Anybody have the Fosgate Signature V2 Phonostage?

I would appreciate hearing what you have to say about this phonostage. Do you like it? How does it sound? I have a Jolida JD9 right now and am considering this as an upgrade. Do you think that would be the case and if so, why?

Appreciate any and all feedback!

Thanks.

I ordered mine from Music Direct on Black Friday after Thanksgiving (good price!), and have been listening to it since. I really, really like it. It is doing things I've never heard from a phono stage - previous best was my Luxman L-505u's stage, which reviewers invariably describe as "wonderful" (never saw a different word used, nor any in-depth listening reports). Had a Sutherland Ph3D for awhile - tonally well balanced but uninvolving IME. Also had a Jolida JD9 (un-modded), which sounded very intriguing until it developed intermittent noise problems.

The Fosgate not only has more resolution than I'm used to, it does SPATIAL stuff like nobody's business. Not only are images more focused, but I can hear the acoustics of the recording venues/rooms like never before. I was quite pleasantly surprised by the magnitude of the upgrade - I thought I was beyond such an obvious improvement at this stage. So far, almost all listening has been through my Marantz TT-15, with the stock Clearaudio Virtuoso - my first MM cart in years, btw.

I'm a big fan.

Thanks for your kind reply and the helpful observations. Sounds like you're very happy with this phono stage. Surprised no one else here has it though....it has gotten some very good reviews from what I gather. I wonder how the "modded" Jolida JD9 would fare in a head-to-head comparison. I haven't modded my Jolida beyond doing some experiments with different tubes, of which so far I like the 12AT7s better than the 12AX7s that came stock with the unit. Would still like some more feedback if possible?

Well from memory, my Jolida was a pleasantly different but not obviously superior (in terms of hearing more things) change of pace from my old Hafler DH-110's phono preamp. Since then I've listened to my new Luxman L-505u's phono preamp, and an old Luxman C-1000. With the Fosgate I'm now hearing lots of things I've never heard before on my records, like in any classic upgrade story. I thought at my point in the journey that it would be about subtle differences, matters of preference, or coloration, even. Not so. There's more to hear! Lots of the usual stuff, like little details or quieter passages, but also being able to clearly follow individual singers or instruments easier, sometimes even to the point it seemed to change the character of some harmonies. The Fosgate's resolution of tiny volume changes - tremulo - is astonishing, and I can hear longer into fade-outs than I'm used to.

I mentioned spatial effects earlier.

A favorite jazz album of mine is one of the Atlantic Jazz Anthology series, The Best of Ray Charles. To me, I'd put it up against Kind Of Blue, but maybe that's just me. I've had it for years, and do not recall ever paying much attention to the imaging on it - it was always just the swinging music, not a "critical listening" kind of record for me, if you know what I mean. Well, I was getting into it again, but for the first time trying to analyze the sound, and my imagination basically ran away with me - a two or three level bandstand, with mics on upper and lower right, plus one in the center, that people would step up to and play into, while the recording engineer adjusted the volume and placement to the upper left in real time. Distinguishing between the mic sound and the room sound of a trumpet or sax, hearing where the mic component would distort, but the room component not, hearing the saxophone bell bobbing and weaving under the mic, with this note played moving away sideways, and that note coming back...

It's been a trip. Someday soon I'll listen to the Benz-Micro through it too. Haven't even tried the MC setting - wonder if it'll beat my Cinemag SUT?

:scratch2:

Thanks for your thoughtful observations.....man, next time I'm in Espanola, I've gotta hear that!!! I live in Farmington, so that might actually be infinitely possible and a fun time! I'm thinking about the Music Direct thing also, having a couple of good buds who have had very good experiences with them. Gosh, yeah, you got me thinking about that Cinemag SUT

Sounds like fun! Sent you a PM.

I also moved on from an unmodded JD9 to the Fosgate, I am still stunned by the depth of detail in the Fosgate. I cannot find anything I don't like about it so far, the JD9 has ben regulated to paperweight dutys for now.

kenvab55 said:

I also moved on from an unmodded JD9 to the Fosgate, I am still stunned by the depth of detail in the Fosgate. I cannot find anything I don't like about it so far, the JD9 has ben regulated to paperweight dutys for now.

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Hey kenvab55, thanks for your observations as well....sounds like most folks really like this piece. Where did you get yours?