Solid integrated pre amp for beginner?

You need an integrated amp with a built-in phono stage. $100 is tough. Check ebay for a 70s era receiver. It'll be better than anything you kind that is current. PSB Alphas are excellent and can be found used for under $200.

As Narrod suggests, 70's era equipment is your best bet in the $100 price range. If you don't care for the tuner section I would suggest a Yamaha CA-600 to 800 integrated amp. For receivers, a Yamaha CR-600 to 800 series or a Harmon Kardon 730 (if memory serves). All have phono sections. There are other choices. I just have had good experiences with these. There are some nice units still out there and they are really well built. These are on ebay quite often.

See if you can get a Luxman R-115 (75 watts/ch) receiver with remote on ebay. Make sure the volume control is smooth with even output to both channels. It will cost $150-200 plus shipping but you will get an excellent tuner included.
The Nakamichi SR-3A (35 watt/ch) receiver is also very nice and can be found for $100-125 but does not have a remote.

If you have a relatively small room, a mid 70s Kenwood KA-3500 integrated amp. Only 40 Watts per channel but great phono stage and really clean sound.

No matter what you get, if it is old it will probably have crud on the potentiometers and switches (volume, balance, tone control and speaker selection knobs) that will result in crackling sounds when adjusted, or cut one or both channels out completely. This can be corrected in many cases by pulling off the knobs and spraying TV Tuner Cleaner liberally around the post and turning the knob/switch back and forth, and/or taking the top off the amp and spraying the back of the knobs. The cleaner is readily available at any electronics store or Radio Shack.

Before spraying inside the unit with the cleaner, I would carefully vacuum it out with your vacuum cleaners hose and corner attachment, and then use some canned air to blow the residual dust away (do this outside!).

Good Luck

How about the Onkyo A10 intregrated;I think it has phono input as well;85 watts into 8 ohms.

I seaqrched Ebay and was suprised to see the wide selection of Integrateds under 200$.
Marantz, Yamaha, Kenwood, Mcintosh.. even an early Sugden Class A.

Hello
I agree with Hoopster, Older Yamaha ca-600 or ca 800, I own both and they are very good, dont get the Ca-610 or ca-810 they are just ok, not great, In that price range a pioneer sa-737 reciever is good too, no ic chips and the sound is real good. If you can spend 400 to 500 get an Accuphase e-202 it will SHOCK you.
oh and theres the nad 3020
good luck!
mcgarick

The room is actually quite small, so I took knownothing's advice and bid on and bought a Kenwood KA-3500 for cheap. Hopefully it'll do the job.

I recommend an older NAD integrated like a 3020, 3220PE or 3225PE. Check NAD's website for archived product info. This will make it clear which models have phono stages (most all if not all of them did up until a certain year). These usually go for your price range on eBay. For speakers, there's a nice pair of PSB Alphas up for $100 on Audiogon today. Or look for Paradigm Atoms, Paradigm Titans, or Athena's bookshelf models.