Count me surprised.:yes:
I got this Onkyo P-303 preamp on Friday.I wanted to audition it because of the good reputation it has for it's phono-stage.I've initially been using it's phono-stage via the tape-outs into the EW Kenwood 700C.Used this way it proved to have a high-achieving phono-stage.Very nice indeed.
Now although I have the desire to audition it this way,there's no way I'm not going to try it out as a preamp in it's own right.Therefore last night I swapped the leads from the EW 700C to the P-303.
Straight away I felt that it was very capable.Today when I came home I put on the Japanese pressing of Pink Floyd "The Wall".It was the low-level detail which had me taking notice.The only preamp which does that level of low-level detail in my experience is the EW 700C.They both have an ability to dredge-out low-level detail like nothing I've ever heard before.The phono-stage on the P-303 is either phenomenal(which didn't quite evidence itself via the tape-out sockets,though I'll revisit that),or the line stage(which I haven't tried yet),but I'm glad I took a punt on this unassuming minimalist little preamp.It's a David amongst Goliaths with collosal reputations.:yes:
As a straight preamp I much prefer it to the Yamaha C2x.No contest.Comparing the C2x's phono-stage via it's tape-outs to the P-303's phono-stage under the same conditions produces a close result.Via the preamp-outputs proper,the P-303 phono-stage leaves the C2x in the dust.:scratch2:
To be fair to what I just posted,I'm going to go back to the C2x's preamp-out proper and give it another run.It's too good a piece to not let it speak for itself in it's own defence.:yes:
So preliminary results are that the Onkyo P-303 phono-stage,used via it's proper preamp-out is a formidable all-in-one phono capable preamp.:thmbsp:
Not that easy to find.:sigh:
I got this Onkyo P-303 preamp on Friday.I wanted to audition it because of the good reputation it has for it's phono-stage.I've initially been using it's phono-stage via the tape-outs into the EW Kenwood 700C.Used this way it proved to have a high-achieving phono-stage.Very nice indeed.
Now although I have the desire to audition it this way,there's no way I'm not going to try it out as a preamp in it's own right.Therefore last night I swapped the leads from the EW 700C to the P-303.
Straight away I felt that it was very capable.Today when I came home I put on the Japanese pressing of Pink Floyd "The Wall".It was the low-level detail which had me taking notice.The only preamp which does that level of low-level detail in my experience is the EW 700C.They both have an ability to dredge-out low-level detail like nothing I've ever heard before.The phono-stage on the P-303 is either phenomenal(which didn't quite evidence itself via the tape-out sockets,though I'll revisit that),or the line stage(which I haven't tried yet),but I'm glad I took a punt on this unassuming minimalist little preamp.It's a David amongst Goliaths with collosal reputations.:yes:
As a straight preamp I much prefer it to the Yamaha C2x.No contest.Comparing the C2x's phono-stage via it's tape-outs to the P-303's phono-stage under the same conditions produces a close result.Via the preamp-outputs proper,the P-303 phono-stage leaves the C2x in the dust.:scratch2:
To be fair to what I just posted,I'm going to go back to the C2x's preamp-out proper and give it another run.It's too good a piece to not let it speak for itself in it's own defence.:yes:
So preliminary results are that the Onkyo P-303 phono-stage,used via it's proper preamp-out is a formidable all-in-one phono capable preamp.:thmbsp:
Not that easy to find.:sigh: