OK...I'm getting ready to buy a new Phono pre amp.

Dear friend: Great audio system. If you want to improve your quality analog audio reproduction I recomended that you have to change your pream/phono stage ( first ). The best is to buy a preamp with a built in phono stage ( no step up transformer inside ). I can tell you that if you do this then you will hear your records " for the first time ". If you use an outboard phono stage or stepup transformer then you are adding more stages to the signal chain that's comes from your cartridge ( the out board/step up transformer/stage, conectors, cables, etc. ) and doing this you ALWAYS degraded this critical and delicate audio signal. If you love the music: Don't do it any more.
Best regards.
Raul.

Hi Rwd: Now, if you change your Helikon for a better cartridge you can have an improvement in the quality of your analog sound reproduction. When you already have this cartridge then you can think in the phono preamp.
Always enjoy the music.
Raul.

Hi Rwd: I think that is not a very good idea to buy the phono preamp that Topoxforddoc told you. I explain why:
- first: both units ( Comet and meteor ) are an outboard phono stage, so the signal has to goes trough additionals cables and connectors that degraded the critical signal that comes from your MC cartridge. - Second: Both units use ( internally ) transformers for achieve the gain for a MC cartridges, so here the signal again has to be degraded for many meters of wire in the transformer where the signal has to goes and- Third ( not last ): maybe the most critical issue in the analog sound reproduction: the RIAA frecuency response of those units; a good phono preamp design ( with a good execution of that design ) has to have a RIAA frecuency response of at least: +,- 0.1 db from
20Hz to 20,000 Khz. Those units has a deviation of ten times ( 1 db at 20Hz ) over this RIAA response, this number is by a high-end standard: inaceptable.
Once ( maybe still today ) the Vendetta Research was the standard, it has a RIAA frecuency response deviation from 20Hz to 20,000 Khz of only: 0.05 db, I think the FM Acoustic preamp meets this number, too. I'm not a man of electronic specifications but in the phono stage the RIAA frecuency response is extremly critical and no one has to leave " pass-on ".
BTW, I give you my advice: first change your phono cartridge ( trying to match with your tonearm ) for a better one and a second step will be to change your preamp for a new one that has a high gain ( depends of the phono cartridge ) buil-in phono stage ( with out transformers ).
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.

Hi RWD: " I was actually considering a London Decca or a Koetsu ". These are very diferent cartridges. I wonder if you really know what do you want or what are you looking for ? Please, let us to know it.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Rwd: I think that the point is: what are you looking for ( in the analog sound reproduction ) that you don't have it ?, what kind of music use to hear?, wich are your " bias " at the sound reproduction?.
Please let me know about it.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.