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Phono Stage

heidcase music

heidcase music

pfm Member
Having sold my Naim chrome bumper set up with mc and mm boards I was left without a phono stage
My current vinyl set up is quite modest by today's standards
Thorens TD150 Mk 2, AT VMN cartridge EN stylis, Primare i30 amp, Epos ES14 Speakers, Nordost speaker cables
I have an old Nad PP2 which I have playing as we speak .. And it sounds OK to my auld lugs
Considering my kit is it worth spending more on a better phono stage ? and if I do what would I have to spend to better the Nad PP2
Any help/advice greatly appreciated as always
 
Decide what you might spend.
Buy wisely second-hand.
If you don't like what you hear, sell-on at the same price you paid - cost will be postage at worst, IF YOU BUY WISELY.
 
£150 or so on eBay should get a Naim Stageline, which should beat the NAD.

The same money gets you a new Project Phono Box 2 or Musical Fidelity V90 or the equivalent from Graham Slee, and there are junior versions of those well below £100. Where they will be better than the NAD you'll need to judge yourself, but my suspicion is that a Stageline or Rega Fonomini from eBay is the most likely upgrade from the
Good luck!
 
@PerF - dead right, and we had just been told what his amplification is - my apologies to both. That means it is unlikely to be the value for money option, right enough.
 
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I bought a nice second hand Rotel 970 BX phono equaliser for about £60. I like it better than my previous ones. It has some life to the sound.
 
Definitely worth considering a better phono stage with your kit.
I’ve used a Arcam rPhono in the past and found it very good for around £200 used. Adjustable MM and MC settings to allow cart upgrades.
 
Can you build one?
My ultimate phono stage is one I built back in the early nineties.
 
I’m using a Rega Phono MM with an AT-VM95ML cartridge and it’s superb. One note of caution though, would be the Rega’s fixed 100pF cartridge loading, added to that of the phono cables, as it’s optimised for use with Rega cartridges of course. Although it doesn’t sound overly bright in general, it can do with some recordings. It’s therefore bordering on the bright side I’d say, approaching the maximum recommended capacitance for my AT cartridge. It’s still less than 200pF in total though.
 
Thanks to all for the advice and suggestions .. I will look at them all tonight .. thanks to Avon for the Rega tip as I don't particularly like my music on the bright side
 
As something that isn't well known, but is very well-established with a cult following, then I can recommend the Vista Audio stages:

http://www.vista-audio.com/products/21/21.htm

I use a Phono 1 mk2 with a Reson Reca, and to say it blew away my existing stages including LFD & Trichord ones is an understatement. More openness, more bass, more explosive dynamics, better top end, everything really. ;)
 
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