New phonostage - which to go for?

[philv]

Hi,

I’m looking for a phono stage, new or used, up to £200.

Any reccomendations?

Thanks

[Scooby]

MM, MC or both?

[philv]

MM, MC or both?

Mm needed.

[philv]

MM, MC or both?

Mm needed.

[Phil Lawton]

I can personally recommend this - you can normally pick them up for less than £200 used...fantastic piece of gear:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Graham-Slee-Gram-Amp-2-SE-MM-Phono-Stage-Pre-amp-Boxed/332799501724?hash=item4d7c65659c:g:nh0AAOSw-cFbknYS

[struth]

Schiit mani is good value if wanting mm. Does mc too but it's mm is a good one for money. Not sure what they cost new now but well under budget

[speedracer]

You might be lucky & find a Kinshaw Perception SA two box phono stage for £200. Solid state, MM & MC, sounds bloody lovely, is very adaptable, more like a £500 plus stage & gets very close to more expensive stuff, I recently sold my very expensive Art Audio Vinyl One & the replacement was a choice between the Kinshaw or a Welborne Labs MM & a pair of Partridge SUT's, which was three times the price. I went with the Welborne but it wasn't three times better by any stretch, just suited my valve based system more I felt.

[steve-z]

I’ve owned both the Schiit Mani and the Graham Slee Gramamp 2, both are very good phono stages, of the two the Mani was definitely superior, I would still have the Mani now if I’d stayed with MM, only downside to the Mani is on Moving coil because load impedance is too low (47ohms) to be a good match for most cartridges, making them sound dull.
I currently have a Cambridge CP2 which works equally well on MM and MC and I rate it as good as the Mani and GA2 and it’s considerably cheaper.

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[DSJR]

The Mani can hum with some decks and not sure if it's due to location or hum-loops (rega arms in some cases but not others for some reason).

Apologies for seeming to flog a dead horse again, but the Rega Fono seems good for MM types if the OP wants to buy new.

[Opti-cal]

Edwards Audio Apprentice MM

Well under budget and I still have mine (after 10 years) for back-up duties. Has only been superseded by stages 5 fold of its price.

Also the most unassuming little package.

[Ali Tait]

Heard this recently, very good for the money-

https://mcru.co.uk/product/longdog-audio-ph1-mm-phono-amplifier/?v=79cba1185463

[philv]

Is there a clear winner between grham slee era gold mm v and croft riaa phono?

[Batty]

Vincent Pho-8 or Pho-700

[struth]

Ive been using one of these for a few years now and think its very good. price keeps creeping up but I think even at its current price it is worth the money. Its a quality build.

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/emotiva-xps-1-phono-stage?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgvL3ooDp3QIVTOJ3Ch01rA_AEA QYAiABEgLKDfD_BwE

[kambo_z]

I have bought a firebottle MM/MC phonostage here and i and very pleased with it. You can ask on the forum if someone has spare to sell.

[struth]

I have bought a firebottle MM/MC phonostage here and i and very pleased with it. You can ask on the forum if someone has spare to sell.

good stage.. i used to have one :)

[brian2957]

Heard this recently, very good for the money-

https://mcru.co.uk/product/longdog-audio-ph1-mm-phono-amplifier/?v=79cba1185463

+1 for this . I bought one and I'm very pleased with it .

[Smegger68]

Is there a clear winner between grham slee era gold mm v and croft riaa phono?

I can't comment on that exact Graham Slee stage but I had the opportunity to compare my Croft RIAA to a couple of other stages, one of which was a Gram Amp 2. IMHO there was no competition there to the Croft. of course, the Era Gold is a much more expensive stage so YMMV :)

[philv]

Well i should fnally receive my turntable this weekend, so took the plunge and ordered a tisbury domino.
If something else pops up in the next couple of weeks i might try a comparison knowing i can return tne tisbury.

I should have gone for a croft on pinkfish recently but was too slow and i have run out of space on tne shelf for anything full size.
But i’m expecting the tisbury to be quite good, so not really a problem.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.

[steve-z]

Well i should fnally receive my turntable this weekend, so took the plunge and ordered a tisbury domino.
If something else pops up in the next couple of weeks i might try a comparison knowing i can return tne tisbury.

I should have gone for a croft on pinkfish recently but was too slow and i have run out of space on tne shelf for anything full size.
But i’m expecting the tisbury to be quite good, so not really a problem.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.

I assume by now you got the Tisbury up and running, how are you finding it ?


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