Recommend a phono preamp : Rega P9 and Plinius 9200

I have a Plinius 9200 integrated amp and a Rega P9.

I had the Plinius 9200 gone through a few months ago. I love the sound, but I'm curious if I am missing out on the quality of the Rega P9 by using the built in Plinius phono stage.

Can anyone recommend a good starting point for a phono stage upgrade?

 

Stating a budget might help generate some suggestions. The built in phono on the Plinius is not bad but an outboard one should better it if you spend enough. Consider something like the Phonomena.

 

Rega Aria or if funds allow Rega Aura

 

Depends on the type of cartridge(s) you like a lot moreso than the turntable. I'd look for a discrete, no feedback design first for best sound quality (just my opinion), probably with some nice input transformers since I favor LOMC cartridges and tubes, then the features you want. But the main point is that you need something to limit the field, there are literally hundreds of choices if you have no parameters.

 

Yea what cart mate

 

I currently have a Rega Exact. I've only had the turntable for a month or so, so am in the process of finding a new cartridge. Would a better phono preamp be a better initial investment than a better cartridge?

I have a wood bodied Denon 103R that I need to have retipped..... Decent enough cartridge, or do I need to climb the tree further for sound quality?

 

Graham Slee Era Gold V

 

Would you guys say that Graham Slee, Sutherland, etc. are better choices than the Rega stages at similar price points? I am looking at a Ortofon Quintet Black cartridge as an upgrade in the near future.

Or would a good move be to try a better cartridge first, then see how good the Plinius phonostage is? It has again switch for 56 and 62 db, i believe..... and can take MC and MM cartridges....

 

I think the internal phono stage in the Plinius must be much better than normal for a built in stage. All mentions I saw in reviews about the phono stage were positive. So I go with the "Or" choice.

Check out Sound-Smith cartridges. I use one on my P5. It's called a fixed coil design.

Carmen mk II | Soundsmith

 

Rega Aria

 

Hi James, if you stick to a MM cartridge then you could get way with continuing to use the inbuilt phono stage on the Plinius. If you upgrade to a MC cartridge then I would definitely get a stand alone phono stage so that you can adjust the loading for the cartridge. Currently I'm using a Ifi iPhono with my Plinius 9200 but are considering a Plinius P100 or Rega Aria.

 

In case anyone is interested in a little discrete no-feedback Japanese made phono preamp, there's a Phasemation EA-200 for about $500 on hifido right now, it is 100V input and not much out there in the way of English reviews, but looks like a nice unit, apparently has garnered a few awards and good reviews since introduced in 2013, retails over $1000, you can buy them new on ebay for around that, probably be interesting to try though not sure about the resale market. Anyway, just informational, no connections and I haven't heard one, but looks like a clean design, and I like that it has the power conversion all inside, no digital convertors and/or external wall wart transformers to play with ...






EA-200 Phasemation - HiFi-Do McIntosh/JBL/audio-technica/Jeff Rowland/Accuphase

 

You can never go wrong with any model from Sutherland and they come in al price points starting the the KC Vibe which at $900 is a bargain.