2. amps-preamps
  3. 1021465460

Phono Amp Recommendations

I have a turntable and about 450 LPs, all in mint or near mint condition, that I have not listen too for over 15 years. While my wife has been very patient about the dust collectors, it has pretty much come to the point where I either listen to them or put them on eBay. So I thought I’d give them one more spin before I decide. However, I don’t know much about phono amps, so I would appreciate some recommendations for a good SS phono amp that handles both MM and MC cartridges (I’m not looking for a do-it-all preamp). I'm not opposed to buying a unit from the re-sell market either.
deana
4yanx
1,576 posts
 
I certainly did not mean to imply that the Cube was "end all". However, I have also listened to the Monolithic and the EAR, but NOT the Trichord. IMHO, the Cube beats the Monolithic by a healthy marign - I actually found the imaging to be much better than the with the Monolithic and did not notice the Monolithic to be all that much "warmer". Plus, the Cube may be one of the most flexible units around in terms of different cartridge outputs. I agree, though, that the Monolithic IS cheaper. I, too, liked the EAR and found it a bit better than the Cube, but at a higher price (even direct from the UK). Of course, all this applies only to how the three performed in MY system. Others may find different results.
steveaudio
331 posts
 
Deana,

It would be informative if you listed your other components, plus your current TT set-up. Also would be interesting to read another post once you've gotten your phono pre & experienced vinyl again. And I'm wondering what all those mint LP's would sound like with a newer TT & cartridge.......

good luck!
deana OP
3 posts
 
Marakanetz,

Thanks for the additional recommendations. The EAR does look like a very nice amp, but I'm going to stick with solid state.

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Steveaudio,

Actually, I won't be hooking up the turntable to my Luxman L-117. I going to set the turntable up in my home office using my Maxed Out Home headphone amp. That is why I need the phono amp. My turntable is over 15 years old as well, so it will also need upgrading. But since it looks like the phono amp will cost more than I thought, I'm going to take this one step at a time. If, after I get the amp, I decide I like LPs again, I'll come back and ask for turntable recommendations as well.
nalu
22 posts
 
I'm still using my old preamps phono section (PS Audio 5.6), but the Phonomena comes highly recommended from one of the biggest analog-philes I know.
phild
603 posts
 
Hi Deana,

If you're interested in the Black Cube, I recommend buying it used and saving yourself $300-$400. You can probably find one of the original versions for $350-ish (they are often listed on this site). They're very basic inside and there isn't much that can be damaged. It's not much of a risk if you can find a respectable seller with good feedback. You can always sell it for what you paid if you discover that vinyl isn't for you. And I agree with 4yanx...they sound quite good "as is"...you can always upgrade later if you fall in love with vinyl. Good luck.
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