darren’s unit.
Heard one of these this weekend - WOW! - but megabucks.
No reviews of the PS Audio unit over here yet, although a dealer sold one and got a very positive online comment.
2 Likes
I’ve been playing with my unit since late summer and I can tel you that my records have never sounded better! The Stellar replaced a PS Audio GCPH that I bought 9years ago.
It appears Mr. Fremer likes the Stellar Phono, has a lot of good things to say…
-JP