Need help with first Mcintosh for turntable

Thanks Nick_sr for the help.

I think that you are right, and that a good tube preamp might be my best route.
The decco is 40W RMS, and given the size of the room, and the fact that I live in an apartment, it might be strong enough to satisfy my volume.

I am just trying to confirm that a good tube pre-amp with phono stage would yield a suprior audio experience when compared to an old receiver/integrated.
I don't want to spend $1,000 on a used pre, only to later discover that a vintage receiver/integraded amp would have sounded better.

As far as I am concerned the benefits of investing in a good pre are:

1. It would take less space.
2. it will integrate with my exisiting setup most naturaly.
3. If I'll need more power, i can always invest in the future in a seperate amp, and keep using the preamp with that.
4. I am spending my money on the only peice that I'm really missing - phono preamp.
5. I'll be able to "delete" this component from my future "upgrade" list, and focus next on better AMP/Speakers/Cartridge.

Any suggestions what I should keep my eyes on?
I heard that the EAR834P, Arc, Dynaco, mcintosh tube preamps.

Should I expect the above preamps to yield better phono stage compared with the one that is already part of a vintage receiver/integrated (Marantz / Fisher / Mcintosh 1900 / 4100 / 6200)? Any other suggestions. I am planning on buying used.

I can't speak to the benefits or characteristics of vintage sound but if your are looking for "Romance" then you probably should be looking into tubed phono pre-amp, so option 3. I am using an ARC sp16 with great results.

Any one can help me out here? Any idea what's likely to deliver better results?

1. 1200mk2 -> Vintage receiver (Marantz 2270 / Sansui 9090 / Mcintosh 6200 / mcintosh 4100)

2. 1200mk2 -> Bugle / Cambrige -> peachtree integrated dac/amp

3. 1200mk2 -> used preamp with great phono stage -> peachtree integrated.

For a lack of better terms, I am looking for a "romantic", sweet turntable sound.

Thanks Nick for the response.

I don't think that I'll go with MC heads. ESP not in the beggining, as I am still a rookie with everything TT.

I am trying to think what will maximize the yield of my money, and how I can most easily end up with a sweet sounding Turntable that will ignite my old nostalgia.

Connecting a phono preamp to the peachtree, should work, and is likely the cheapest thing I can do ($200 on Azur or someting similar). If I understand currently, I can always buy later a seperate Mcintosh Amp and use it to power up the peachtree and phono stage right?

On the other hand a vitange receiver like the mcintosh 6200/4100 or Marantz/Sansui "sounds" (at least in in theory) more fun and sexy.

The third option would be to buy a mcintosh preamp and use use it with the peachtree, but I assume that the phonostage in such preamp would not be better than Azur, so I might be spending too much money for too little benefit.

Bottom line, if I were to do a blind test (using the same TT and speakers), on each of the options below. Will the vintage receiver yield a more vintage sound compared to a modern phonostage through the peachtree? Or would I maximize my experience by simply buying the best phono stage I can and connceting it to the peachtree. At the end of the day that's what I am after - a great vintage sound.

Thanks so much for your help!

If you decide to use a LOMC cartridge you will need a SUT or head amp with the McIntosh you suggested, whereas if you choose a HOMC or MM cartridge the Mac will work fine.

So if you have to buy a SUT or head amp, then you might as well purchase a phono-pre and keep the Peachtree. I assume the situation would be the same for the other integrated amps on you list.

The technics is currently without a cartrige. I'd rather first settle on the setup before buying one. For the record, the ~$1,000 budget was not taking into account the cartridge/needle/cables. It is just for one of the below options:

I am still trying to figure out what are my best options:
1. Buy a phono preamp and connect it to the decco2 dac...
2. Buy an integrated amp/receiver and connect technics directly to it as well as the dac. I am currently thinking 6200 or Sansui 9090, Fisher 500, Marantz 2275.
3. Buy a mc preamp (with phono stage) and connect it to the decco (so the decco becomes the amp)...

What cartridge are you using or planning on using?