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Phono Preamp recommendation $150 - $300

Old Guy8

Old Guy8

Cliff & Cleo
Subscriber
I have a Nice Rogue Cronus Magnum tube integrated in transit to me. Bought from an AKer. But it does not have a phono stage in it. He Special ordered without one.
So what would be a good phono pre to use with it? I have a Linn Lp12 valhalla with AT440mla. Also other TT's with carts Shure M91, M95, Grado M+ (silver). Would like future option of useing a MC cartridge. So some flexability desired. New or used phono pres.
Listen jazz, blues, rock, celtic, folk, classical
 
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At top of your range is Vista Audio phono1-mkii, which I've been using for about a year. Can handle MM & MC and has fully adjustable gain & loading via replaceable resistors (which are included). I've also used the Emotiva XPS-1, which can also do MM/MC and has a few MC loading options.
 
Vista Audio makes a great modestly priced phono stage. One of the best value ones I have ever heard. Boris builds a no-nonsense circuit that gives up little in performance, yet is simple and direct in concept. He has products at a couple of levels that fall in your stated budget range. However, he builds a very nice stage in the Phono 2 that has a few more frills than his less expensive offerings. It's a few dollars more than your stated budget, but it is the one I would go for if I was buying one of his products.

http://www.vista-audio.com/products/phono-2/index.htm

02-Phono2_front_LR.jpg

04-Phono2_bottom_LR.jpg


Regards
Mister Pig
 
Thanks for all these choices. Lot to take in. The dip switches look more convenient than changing resisters when rotating TT's. As long as the switches Don't add issues.
I'm rebuilding basement, before spots for TT's become available. Have month or so before needed. Not having TT's is a pain.
 
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Hose53 said:
I've got a Cambridge Audio 651P sitting here that has MM and MC options. Has not been used in about a year
Click to expand...

How does the Cambridge sound? Does it offer enough adjustment for your carts?
 
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Old Guy8 said:
How does the Cambridge sound? Is it adjustable?
Click to expand...

I have a Cambridge that was modified by HynoToad (a famous phono preamp guy here at AK).

The stock Cambridge will not touch the Vista Audio Phono One for sound quality and it is not adjustable. The HynoToad mods are extensive and require good pc board solder skills. Even with the mods it is not as good as the VA in my opinion.

Having switches versus installing resistors is a nice convenience for fast A-B testing. Once you set it up the convenience of switches is much less important. The Vista Audio Phono 2 adds switches and looking at the PC board it has other improvements over the phono 1. The power supply filtering is extensive and the films caps in the signal stage are better.

The VA Phono 1 meets you budget and is very good, for another $100 over your budget I would consider the VA- Phono 2.
 
needlesteIt's post: 11106483 said:
I know it's not super popular, but I've used a Bellari Rolls VP129. The latest incarnation is the VP130 ($275). It's not as adjustable for loading. You'd have to crack it open or use loading plugs or both. Also, it jumps a class or two in sound if you just replace the stock tube with a Sovtek 12AX7-LPS ($15-$20).

For MC use, I really strongly recommend using a step up transformer. That will cost extra, but the phono stages I've used with active circuits to bring the gain up to proper levels have lacked headroom and smoothness. Could be a synergy thing with my amp, but the SUT loves every LOMC cartridge I try with it. The only cartridge so far that seems to work equally well with the SUT as with my, for example Pickering PLZ battery driven head amp, is the Goldring Eroica (and quite a splendid cartridge at that). I've tried the Emotiva XPS-1 and I'm really not a fan of the MC stage compared to either the SUT or the PLZ. For me, it sounds grainy, narrow and dull.

I get a lot of use out of the Bellari, too, as it has a convenient top-mounted rotary gain switch as well as a headphone rotary volume control. I often listen to the headphone amp for personal listening without having to turn on my main amp. The gain switch is nice for me because I can easily match levels at the twist of a dial. If you swap cartridges as much as I do, this is a great easy-to-use feature.
Click to expand...

Needlestein.
It's a lot for this noob on phono preamps, to take in. Just back into TT's for last couple years now. Light bulb just went off. Figured out what acronym SUT stands for. I need to do some reading. Is a SUT used in series with a phono pre or instead of one for MC carts?
The VP130 is $205 on one site. I've never been much into headphones so that headphone amp function might not get used much.
I've got time to figure this out before getting my tables back online. Also, time for wife to forget about amp I just bought. Not likely soon.

To all responders:
Thanks for all your opinions. This is place to get great help. Would be lost without it!
Best regards, Old Guy
 
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Mister Pig said:
Vista Audio makes a great modestly priced phono stage. One of the best value ones I have ever heard. Boris builds a no-nonsense circuit that gives up little in performance, yet is simple and direct in concept. He has products at a couple of levels that fall in your stated budget range. However, he builds a very nice stage in the Phono 2 that has a few more frills than his less expensive offerings. It's a few dollars more than your stated budget, but it is the one I would go for if I was buying one of his products.

http://www.vista-audio.com/products/phono-2/index.htm

02-Phono2_front_LR.jpg

04-Phono2_bottom_LR.jpg


Regards
Mister Pig
Click to expand...
That looks like a pretty nice unit for the price , I think I would go nuts trying all the settings
 
Look for a Denon PRA-1100 you should be able to get one pretty reasonable. The phono stage in that pre amp is far better than anything you will buy for $450. It's quiet and you can do far more with it than any Phono Preamp can do. It also has both MM and MC inputs.
Frequency response: 1Hz to 300kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.003%

Gain: 57.5dB (MC), 35.6dB (MM), 16.5dB (line)

Input sensitivity: 0.2mV (MC), 2.5mV (MM), 150mV (line)

Signal to noise ratio: 79dB (MC), 96dB (MM), 105dB (line)
 
Thunderbox said:
Look for a Denon PRA-1100 you should be able to get one pretty reasonable. The phono stage in that pre amp is far better than anything you will buy for $450. It's quiet and you can do far more with it than any Phono Preamp can do. It also has both MM and MC inputs.
Frequency response: 1Hz to 300kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.003%

Gain: 57.5dB (MC), 35.6dB (MM), 16.5dB (line)

Input sensitivity: 0.2mV (MC), 2.5mV (MM), 150mV (line)

Signal to noise ratio: 79dB (MC), 96dB (MM), 105dB (line)
Click to expand...

The Denon is a pre-amplifier? I'm looking for a separate phono pre because a new to me, Rogue tube integrated amplifier I'm getting does not have one. I want to use the Rogue pre. But, thanks for suggestion.
 
So just read another thread about how SUTs are expensive and difficult to match with MC carts. Maybe MC carts are just a bit farther down the road, for me.
But, SUTs are off scope of my thread.
 
I use a Parasound Zphono-USB. Has digital out for recording to computer, but I don't use that. MM/MC compatible, rumble filter, mono switch, other features. Mostly it sounds good. They make one without the USB and other features, just plain Zphono. I like it, it sounds good in my rig. $200 for the basic Zphono, $250 for the USB, at Audio Advisor.
 
No experience with Vista, looks very interesting.

I had a Mani but after my last move I was close to a radio station and got RFI. If you are not close, shouldn't have that issue, great sounding unit overall.

Today I just took delivery of the MOFI Studio Phono. Too early to form an opinion but I like it so far. The mono switch was a big selling point for me.

Given that OP has a bunch of different carts, I would avoid the Cambridge. Their stages have too much capacitance for AT carts, but might be right on for some Shure carts. I would personally rather just get a phono stage with no more than 100pf built in capacitance and make up loading plugs if I needed to add capacitance for the Shures.

One phono stage not mentioned yet is the Pro-Ject Phono Box DS+. Don't confuse it with other models - it has an LED panel on the front. While I have not heard it (yet) I was strongly considering one and if the MOFI doesn't work out that is where I will be heading. It does MM and MC and has both resistance and capacitance adjustments on the front panel. Crutchfield has it for $300 right now - try finding those features in anything else for that price - not easy.
 
Mister Pig said:
Vista Audio makes a great modestly priced phono stage. One of the best value ones I have ever heard. Boris builds a no-nonsense circuit that gives up little in performance, yet is simple and direct in concept. He has products at a couple of levels that fall in your stated budget range. However, he builds a very nice stage in the Phono 2 that has a few more frills than his less expensive offerings. It's a few dollars more than your stated budget, but it is the one I would go for if I was buying one of his products.

http://www.vista-audio.com/products/phono-2/index.htm

02-Phono2_front_LR.jpg

04-Phono2_bottom_LR.jpg


Regards
Mister Pig
Click to expand...

Mr. Pig,
Thanks for info. I think either 1 or 2 preferably is my choice, if budget allows. Like switches for cart rotations.

Thanks to all for your experiences. Otherwise choosing is like picking a... in a poke.
Old Guy
 
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