Is Pass Labs Xono An Overkill For Rega P5 TT?

I use the XONO with a rebuilt/rewired Yamaha PX-2 and a Denon DL-304 cartridge. It seems like a weird combo but it sounds very nice.

The XONO is am excellent phono pre and I would go ahead with it if you can get it for a good price. It has enough gain to handle just about any cartridge (the DL-304 is .2 mv), is very low noise, and has good dynamics.

The really important thing is to use a cartridge that's a good match for the P5. There's probably plenty of opinions on this in the forums.

Thanks for the response Ghostrider45. I am using a Denon DL103 cartridge with the P5 and was informed the cartridge was not optimized since the Rega arm would only come into its own when matched with a heavier one. Anyway I reckon the built-in phonostage in my integrated amp is the weakest link at the moment so it makes sense to look at it first, cartridge later.

Cheers.

The XOno is one of the best values in phonostages IMO - still haven't heard a better SS phono (even though some other I heard are in the $8k price range).

Thanks for the recommendation Tvad. Results can sometimes be unpredictable in that a lower cost phono can outperform a much costlier and reputable unit like the Xono. I guess matching does play a part sometimes. This unit from a Hungarian outfit does look quite promising. Will keep my options open.

It is by no means overkill. You have a table and cart capable of great performance. You should have a phono stage that allows you to fully experience it.

That said, the XONO may expose weaknesses downstream...

Cheers

Some on these forums consider the phono stage to be THE most important component in an analog front end. There is a thread on this very topic. I have an Xono and find it to be very neutral, quiet, flexible, and extremely reliable. On the used market, it is a quite good value. You should try to audition it first and experiment with the many loading options. The single-ended output sounds better than the balanced output.