400 vs 440 Pro

[octaviars]

Over the last couple of days, I've been using the phono stage of the 440. I guess it will need the same kind of break in time as the Pre-amp/ Power-amp section of the D, but one thing is clear from the outset: it sounds fantastic! I'm not sure if it's better than the 400, but I suspect it will be. The hiss levels are certainly a lot quieter than the 400, and if you use the max level control in the phono setup section, you can find a sweet spot, i.e a balance between enough power/clipping to further reduce hiss.
On the 400, I didn't have to bother making up a link to ground the record deck to the D, but with the 440 some 50Hz mains hum was evident, so I made up a grounding link and the hum disappeared.

Nice to hear that! I am waiting for my 440 to get back to me and during this time I have been looking at a new turntable. A Roksan Xerxes 20 Plus is on my list to take a better look at.