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Your Favourite MM Phono Stages

E

exliontamer

Member
Hello all,

I currently have a Rega RP6 with Exact MM cart, NAD 3050 with MarkAudio Cesti B speakers.

I really like this setup. The Nad is warm and tames the the slightly forward Cestis well. The Dirac is also a revelation for tricky rooms.

While I like the phono stage in the NAD, it would benefit from an upgrade. I don't want to go down the MC route, unless there a very cheap option available!

So to whet my appetite, what MM phono stages have been your favourites and why? Currently considering a Reflex M or Moon LP110, but there are so many out there that I've not heard or know much about, it would be great to hear your thoughts. They don't have to suit my setup, I'd just be interested in people's experiences!

Thanks,
Tony
 
I tried the Moon and wasn't very impressed with it. I had a Graham Slee Jazz Club, which is basically an Era Gold, and liked it but it's quite coloured. Rega stages work well and I have an Aria now.
 
Sorry to be less than clear, what I wished to know was are their any phono stage recommendations for Audio Technica MM carts.
Given that they like low capacitance.
 
I would go for any option What hi-fi suggests depending on budget becauseā€¦ why not? British hi-fi knows Regas very well :)
 
The ones I used personally and liked were Musical Fidelity mx-vynl and Audio Note zero mk2. If internal, Marantz, Croft and Naim are good.
 
Had a Tisbury Domino for years. A great wee phono .Reluctantly parted with it as I wanted inputs for 2 turntables. Finally settled on Pro-ject Tube Box DS2. Has a number of adjustable settings and can be used in 2 x MC , 2 x MM setup or one of each, also can be used in a 2 arm setup. This is an excellent phono, punches way above its weight. If ye only want MM, then ah would heartily recommend the Tisbury. Ye'd need tae spend 5 times+ its price tae find better , and mebbe not even then !- an unsung hero...:cool:
 
Eoin said:
Sorry to be less than clear, what I wished to know was are their any phono stage recommendations for Audio Technica MM carts.
Given that they like low capacitance.
Click to expand...
I'm running an AT VM95ML (adjustable capacitance) and an Ortofon MC on my phono (see my post directly above this) Depends on what ye want to spend . The Tisbury is budget - around Ā£150-170. The Pro-ject is from Ā£500-700. Ah can recommend them both,...highly.
ps Tisbury has adjustable gain.... :cool:
 
Back in the day, phono stages were built into the (pre)amps. So I hark back to the golden era and use a Pioneer C-21 preamp with fully adjustable capacitance and resistive loading. In fact, if I can find a fairly priced SUT, I'd run my MCs into it too.
 
Eoin said:
Sorry to be less than clear, what I wished to know was are their any phono stage recommendations for Audio Technica MM carts.
Given that they like low capacitance.
Click to expand...
Lejonklou Gaio or Slipsik (with fixed capacitance at 68pF); I use them with a VM540ML.
There are a lot of other options with capacitance settings though (Linn Uphorik, Sonneteer Sedley, Sonneteer The Bard, Atoll PH100, Elektrocompaniet ECP 2, Primare R15 ...)
 
I have a Fono MM Mk2 with my RP6/Exact. Matches the RP6 power supply and I've always assumed that it was engineered with the Exact in mind. Makes it very easy not to look elsewhere. The only obvious upgrade, that offers the same aesthetic match, is a Planar 10/Aria. That introduces a host of MC angst that I'd rather not deal with.



The only slight issue is the failure of the red LEDs to match , the power supply is a little brighter than the Fono MM.
 
Eoin said:
Sorry to be less than clear, what I wished to know was are their any phono stage recommendations for Audio Technica MM carts.
Given that they like low capacitance.
Click to expand...
I use a Sonneteer Sedley (non USB) with AT MM carts with good results as it is really adjustable both on MM and MC
 
For my systems with MM cartridges I've got a Cambridge Audio (a 651P I think) in one of them and one of the tube Project phono stages in another (the other one with an MM set-up has a Naim pre-amp with a phono stage) and they both sound good to me, and neither were expensive.

I've got a Moon LP110 in another system although that's currently set-up for MC - I've used it previously for MM though and I though it sounded good.
 
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