I have a Denon DL-110 and a PS Audio GCPH, which I paid $600 for, one month used, from another member. It is an excellent sounding combination, well remarked on from my hi-fi knowledgable friends. I like the GCPH for these reasons: adjustible gain and loading, has remote volume control, has balanced and RCA outputs, and is a well made piece for an excellent price. |
There is a Whest.20 on sale here for $1,050 (no affiliation). Tough to go wrong with that for a grand. |
thanks. i am going to check out the sutherland also
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I have had the Sutherland over a year and put new batteries in it when I bought it. Still going strong. 1200 hours is what Sutherland says. |
thanks all. Inna, I like what you did. I'm just not ready to do that. I guess back to my original question, what pho pre would improve on the one I have....seems like all of the ones mentioned would. And how often do you need to replace batteries if i went the sutherland route- i don't want to be buting batteries all the time either. anyone know about this heed quasar? |
First, there is a Simaudio Moon LP3 on sale at musicdirect.com for $350 new. It is not at all 5.3 but might be an improvement in your system; and you can send it back if you don't like it.
Now let me tell you what I did though it cost me $1.5k not $1k. I had a Pro-ject Xpression table/arm with cheap Sumiko cartridge and speed control box and Pro-Ject phono box SE. I sold all that and got used Nottingham Spacedeck/Spacearm, new Dynavector 10X5 cartridge and new Moon LP3 phono stage. The difference is huge, this is not just an improvement.
Within a few years I will replace the cartridge, the phono stage and my Audiolab integrated and will add motor controller for the turntable. Nottingham will stay for a very long time until (if) I am ready to spend really big money. I might also get a better arm but only if I plan to add $2k or so cartridge which is not very likely.
So..you can approach the upgrade subject in more than one way. |
I like my sutherland Ph3 just fine with tube pre and tube amp. Battery operated. No power cord. D batteries. Very quite. Many loading options. Sounds great. Made my goldring MM sound good. Makes my Ortofon Cadenza Red sound great. Got mine used here. They come up every so often. $1K new. |
figure i'll be retipping my eroica cart also |
lets put it this way then, if you had 750-1K, where would you put it to get the most immediate sound upgrade, the tt, cart, or phono pre? i would think it would be the phono pre, yes or no? |
well, i have to start somewhere, and for 1k it's either the 1k phono pre or a 1k cart....to me, the pre makes more sense...maybe a waste for now, but if it sounds better than what i have now it is not a waste... |
Denon 160 is $200 new cartridge? And you want to get a $2000($1000 used) phono stage? Sim LP 5.3 would be great but what a waist. |
what about this heed quasar? someone just emailed me about one...never heard of it...he claims it is the best out of all of them....anyone know where that would rank? thanks for all of the input. |
If you can get the Allnic I would vote for that I have heard them and they are that good. T
he other non tube choice (I agree at that level SS is better) which is a giant killer is the Graham Slee. You should be able to get one for well under $1,000 brand new. They don't come up for sale used much I noted. Prolly because people really like them. |
In my opinion the Sim audio LP5.3 at around $900 used is hard to beat. |
i have read great things about the ps audio..i'll put that on my list also....i am thinking i should go ss with the phono pre...out of the ones i mentioned and the ps audio, am i missing any? are any of these a notch aobe the rest? my tt is staying, for now at least. |
Just an idea you might want to consider a Project Tube Box SE.. You can roll tubes if you like and it is extremely flexible.
Chuck |
There are so many choices for under 1k used. But I think, and you said it, that the first step is to decide whether to go all tube or not, or it depends. You will hear different opinions. I myself do not deal with tubes in phono preamps at this price point. I believe that you really need to spend thousands and chose carefully to make it right. Probably all the phono stages that you mentioned would be quite good, but they all will sound like junk compared to,say,LAMM. If I were you I would begin upgrading from the source, that's from the turntable. |
the vas looks very nice, over the budget tho |
easy, PS Audio GCPH, you can find one for under $700 most of the time. |
Go for broke, the VAS Citation I pre amp, every control you need together with all the old record curves. Check it out. I own one and have tried it up against EAR and ARC units with the VAS a clear winner. |
have an eroica cart, but needs retipping |
have a herbie's mat, and just got the cart. the cart stays for now |
Do you also consider replacing the cartridge and adding a record mat, something like Boston Audio Mat 1 or Achromat? |
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allnic h1200 on sale for 999.00 |
