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I need help choosing a budget phono stage gift

An older relative recently had an old technics turntable fixed. He is using a Rega carbon cartridge with an older pioneer integrated amp and its built-in phono stage.

I want to gift him a phono stage to help him hear more music from his system.

For $200, I keep seeing the Ifi Zen, Rega Mini A2D and the ProJect Box S2, but I can’t decide.

Any guidance is appreciated.

saulh
medium_grade
77 posts
 

Hagerman Bugle3. It's right in your price points and, because it uses socketed op amps, you can upgrade it later by swapping out the op-amps with discretes (Sparkos would probably work best). 

wturkey's avatar
wturkey
732 posts
 

U-turn Pluto 2 may be worth considering. It is firmly is your price range. 

mbmi's avatar
mbmi
447 posts
 

The Lounge @$349 is in my 10 K system.  It's that good. Handmade by Robert in LA. call him. Awsome sound from this pricepoint.

wolfie62
352 posts
 

Go ahead and laugh. But I heard the Bozak-Madison phono preamp. It punches way above its price point. $14. NOT made in China, either. I prefer it over the Mani-2. Sometimes simple is best. 

stark976
14 posts
 

I consider buying a sentimental gifts for him. This is good idea for a gift. Recently I gave Artblox Soundwave art gift to my friend on his birthday. He is a teenager that's why I preferred a teenager gifts. Otherwise, a good teenager smartwatch or a gaming console also works.

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