There is a Luxman EQ-500 on Audiogon going for 3k. Is it too good for Technics 1200G?
Cartridge most likely Ortofon MC Cadenza blue. Does that change anything?
In terms of the cost (cartridge vs phono stage), they seem to match OK. I think your turntable is not much off. However, I wonder why you would need a phono stage with three inputs and that much versatility. With your Mastersound 845 amp and Diapason adamantes III speakers, now your speakers seem to be the weakest link. It may not be as much revealing as the amp, phono stage, and the cartridge. I haven't listened to your speaker brand, but for pricewise, something at 10K speakers may match well with the rest of your system. Just my 2 cents. Just for the reference, I use Ortofon silver meister MKii and Gold Reference SPUs with Allnic H1202 and Live! MC10 SUT and Magi Phonomenal phono pre, and Gershman Grande Avant Garde speakers. |
I have no idea why people mention turntable type or brand when they are talking about phono stage?
What’s the reason for that?
Your phono stage connected to phono cable and this cable connected to the cartridge pins.
What is matter:
CARTRIDGE type, cartridge output, cartridge impedance.
For MM cartridge: phono cable capacitance is important too.
But turbtable is irrelevant for the phono stage!
People, wake up !? |
Allnic H1202. It has both MM and MC. |
I’ve used a Parasound JC3jr, Herron, and PS Audio Stellar in that order with my 1200G, with an Ortofon Quintet Black cartridge.
The Herron sounded best, with the PS Audio an almost dead heat second. I kept the PS Audio pre because I have their BHK preamp, DSD DAC, and BHK250 amp. I’m quite happy with it. |
I also have a Technics 1200G. My first choice would be a Luxman EQ 500. I think this would be compatible with the vast majority of cartridges available these days. Expensive though! Herron gets a lot of positive comments here, as well.
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And I'd agree with @waltersalas , I have a Luxman EQ-500 and it's a breathtaking piece of kit. Extremely versatile, quiet, and it just exudes quality in all respects. Mine is paired with an Ortofon Cadenza Black. I don't know why one of the posters above says to avoid Ortofon. I couldn't ask for a better combo. |
The Luxman EQ-500 sounds fantastic with the Technics 1200G as long as you choose your cartridge wisely. That's exactly what I am running, and it is the best analog rig I have ever had by far, especially with the Van Den Hul Frog Gold cartridge I bought recently. There are an array of cheaper MM cartridges that would work well with the Luxman, but this is the kind of phono stage that will make you want to stretch your budget on your cartridge to get the most out of it. I think several of the Dynavectors would also be a good match.
The Herron and Allnic are also good choices. I've owned the VTPH-2 and the Allnic H-1201 and H-1202. All excellent. The Luxman, however, is a step up from these. |
With the RS, you can set a very low compliance (100) and it works with MC carts too. What? |
You really don't get it ...
You don't match phono stage to turntable you match it to cartridge and cartridge to arm ... and stay away from ortofon! Buy hana ML !!! Works really god with technics arm , then you try different phono stage to match your system ... |
Pro-ject does make a very good phono preamp. Mine is dual mono as well and quiet as a church mouse. Each channel configurable for loading with mc cartridges.
The whole cadenza line is quite good. Expensive, but good.
I am planning to get the dynavector 20x2 for my next cartridge. Really good reviews and 1000 bucks cheaper than a comparable ortofon.
If you are planning to get the blue, why not save a little longer and get the black? Its about 600 more, but then you would have their top of the line. |
I have a 1200G. Excellent turntable.
I use an AT VM740 ML. It's a dual moving magnet microline cartridge. I like it better than the pricier 750ml. It's a good match for the tonearm.
For phono stage, I'm using a Project Phono Box RS. It is their best phono stage ($1000). You can throw out the wall wart and order their separate battery powered power supply ($700). I found an outboard 18v power supply on ebay for about $200 and it is very quiet. This phono stage is also dual mono...so there are cartridge settings are for both channels.
With the RS, you can set a very low compliance (100) and it works with MC carts too.
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Cartridge most likely Ortofon MC Cadenza blue. Does that change anything? It is, you need a phono stage with optional gain and optional loading for MC. Gold Note PH-10 is excellent |
Now that might be worth trying if you go with SS. Make sure you can return it. Michael Fremer quite liked it, read his review, though he got some background noise with it at first before he moved the cables, so it is very sensitive in this respect. |
Consider psa audio phono of the year 2020 stereophile
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Well, it might get complicated. If the table is "detail oriented" this doesn't mean that you want to screw this up by using cartridge that can't make use of that. Cartridge can be both warm enough and detailed.
As for SS/tube depending on speaker efficiency, I don't know but not sure this is correct. You don't want noisy phono stage in any case. Also, the choice of tubes may matter. |
Cartridge most likely Ortofon MC Cadenza blue. Does that change anything? |
The most important part of a phono stage is accuracy and quiet tube or solid state does not matter but if you use very efficient speakers you will want solid state to avoid noise in your table and i would try a more warm cartridge than an ortofon on the technics table like a dynavector you want to avoid a detailed cartridge with a table that is detail oriented.
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Nope. If you want SS go higher than Gold Note and Musical Surroundings.
There should be a match, electrical and musical between phono stage and the rest of the amplification chain. You need an advice of someone in the know.
Yes, there is Luxman, there is Allnic etc. |
I'm in the same boat as the OP. Another stage I'm looking at is the Pro-ject Phono Box RS2. Seems like it covers a lot of bases but it's very new so I haven't seen any user reviews yet. |
Ei001h its like another poster said...its matching the phono pre to a cartridge, not to the table. |
Ortofon Cadenza Bronze or Black. Both are excellent with the stock Technics SL-1200G.
I don't have any experience with the Hagerman Trumpet MC, but I'm considering ordering it because of what I've read about the brand and owner, and the multiple mentions here. The Gold Note PH-10 w/the PSU-10 is a great recommendation. I would also mention the Musical Surroundings Nova III with LPS.
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Seems tube phono is the way to go.
There is a Luxman EQ-500 on Audiogon going for 3k. Is it too good for Technics 1200G?
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Hagerman Trumpet. ~1/3rd your budget new. Buy some super duper 12ax7s
I've not heard v3 but I spent some time with a v1 and its really good.
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I am using a pro-ject se box ii, which is a tube hybrid phono pre. It handles both mm and mc carts. I enjoy the sound very much. I think that I paid 350 used and thought it was a great deal, so it falls well under what you are looking to spend.
Are you looking to use mm or mc? |
You don’t match phono stage to turntable, that is true if you think only literally and straightforwardly. In reality, you try to create a certain balance of the entire system, and in this sense you match everything to everything.
You have an excellent tube amp, why spoil the sound with transistors ?
Yes, SS phono stage might be a little quieter, so what ? |
I second jasonbourne52. Schiit Mani and throw in an Ortofon 2M Bronze. Sounds great on my 1500C. |
Gold Note Ph10, great and half your budget.
Audionote Kit Phono stages are excellent for a savings if you want tubes, you can buy them pre assembled, i still like the gold note over this for detail retrieval. and twice the price.
Alnic Audio makes some very nice tube phono stages as well.
those three i have heard and they are all excellent, personally i like the Gold Note PH10 for flexibility of cart loading and curve selections not to mention dead quiet ( something I notice with my 105db speakers). Add the separate power supply as an upgrade and your still in your budget. |
Phono stage is for cartridge, not for turntable (the type or brand of turntable is irrelevant for the phono stage).
You can use almost any cartridge on Technics tonearm, except for a very low compliance or very high compliance. But even a compliance mismatch can be tuned with headshells of different mass.
Mid compliance cartridge is ideal.
If you are looking for modern cartridges just don’t buy low compliance MC.
Most of the modern carts are mid compliance.
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Sutherland Engineering. SS and good stuff..
Herron (BE QUICK), serious piece of gear, FET gain stage coupled by and adjustable valve gain stage.
Decware (6 month wait) ZERO used, rare to see one for sale. Valve bottom to top, double valve rectified, super quiet, Point to Point... ART, comes to mind..
Regards |
I'm going to offer this to you.
I'm looking for a CART to match my PHONO STAGE.
That is the question you want to ask. I'm going to ask the same question HERE and on another thread. Soon Decware will assigns a SN to my ZPre, I'll be asking the same question, when that happens.
The tonearm is next, you need to have the information on what YOUR tonearm likes.. It's like small medium or large doesn't it? :-)
The last part is "what you have to spend"? I try not to be unreasonable to MYSELF. I'll argue both sides and "DON'T you dare spend that money" will shout at me. If I don't spend the money right ONCE, I'll spend TWICE as much for sure. That will tick you off..
I usually save 50% by working from the TOP down, not the bottom UP.. Don't step up, step down... It's the "Baldwin Billiards" way. It works.. You will walk away happier because YOU stepped down, instead of NOT stepping up... Money flows easier that way. :-)
So OP the formula from a mechanics perspective is ask the right questions and you'll get the right answers. Quality questions, deserve quality answers. So do you..
Regards |
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Schiit Mani for $129 will get the job done -- and sound excellent! |
A nicely sorted tube phono amp can have a more holographic sound. |
Tube phono if using MM. If using LOMC, you'll have SUT or FET in either SS or tube phono amp. |
If tubes? Herron. Just fantastic. Used (if you can find one) just under your threshold. If SS Sutherland Engineering or Parasound JC3/+ or JC3jr. There are many others. Look Simaudio as well, you will get close to your budget. |
subjective answers are precisely the types I'm looking for :)
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The questions you ask, although valid, are open to very subjective answers. I have the 1200G and use a Pass Labs XP-15, to my ears the sound is very analog in nature. I alternate between a Cayin tube and Luxman SS integrated. Since you have a tube amp, you will do no harm using a SS phono such as the Pass or Parasound JC3+. I have no experience with Ortofon cartridges, I use a Hana SL and it sounds great. |
