ChairSpud
Super Member
Yikes! I just went to the Wright web page, at $895 it better to be dramatic. Seperate chassis too, I'm impressed.
phono stage vs. budget preamp
- Thread starter ryson2
- Start date
Yikes! I just went to the Wright web page, at $895 it better to be dramatic. Seperate chassis too, I'm impressed.
dogscanskate
Super Member
Maybe I wasn't clear enough. It all depends what goals you set. How you spend the money on upgrades is always a matter of compromise. In my case, it was either go to the Dyna XV-1s or get a better phono section than my Dynavector P-75. I compromised and got a new phono section simply because the XV-1s is out of my range right now. As nice as my cart is, it isn't close to an XV-1s and never will be, it therefore becomes the "limiting factor" in my vinyl rig. There are things phono sections can accomplish but extracting the signal from vinyl is not one of them. No matter what I do, I will never get the most out of the phono section. Sure it matches my cart very well as it was built to accommodate Dynavector cartridges but it doesn't come close to what an XV-1s will do with it, not by a long shot. It's just another stratosphere in performance. I made the compromise knowing where the next big upgrade will be or else I'm not using the phono section to it's fullest.
I still believe a better cartridge is far more important than separate phono sections.
I still believe a better cartridge is far more important than separate phono sections.
Mr. Lin
Lunatic Member
I agree with you, but a good phono stage is still critical IMO.
Mr. Lin
Lunatic Member
I actually didn't pay that much when I bought mine, the price has gone up a little in the past year. Believe me, it was not an easy decision to drop that much money on a phono preamp, but I don't regret it in the least, it was the right thing to do in my case.
dogscanskate
Super Member
It is, I agree. Still you have to think it through before you drop the bucks on upgrades.
Tmac83
Super Member
From my personal experience I like my Cambridge 540P better than the phono stage in my 2238B. Components wear out over time and my 2238B has yet to be recapped. I found the Cambridge clearer and the highs and the lows better controlled and much smoother. If my 2238B was in as new conidition with all new caps it might sound pretty close to my Cambridge but I won't know until that happens
That's why my HH Scott 375r is in the shop for a complete refurb to spec with better caps in the phono stage. The goal is black night quiet in the phono stage. It may come close 
The choice was to add another external component and take up I/O capability is an already crowded system space or try to get the most out of the fewest pieces?
It's always choices. BUT, getting your vintage receiver refurbed is not a bad one
The choice was to add another external component and take up I/O capability is an already crowded system space or try to get the most out of the fewest pieces?
It's always choices. BUT, getting your vintage receiver refurbed is not a bad one
bebopdeluxe
Well-Known Member
My EW-modded AU-919 was recapped EVERYWHERE...and I still felt a qualitative improvement with the 640P. Do't think it's quite where I was with the Stingray and the Black Cube SE, but the AU-919 fits my needs better, and the 640P provides a better price value proposition than many more expensive phono stages, IMO.
Hey - if money is no object and you want to spend $1000+ on a cartridge, I can't expect somebody to not maximize the quality of the signal coming from the cartridge (hence dropping some additional $$$ for the rest of the food chain - up to and including the speakers. But for those trying to make do with a $100-400 cartridge and a $250-500 TT (like me), spending an additional $200 on a decent phono stage can be a good option. My entire vinyl rig was less than $1000 (used MMF-7 and Benz Micro ACE cartridge and a new 640P), and I think that it provides a great source for the buck. I would think that any half-decent cartridge will improve with the sub-$200 phono stage options that are out there (like the 640P) - as with nything in this world, it's how much you want to spend and how good does it have to be.
This is a GREAT time to get nice price/value setups, IMO.
Hey - if money is no object and you want to spend $1000+ on a cartridge, I can't expect somebody to not maximize the quality of the signal coming from the cartridge (hence dropping some additional $$$ for the rest of the food chain - up to and including the speakers. But for those trying to make do with a $100-400 cartridge and a $250-500 TT (like me), spending an additional $200 on a decent phono stage can be a good option. My entire vinyl rig was less than $1000 (used MMF-7 and Benz Micro ACE cartridge and a new 640P), and I think that it provides a great source for the buck. I would think that any half-decent cartridge will improve with the sub-$200 phono stage options that are out there (like the 640P) - as with nything in this world, it's how much you want to spend and how good does it have to be.
This is a GREAT time to get nice price/value setups, IMO.
Stanton681EEES
Addicted Member
That's impressive, back in it's day the Marantz was suppose to have one dam fine phono section.
