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best MM cartridge / MM phono stage combo under £1000

If you need a little footprint, then the Lehman Black Cube might be an idea (although I hate opposing inputs and outputs, with the cables surrounding the casing).

The Rega Fono MM MK5 itself is a very good device for the price and could be a good match with Nagaoka.
 
I’d normally go with what @early suggests
early said:
Get the best phono stage you can and then use a "cheap" moving mag cart . Low cost carts can punch well above their weight on a decent system .
It will also wear out eventually and you can then move up the cartridge ladder .
Click to expand...

but my limited experience was the opposite because I want instant gratification:)
I took a punt on a S/H Clearaudio Virtuoso Mk1 which was so obviously better than the AT-VM95SH that I bought new. I replaced my long-standing Audio Synthesis stage with a FONO mm as I wanted to try a simple cheap stage just for fun really. Very impressive for £400 (£300/100)all in S/H, about £700 (500/200)new.
The Fono was sold after this experiment but you could also say cheap phono stages also fight above their weight;)
 
I agree Mutty but for me it's simpler still. It's all about system harmony and balance. But you have start somewhere, so i read, I weigh up, I guess, i ask you blokes and then take a (hopefully semi informed) leap!
 
I use a denon dl110 and a Cambridge audio 640p...my late friend used a 640p as a back up phono stage..he had about 40k of turntable equipment, and he said it was very good for what it was! Cheap as chips secondhand..might be worth getting one as a back up? If I was to choose another cartridge for my Linn.. it would be the denon dl160, very fine cart.
 
NJC phono stages look interesting - they have a small footprint, and have adjustable gain, resistance and capacitance. I’ve never tried one but do have their headphone amplifier which works well and is very nicely put together.
 
Buy the Croft 25r Phono that's for sale on here, I don't use MM but even I've been tempted to buy it.

Doh! Just read it wont fit, in that case a used Trilogy 906 for around £600.
 
The best MM setup I have used in my system is a Reson Reca with a Vista Audio Phono 1 mk2, which is what I use now. The Goldring D42 stylus fits too, so it’s future proof… can all be got for under £1k.

The little Vista phono stage easily saw off my Trichord Dino+ and LFD Mistral phono stages, and the Reca is just one of those carts that is enjoyable for long term listening. Like a G1042, but more of everything, and probably the best bass I’ve had from vinyl.
 
Another vote for the Audio Technica VM540ML, and I would go second hand for the phono stage - Vertere Phono stage, Rega Aria is also decent and more on the used market.
 
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