Phono preamp worth it with MM cartridges?


I've had conflicting advice from dealers so hoping for some clarity here. How much do phono preamps offer with sound quality and MM cartridges? (I understand they have a huge impact on sound quality with MC). 

My current setup is Rega P3/Neo/Exact/Groovetracer RS, Rega Elex-R amp, and Spendor A4 speakers and I mostly listen to classical, jazz, and light rock.

Will buying a Rega Aria phone preamp (or  iFi iPhono 3? Avid? Graham Slee? in the sub $2k range) make a worthwhile difference or should I wait till I buy an MC cartridge before splurging ? 

Thanks, Roger
wqgq_641
jjss49 you bring up a good point. I did try a few different settings. What did you decide on worked best in your setup?  
Give a look to the Ray Samuels F117 phono. It is a very good value. There are some very favourable reviews on the net. And I confirm. Its is really good.
Unless your amplifier already has an in built phono stage, you MUST get a phono preamp in order to be able to listen to anything off a phono cartridge, regardless of whether it is MM or MC.

So it is not a matter of whether it improves the sound, it is essential. The reason is because while almost all other audio sources generate signals which are appropriate for an amplifier to handle, a phono cartridge’s output signal is very much lower and hence needs a lot more amplification.

In addition, the phone amplifier provides something called RIAA equalization without which, the sound would be awful, which only phono preamplifiers provide.

Furthermore, the output signals of an MM and MC are very different. MC signals are even less than MM signals by an order of magnitude. So, ideally, the phono amplifier you must buy should be able to handle both types.

Luckily, in today’s marketplace, there are literally hundreds of very good different types of phono preamplifiers, ranging in price from $100 to more than $45,000. Your choice depends on your budget.

Some that I recommend are the wonderful Schiit Mani (its price does not do it justice) at about $150, Rega Aria at about $1500 and at the absolute ridiculous top end, Pass Labs phono preamp at $45,000.

If you don't want to change tables, upgrade the arm of the P3 to an RB880. I did it when I had a P5 and was blown away (I subsequently but the bullet and got the P8 which includes it).  If you add a PSU if you don't have one, the table will be very good. Depending on the dealer trade value of your P3, it might be worth it to jump to the P8 which of course includes the PSU. Rega is known for their arms. Take advantage of them.

Cartridge upgrade would help too. The need for a phono stage is more apparent with MC cartridges, although they can also help with MMs. Since most MMs today are junk, I would recommend a reasonable MC and a Sutherland phono stage, the highest level one you can afford. That's all they do.