Phono stage--please help

Before you change gear,one question to you. have you tuned tour cart. with appropriate resistance and capacitance. Mov. Coils sometimes exhibit a big rise in their response out @+ 50 K trying 20-30 mcfds in each chan. of the phono stage might do 2 things 1 reduce brightness 2 reduce distortion.

I'd recommend auditioning the Audiomat Phono 1 (priced just under $1000, I think). It is a French SS unit, but has a lot of tube-like qualities and is very detailed (there is a review on Soundstage, and their distributor is at mutine.com). Some people also love the Benz phono pre...also in the same price range. If you're considering a new preamp, you might also want to check on built-in phono units.

Phild, thanks for your response. As for preamps w/built in phono stages, what do you think of the Ayre K-3? It appears to be adjustable and has a good reputation, but I have never heard it. Thanks.

The EAR I had didn't have a volume control, I read a review in Stereophile that recommended the unit without one because of the possible associtated noise it puts in the path. I have no expereinced so I really can't say. By the way, I understand the Ayre is an exceptional unit, I believe it is or was Michael Fremer's(Stereophile's analog man) reference preamp with phono. The preamp I upgraded to was a CAT with phono and in my system it's the best I have heard. Good luck.

If you think about it, old equipment was designed with phono stages when records where the only true hi-fi source.
My guess is that even a stock Dynaco PAS-3X tube preamp would give you great sound from the tape output.
I personally have an old PAS that was re-done (many of these around)which has a well-known tube designed phono stage which I still use in conjunction with newer line stages.
I wouldn't think of using anything but a tube phono stage.
As for moving coils. The only thing that has and still makes any sense is a low-output moving coil with a passive transformer like a Verion.
If all this sounds too problematic even though cost cutting, you could seek out a Counterpoint 2A, which are still going for a lot of money.
I am not knocking your equipment, certainly when I use a modified Adcom 5800 as my main amp, but I believe you have to ask yourself if that Adcom preamp will have enough resolution to make the expense of a high-priced phono section worth it. For example, I just saw an Sumo Electra preamp with MM and MC phono section going for $200.
I would try something like that first.
If I were going all out I would go for an all-triode Melos 333 linestage and separate phono stage, which is in the $3,000 range.
Since I am an older audiophile, I have gone to MM cartridges and no longer have the MC headaches.
If I do dabble back in, I would probably get a reasonably price hi-output MC that mates with a MM phono stage.
I hope this missive is more helpful than mysifying.
Best regards,
bob charlanza
reading, pa.