WhestTWO phono stage

By Michael Wong

December 2007

WhestTWO dual mono phono stage. $1995

WhestTWO UK company Whest Audio’s designer James Henriot has a background in the recording industry and is fond of using discrete circuitry and innovation to produce products of unrivalled resolution and to stir the soul at the same time.

His first product was the DAP.10 analogue processor, a small box that massages a CD player’s analogue output before sending it to the amplifier. Next up was the highly acclaimed PS.20 phono stage. A state-of-the art, two-box affair that offered an incredible 120kHz bandwidth, unheard of in phono preamplifiers.

The new WhestTWO phono stage is said to offer 95% of the PS.20’s electronics and to share design ideas from the yet to be released MC Reference phono stage. A highlight is the ultra low noise circuitry and regulation for the input stage, reducing the potential for problems when used with very low output cartridges. The output devices are more commonly seen in power amplifier driver stages, capable of high current and when used in Whest’s proprietary circuitry allows for massive headroom and speed.

In small packages

The WhestTWO is packaged in a compact (larger than the Project phono boxes, smaller than a Plinius Jarrah) polished metal case with a separate high current power supply, designed by Whest and made in the UK. There are no external user controls. A single red LED shows power status. The rear panel has RCA jacks for unbalanced input/output, an earthing post and a locking multi-pin connector for the power supply. The whole thing is solidly built with nicely printed Whest logos but finish is a bit rough in places.

Straight out of the box the WhestTWO is set up for low output moving coil cartridges, i.e. 100 Ohm load with 65dB gain. Other choices include loading at 500 Ohms and 47k; gain at 40 or 70dB. Not an extensive selection but suitable for the majority of cartridges. Outside of these fixed options the WhestTWO can be adjusted to suit any cartridge requirements.

Getting to the internal adjustment switches brought flashbacks to quirky late 70s English preamplifiers; many small hex screws to undo and a faceplate to remove, then fiddling with tiny DIP switches. Meanwhile that nice polished casework will be covered in fingerprints. Granted setup is usually only done once but at this level of vinyl replay, users are not your typical “set and forget” crowd.

Promise from cold

From cold the WhestTWO showed promise with it’s wide bandwidth and fast, dynamic nature but the sound was also steely sharp, etched and fatiguing, enough to kill at 100 paces.

Fast forward a week and after plenty of real playing time and set-up experimentation (such as using Black Diamond cones for support as the Whest’s stuck-on felt pads are not up to the task) the Whest had settled down enough for some serious listening in my Well Tempered/Shelter 501 vinyl spinner.

This phono preamp is an audiophile delight. Highs are pristine with very good extension and clarity. Midrange is clean and unembellished. Good, taut bass. Soundstages are recreated with well defined width, depth and height extending beyond the physical boundaries of the speakers. Imaging is pin-point accurate. Lightning fast transient response and iron fisted control creates explosive dynamics. Music emerges from an inky blackness. High transparency and detail means nothing is hidden from the WhestTWO.

Flipping the record

On the flipside the Whest has a distinct electronic signature, one that puts the spotlight on the highs and upper mids to the detriment of the lower mid/bass region, robbing the music of colour and richness. The fast transient response is a double-edged sword, musical notes have great initial impact but are not allowed to fully develop and decay naturally, reducing rhythmic drive and giving music a syncopated quality. The Whest would not be my first choice for a toe-tapping good time.

The WhestTWO doesn’t quite make the leap from the merely good to the great. There’s a certain level of detachment that gets between the listener and the emotive core of music played through the Whest. Compared against other high-end phono stages, the Whest shares a very similar character to the more expensive Plinius Koru. Like that phono preamp, it trades body and soul for technical finesse, appealing more to the head than heart. For many that will be more than enough, for others a deal-breaker. Prospective buyers should take a home audition before making a decision.

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