2. amps-preamps
  3. 153105-139713

Phonostage/preamp recommendations. Parasound JC3 Jr.?

Hello all. After searching for hours and not quite understanding if I’m processing the information right, I figured I would sign up ask the question directly with my specific information. Obviously new to home audio so please go easy. I bought a "new to me" Sota Sapphire with a Sumiko Premier FT-3 tonearm and Dynavector DV-10X5 cart. I leveled it out and set up the arm. Hooked it up to my Denon DRA-800H receiver (which says it has a phono input) paired up with Polk RTI A3 bookshelves. Everything "works" fine. Highs are clean and crisp. No funky sounds or anything like that so overall success. My issue comes with the overall loudness of the playback (having to almost max the volume at 70 before achieving listenable levels) and the lack of bass and overall dimension in the music. Not having a sub and understanding they are only bookshelves I don’t expect the world of them but I was thinking it should sound better than my bluetooth Bose Soundlink? Being an MC cart the person a bought the turntable from suggested I could benefit from running a dedicated phonostage before the Denon. The Parasound Jr. looks good giving the option to switch from MM to MC and seems to have a good fanbase.  Am I on the right track to a decent starter system? Any recommendations? looking for something I won’t have to upgrade for a while, but not looking to sell my bike either. Please help school me on this rabbit hole I’ve ventured into! Also not opposed to tubes, but I’m sure that’s a whole other world I shouldn’t be exploring quite yet. Thanks in advance.

Recap on what I have:
Sota Sapphire
Sumiko Premier FT-3
Dynavector DV-10X5
Denon DRA-800h
Polk RTI A3
tommyd902688

Showing 1 response by cfarrow

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cfarrow
114 posts
 
No offense to the posters or yourself but your looking at spending a decent amount of cash for used phono preamp when you could secure a nice integrated amp with a built in phono preamp that would be step up in sound quality and also with a built in phono preamp as well...Rogue Audio, Musical Fidelity, Arcam are just a few of the brands out there.
The Dynavector Cartridge is a fantastic Cartridge for the money and a MM phono is all you need as it’s a HO Mc Cartridge....anyone suggesting a step up is giving you the wrong advice and spending $800 plus for a dedicated phono preamp based on your current set up is also wrong advice.  There are plenty of good choices out there used in a $3-500 range for a phono preamp that supports both MM & MC Cartridges that would be a improvement over your built in phono in the Denon.  You need to remember the Denon is built to a price point so you decide where to spend your money. Quality used integrated with built phono for less than 1k used or a more suitable alternative phono preamp based on your current set up and spend $300-500 or even better by a Emotiva XPS-1 for $199 and call it a day.
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