Looking for a phono stage to go with my system

Are you running the receiver as your amp and pre? If so I would wait and save for a good integrated with good phono.

At your budget, normally I would suggest the Phonomena II too. But running your great table & cartridge though the Phonomena into an AVR is simply negating all the 2 channel performance you can be enjoying.

So I agree with Truemaineiac and save up for a quality 2 channel integrated that already has a good phono section. Make sure the integrated has a HT Bypass or "power amp" direct feature so you can easily incorporate this unit into your existing surround sound system.

Sorry, but I have found the 2 channel preamp sections in modern AVR's are merely an afterthought. There is 2 channel stereo that dedicated stereo components are designed for and then there is HT Surround sound. Two different things entirely and with the table and cartridge you have invested in, I have to believe you are more serious about the former.

Thanks for everyones input.

I now have two trains of thought. Need to think about this.

Truemaineiac and Paraneer, ( or anybody else ), do you have any suggestions on reasonably priced integrates that have good reputations on quality that would have the features you pointed out?

Would need to know what your main speakers are and budget. Then I could give you several suggestions on integrateds to consider; all having the HT bypass feature that I mentioned above.

My system consists of

Onkyo TX-NR905
VPI Aries Scout TT with Ortofon 2m Bronze
Polk RTi12 Fronts
Polk CSi A6 Center
Polk CSi5 Surrounds
SVS PB12-NSD

My budget is around $1000. I would be okay with a unit that was $2000+ but a couple years old. It seems you can always pick them up unused at 1/2 the price or so once the newer models come out.