Best Phono Stage

The return to vinyl has been uphill for me. The hardest part was me wasting money on one average phono preamp after another! If I had my priorities straight, I would have saved time and money. Going for quality that I didn't think that I could afford was proven wrong by spending for 4 preamps and counting!

 I leave with this thought>> try before you buy is the best advice that I could give.

@lance23 I've been using SUT's for years I find they give me better dynamics although the PH-10 doesn't require I use one just that IMO I prefer the sound.

@rsf507 I have heard others say the same. I think the SUT have a very low noise floor . Did you A/B with and without the PH10. I presume the chain is TT MC - SUT - PH10 - Amp 

@4krowme

I definitely get it. When I got my first good table I tried a top rated $200 Phonostage. It sounded terrible. So at each iteration I doubled the cost. It wasn’t until $2,500+ I started getting much of the sound quality my system was capable of. Finally at $8,000 my phono stage was no longer “in the way”.

Then I upgraded my turntable a few years ago and I had to double again to get the most out of my turntable.

Being so close to the source it is really important. But it is always a matching game to get the most out of your system.

ghdprentice,

Cost aside, matching has become more important to me than I thought possible. To begin with, I have made other poor choices, such as going from a perfectly good Project Xpression II to a Schiit SOL TT. I am sure that the SOL has more potential than I am getting from it but will require set tools that I normally wouldn't consider. The Project TT was friendly with more phono stages that the SOL in my experience, but that didn't stop me from trading. 

 So in reference to this topic, I want to add that al analog decisions have been important. If you happen onto a phono stage that works for your setup and taste, stop there. It is my opinion now that I should have started with a phono stage that was more adaptable. 

  I want to add one last piece of observation. Two of the phono stages that I have tried were very good quality kits. In one case, I actually loved the sound, but can't seem to get rid of a bit of hum. In the other case, the phono stage is incredible sounding, but not in the bass. I suspect that this is some kind of mis-match? Really don't know, and am tired of the chase after a more than a year of effort.