Phono preamp recommendation

Hi. Recently got a deal too good to pass up on an RP8/2M Bronze and am super stoked about it!

My amp is a 70's Yamaha CA-610 and I'm thinking of adding a dedicated phono preamp as the next upgrade.

I'm looking at either the Cambridge CP2 or Rega Fono MM as possibilities.

Any suggestions on which way to go (in the price range of the above examples)?

 

I would find something that has flexible loading and gain for MM and MC. I bet most people will recommend Lounge Audio

 

Budget?

 

a somewhat flexible budget would be approx 225USD / 300CAD

 

What about Project's PhonoBox S ?

 

I'm sure it's all OK. But at your budget. it really is a budget box, all the parts are made to a price. I doubt they'd all sound very different from one another. IMO YMMV.

I think at $1000+ is where you start to get to a real phono stage.

Have you considered just saving money? I see that you're using a vintage receiver which I assume has an MM input already. Just save up and get a nicer integrated, like a Rega Brio which also have MM inputs
Just a thought.

 

For sure..... I'm really just weighing some options. Getting this RP8 has kinda sent me a bit over the top as I really wasn't planning to get a TT in that range.

 

Yeah the RP-8 is beautiful...and currently, significantly "better" than the rest of your system. I'd save up and try to balance them so no single component is the "weak link", if that makes any sense. Just enjoy your system as is!

 

Musical Fidelity V90-LPS is a pretty good choice in your price range. I'm running one with the V-PSU power supply upgrade and like it a lot.

Musical Fidelity V-90 LPS Phono Stage

$199 at Amazon, only one left

Amazon.com: Musical Fidelity: V90-LPS Phono Stage (Phono Preamp) - Black: Home Audio & Theater

 

Lounge gets a lot of love here. Search for that.

 

I think the opposite is true - something like the old Cambridge Audio 640P - which was about 300 - is pretty damn fine - and once you start going up in price - the benefits are not as large.

I think for the price range - say < 500 - you can get a very nice 'noticable' upgrade from going to an external & dead quiet phono pre.

my .02$

Thanks,

 

I think the deck deserves a better phono stage, not up on Canadian pricing, but someone mentioned $1,000 and that sounds more realistic to me, likewise the suggestion to live with your current gear and save up makes sense, if you like the deck now you will love it with better gear.

 

I recommend the Lounge LCR III. Search this forum for everything you would ever want to know about it. Good luck.

 

As for the Musical Fidelity V90-LPS, I bought a pack of 5 ferrite beads for $2 on AliExpress and put those on the power cord to solve the noise problem with the power supply. All static noise is gone now.

 

I recently bought a rega mm mk2 to go with my rp40 turntable. It is now paired with my rp8, and is doing me fine. They are designed to compiment their own turntables.

 

Have you considered a Graham Slee GramAmp2 SE? I have provided a link: depending on location they will send you a trial unit so you can "try before buy"
Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 SE Phono Stage

 

I bet the built-in preamp in your CA-610 is as good, if not better than most budget units.

 

It's certainly better than the preamp in my other amp (Akai AM-2850). I've ordered a Schiit Mani (based on a review in another thread here and on HiViNyws youtube channel) since my original post. If it's not better, I'll sell it off I guess.

 

You can't seem to get that pre-amp in the uk. Don't know why, gets good reviews.

 

Schiit Audio Europe
The Mani's currently out of stock however.

 

I own both the Pluto and the Mani. The Pluto has the midrange that's missing from the Mani. The Fremer poll conforms to what I hear. I prefer the Pluto. I don't understand why people ignore/discount the Fremer poll.

 

Graham Slee Gram Amp 2SE as already mentioned by Frimleygreener. An excellent 'real world' phono stage at a realistic price point. Fremer also extols the virtues of Graham Slee pre-amps, the Era Gold in particular; definitely worth checking out, especially given the established home trials network.

 

The one I ordered from Schitt has already shipped...

 

Didn't discount or ignore it.... hadn't even seen it. Which is strange as I've been on analogplanet's site many times.

 

The Lounge MKIII would work exceptionally well with the 2M bronze. It does with my Ortofon OM30.