Please help prevent mistake : Phone-Pre amp


Hello, I need suggestions on a nice phono pre used for about 200usd. I know thats tuff but I think there might be something decent. My main concern is BASS and plenty of it Making it sound Warm or TUBEY or whatever you like to call it. I know the cartridge will be important in this as well I will experiment, but once I purchase the phono pre I don't want to go back and forth to much. I am currently running a GRADO GOLD with a Audio research all tube Pre-amp but have never hooked in phono to the audio research obviously needing the PHONO PRE before I can do anything. THANKS GUYS & GIRLS.
matrix

Showing 1 response by sdcampbell

The current issue of Stereophile magazine has a review of several moderately priced phono stage preamps, and they've had favorable comments about a relatively new model called the Gram Amp. It's made in England and has a MSRP of $295. It ain't much to look at, and is best suited for a MM cartridge (which yours is), but for under $300 brand new it looks like a good option. I suggest you pick up the current copy of Stereophile and read the article for more info.

If you find you can stretch your budget to around $350-400, then I'd suggest you try to acquire a used Lehmann Audio Black Cube. This is an excellent buy in a used phono preamp, and it offers substantially better performance than the Gram or the Creek models.