Thanks for your advice Tony bearing in mind your 301 expertise I am grateful. As you are aware I haven't got a clue about any of this. I am aware a M55 is available to me and it just seemed a, relatively, cheap way of listening to the 301 when it comes back fettled, on my little Rega Brio 3, when I can then consider the road you suggest as I then decide to obtain other speakers etc as we discussed when I was listening to your 301.
Is the M55 a decent start point just to get it playing?
Darrenw offered to sell me his SPU bt whilst I was grateful, and it was worth what it would cost, it is a lot and I was thinking more along the lines of a Denon 103 or 103R once I had provided for a mc phono stage, again, when I upgrade my system.
I had never considered using the headshell, as you suggest, as I have no knowledge on such matters and no-one had advised until you just did which is much appreciated.
Greg