Upgrading phono stage

Hagerman MC Trumpet 

I recommend getting a phono stage for the long haul, like a Sutherland that has good adjustability/flexibility so you can use a wide variety of cartridges. Wait until your cartridge stylus wears out and then get a new one that has styli that can be swapped to keep costs down, unlike Ortofon.

The Sutherland Insight lists for $1750 with a linear power supply (LPS). If you're lucky, you can find a used one and upgrade the LPS board for $350. That's what I did. There are dealers that will discount 15% so you're looking at about $1500. My integrated had a fine phono stage that had a toggle switch inside the box that went back and forth from MM to MC. That MC wasn't nearly as good as the Sutherland. It amazed me with my MC cartridge. I didn't know for 9 years since I got the MC cartridge the difference it could make. The LPS upgrade was a subtle improvement if anything, but Ron Sutherland himself recommended it so highly he said if it was his brother, he'd tell him to do it, so I did. He is a very nice guy and I am sure he didn't care about the $350 LPS board he sold me. If $1000 is a hard limit, just get a used Insight if you can find one. I was luck to find mine for $900 (list is $1400) and then you can always add the LPS. I have built my system incrementally like you say and hesitate to spend more than a net $1000 out of pocket on any individual transaction. They do add up though, and I made one exception recently in 2019....I think it was like $1300.

Ron guided me through the board swap which is easy if you have a steady hand and patience. He offered to do it for free if I paid shipping, but was very willing. It took about 45 minutes, and the second time would take 15 (like everything else). I could not beleive how patient and nice he was. I guess it gets him good word of mouth. All he does is design phono stages from $895 to I think $16-20,000.

If you can't find an Insight used and get antsy, he makes an entry level one called the KC Vibe for like $900 that is a great value. When you come upon some more mad money, you can sell the Vibe with little loss and then get the Insight. If you really go mad, he sells a 2020 which is supposed to be much better that lists for $2650 with the external LPS box. My trusted audio guru told me I would be extremely happy with the Insight or 20/20 and he was right.

Good tube phono stages are much more expensive. And bad ones are noisy. Good luck and have fun!

Any takers for Herron Audio line stage and phono stage?

@still are you selling?

At or about 1k serious consideration should be given to a preowned EAR 834p.