Do I need a pre-amp?

Hey gang. Thanks for all the feedback. In order of importance, here are my main motivations for the move to vinyl:

1) The sound - I favor analog's fullness to digital's cleanliness. I realize an analog amp is ideal, but due to financial considerations, it doesn't really make sense for me to make that jump today, probably. As zd542 wisely said, you have to start somewhere.

2) The tactile experience of playing a record - It's different. You put the needle down and let it rip. There's no poking around and selecting favorite tracks. Listeners tend to hear a whole album as made by the artist

3) The catalogue - Lots of old vinyl music isn't readily available in other formats

That said, I also love digital and have no intention of abandoning it. But with the opportunity for both digital and analog listening, this seems like a rare instance where one can have his cake and eat it too. No?

I think I'll follow the suggestions for a modern tt, considering I don't really know what I'm doing. I would love to be in the $300-400 range, but if I could snag a used tt below that, it would help free up some cash and could help motivate me to buy an analog amp. Speaking of which....

If I were to abandon my Marantz and pick up a solid analog amp, about how much would I need to spend, minimally? My setup is a pair of B&W 600 series floor-standing speakers + a separate B&W subwoofer. The speakers only contain a single woofer each so the separate sub is necessary, for my sound preferences. They are connected to the Marantz w some really fat bi-wire cables and the sound is excellent. At max vol, the Marantz isn't powerful enough to distort the B&Ws. I'm really happy with it but can only imagine if these speakers were connected to a solid analog source.

So here's where I am today:

I can buy a tt + phono preamp for $5-600 +/-. Right? However when the time comes to buy an analog amp, I'll presumably eliminate the phono stage, which won't have much resale value, right? So maybe I should just splurge for the amp today. But what would I need to spend in order to match my setup? Also, is there a configuration that will allow me to keep the Marantz for my digital sources and switch to the analog amp for my tt? Also, what kind of analog amp will accommodate my subwoofer?

Thanks for helping the n00b!

After reading OP's 11/13/15 post, I rest my case. He's very confused about audio, but has a romantic notion about vinyl.

db

Lionsdwarf,
Hold on...one thing at a time. Stay with your original plan and add a vinyl setup to your Marantz.
What you're proposing is possible but it will get complicated and you really don't need the amp yet.

FYI, as far as the phono preamp goes, sometimes an integrated amp's internal phonostage is of a lesser quality than an external preamp. So get something decent, it doesn't have to be big bucks to have good sound.

I'll repeat myself, if you want plug and play, then look at budget tables and phono preamps at Needle Doctor. Sometimes there are package deals; e.g., a Pro-Ject TT, cart, and preamp.

To answer an earlier question, the NAD PP 2e Phono Preamp is a nice piece and it has a separate power supply (which means less noise), but you need to choose the TT and cart first.

Lionsdwarf, I agree with Lowrider57. Purchase the TT and phonostage as an addition to your current system. Should you later decide to upgrade your amplification you can purchase a line level (no phonostage) integrated amplifier at that time. A separate phonostage is usually better than those included in a budget integrated.

OK, I thought I would put myself in your shoes and shop Needledoctor. The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC turntable sells for $399 with Ortofon 2M red cartridge.

The 2M Red cartridge has a recommended loads of 47K resistance and 150-300 pF capacitance. Very common load for budget MM cartridges. It has relatively high gain at 5.5mV meaning it would drive most budget stages.

The Cambridge Audio Azure 551P phonostage sells for $129. And would be quite compatible with the 2M Red having 39dB gain, and load of 47K and 220 pF. It is MM only.

The NAD PP2 is not sold by Needledoctor, however can be had for $169 elsewhere. Have yet to check out the specs on this model however believe it would also be compatible with the 2M Red. I would confirm this prior to purchase. It is MM and MC.

I think you would be quite happy with the Pro-Ject/Ortofon/Cambridge combination at $530 total. It would be a nice addition to and quite compatible with, your current system.

Again, good luck in your quest.