2. amps-preamps
  3. 1045599129

Phono Stage w/Pot for analog only rig

I have a McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe driving Vandersteen 3A sigs. I am listening to less and less CD on my Rega Jupiter in favor of vinyl on my Nottingham Hyperspace. I would like to sell the Rega and then buy a lesser CD deck and relatively cheap SS line pre for that independent use. I will cross that bridge later.

What I want to do now is get a higher quality tube phono stage with a volume pot so that I can run directly from TT to phono stage to amp.

What are suggestions in the $2K used range. All input appreciated and considered but I am not really interested in other CD deck or line pre suggestions at this time.
motdathird
Post removed 
jcbtubes
400 posts
 
Check out the Art Audio Vinyl One on the used market (~1500). With NOS tubes, it is very good. Good luck.
mark
42 posts
 
I agree with Jcbtubes about the Art Audio Vinyl One. It replaced a Pass Aleph Ono and sounds much richer and lifelike, especially in the lower frequencies.
motdathird OP
77 posts
 
Thank you for the repsonse. Now what if I decided to go with a line stage and separate phono and would then not need a pot on the phono?
tom_nice
387 posts
 
I worry about anything correctly describable as a volume pot (as opposed to a ladder stepped attenuator), since in my experience even an potentiometer with an audiophile rep, like Alps Black Beauty, say, degrades the sound and can take away some of the quality you may be paying major money for elsewhere in the phono preamp. Can you build your own stepped attenuator, or get one from Goldpoint, say? Or even build one into a phono preamp, in the sense of putting preamp and attenuator(s) in a single DIY chassis? I did that with an AHT DM-P phono preamp and have never looked back. You can even get wild and use Audio Note Japan tantalum resistors, for a warmer, more tube-like sound.
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