Looking for best phono preamp under $1,000

His take on rumble is interesting but...

At the lowest frequencies the sorts of phase issues he describes aren't as easily detected (why subwoofers can be placed away from mains), but wildly flapping woofers really interfere with bass reproduction, and it isn't subtle at all.

I'm not sure how the 42-2109 handles the 30-hz roll-off, it may be an aspect of the filtering they implemented, or component selection. For all I know it isn't phasey at all.

I'd have tried something from Graham Slee but I gotta have cone control for when I want to listen at higher SPL. I'm sure his stuff is otherwise excellent.

 

I've used subsonic filters before (the filter plug and built in type made with the phono pre) and never noticed a problem. That said, I may not have been listening critically. I will say that I don't really miss the feature now, but I am not listening at high SPLs and I don't run a subwoofer. I try to avoid records with warps and my cart is well matched to my arm...which may also play a part. With high SPL, I'd imagine you need to watch the turntable placement and isolation very carefully.

 

Yep wall mounted and on spring isolation feet. All DIY.

Fixing problems I've identified/isolated at higher SPL has paid dividends at lower SPL, mostly in what I'd call improved resolution.

 

Dig for a vintage preamp with phono like yamaha c50 or higher, onkyo integra p-3xxx. They are the summit of this technology, like the saturn rockets were...

 

this describes the lehmann black cube se ii . looking under the hood you need a decent power supply to deliver clarity and punch and the bcseii has it. out of the ones i have owned and heard this one is by far the best at or near the price.
it also has the best and most versatile / adjustable rumble and bass filters i have seen if you need.

 

Any difference with the extra PSU?

Thanks.

 

Anyone had experience with Moon 110LP?

110LP v2 Phono Amplifier From Moon - The Audiophile Man

 

So close, get a second hand Rogue Ares for $1100.

 

I have a Heed Quasar. It's slightly over 1k but i auditioned a lot of the ones mentioned on the thread and it crushed most of them

 

bought them both at the same time....never tried the wall wart...sorry bud

 

Are you sure an under $1000 phono stage will sound any better than the phono built into your Marantz?

 

The only paper that I am concerned about is an alignment protractor. Having heard all of them over and over again on many different decks, I am confident that the Bronze is a much better cartridge. It sounds better to me, which is most important, but it also tracks better objectively.
-Bill

 

A unit right at $1000 will almost certainly sound better. He needs a cartridge upgrade first as he has his cart getting ahead of his horse a bit at the moment.
-Bill

 

The advantage of an integrated phono stage is that the signal path is very short.
Also, selection criteria for a 1k$ phono stages are usually more important, if you use an MC, low output cart, because of the high amplification factor. And then you also need a good phono cable.

I like the suggestions to better upgrade your cart to 2m bronze or even black. That should be a noticeable improvement.

Should you ever further upgrade to a MC cart, you could then go for the external phono stage.

 

I had a 2M Blue paired with a Slee Reflex M for a while and it was a killer combo. A significant upgrade over the integrated phono in my Rogue CMII. I’ve since upgraded carts and gone down a DIY tube phono rabbit hole, but I still have a lot of affection for the Reflex. The loaner program is great.

 

Right.

It is going to sound different. Likely it will be hummier. Level matched to the built in unit I have my doubts it will sound better.

One thing I've noticed over and over in these threads is that people prefer phono stages with more gain, which tells me a lot of people don't understand that a device that is even 1db (sometimes less) louder will always win. That is why you need to level match.

 

It’s a good tracker, for sure. Tonally, I don’t dig it, but that’s just me.

 

I haven't tried a Gold Lion as I have a nice stash of 12au7's to experiment with. So far I am very happy with a Raytheon blackplate branded Baldwin. Huge improvement over the stock. Not that I would call the stock a POS, but there is certainly room for improvement and not much need be spent to achieve it.

 

Love mine. I have several other phono preamps and the Moon is the perfect match for my Ortofon Quintet Black.

 

Yes that's what this thread has brought to light for me. This thread has been great.

 

nice tubes, but ... plastic cabinet? In a phono headamp?

 

I can't speak to the other models, but with the Reflex M, the PSU-1 made the phono stage quieter in terms of noise. Switch mode wall warts are noisy by nature a lot of the time and will add a certain amount of noise to a phono stage. That said I happily ran the wall wart for several months before getting the PSU-1. The difference in noise is something you're only likely to notice while playing delicate music or no music at all.

 

It makes sense ... better power ... less noise floor. With high sensibility speakers surely is more important.

 

It's actually pretty easy to filter out the high frequency noise from a wall wart. If done properly, they end up adding no more noise than a traditional style power supply. They do have the advantage of far less hum and buzz injection. Rectification at 120Hz is rather noisy compared to 120kHz...