Building my 'first' system - Advice on Phono preamp please

Been a while since I did that, technology seems to have elevated what can be achieved at a low price. But back then the differences were staggering staggering. Some very well regarded ones like Lehman Black Cube were awful. Even EAR 834P was awfully colored. Some of the much more expensive ones weren't all that much better. As it turned out even the ARC was colored, it just took 16 years and a Herron VTPH2A to reveal this. It was so much better than anything else I tried, it was by comparison very neutral!

The phono stage when you think about it has the hardest job of anything in all of audio. Because of RIAA it amplifies absolute minimum 20dB, more than just about any power amplifier. And it does this starting with the smallest weakest signal in all of audio, measured not in volts but millivolts- in many cases fractions of a millivolt! So really it is 45-65dB. Then it also has to perform equalization to a precision far greater than any room EQ ever done anywhere. Finally, because the input is so weak it has to accomplish all this with incredible attention to noise, shielding, grounding, and vibration control.

No surprise then I guess it really pays to stretch to buy as good a one as you can possibly afford.

One common mistake is to spend on cables and cartridge.

1. Cables are the least bang-for-buck in audio. IMO. Buy super cheap (say $10 / pair) and then, in 6 months or more, make any upgrade prove itself before you buy.

2. Cartridges wear out. Also, with an entry level TT no-one can hear much difference between cartridges costing $100 and $1000. The reason is that to hear the difference requires the table to be very quiet, and the tonearm to be both very accurate and very adjustable - and that's not what you get with entry-level.

Then upgrade - after audition - and enjoy each advance! (worked for me for 60 years)

When you are trying to fill a price point, it is very difficult to find a good sounding phono section. The best comparison I did early in 1988 was to get a chance to hear several components from different companies. I did the same with speakers back then, hoping to find a giant killer. In speaker at hi end store, I did not find the speaker that floated my boat. But then the owner of the store put on a  different preamp that I had never heard of. He then started playing the same set of speakers I heard before. They all sounded MUCH more like live music as the preamp seemed to illuminate the sound with life. I wanted to buy new speakers, but that change in preamps made my attention do a 180 and realize it was the full preamp with a phono stage in it that was the ticket for the whole system. That preamp was an Audible Illusions 2D preamp. I happily keep that preamp for over 15 years as the best part of my system. I changed only to go to the one model up 3A w/ John Curl phono stage for low output MC cartridges. Even better sound than the 2D and it was my main part of the system again for 6-7 years more. The AI preamps are very long lasting, and have 4 tubes in them. This was my first tube anything, but I heard other less good sounding tube preamps at the dealer. The Audible Illusion preamp are the best full preamp and deal in the market. They are still making them, they still sound very good, and have a very good phono section in them. Depending on the model, you could get one for somewhere used in the $500-1700 range. The lower price would be the 2 series such as the 2C or 2D that will play moving magnet cartridges. The high end would be a 3A w/John Curl MC phono. A 3A with moving magnet capability would be at about $800 to 1400. It would be money well spend, the AI’s all have excellent reviews, and you would not need to upgrade either preamp or phono section unless you stepped up to extremely high cost and performing gear. Another thing I learned in my quest for great sound is to make sure the tubes are in like new functioning condition. I may have made an error not knowing this when I had a Herron VTPH 2A for a few months. It MAY have had tubes that needed replacing--I never did get them checked out first. I now have an awesome TRL DUDE tube preamp with a phenomenal power supply in it. I was the 3rd owner of it and after owning it 5 years, the sound just got way worse one day. I figured I’d do all 5 tubes over with NOS tubes. When the DUDE got fitted with these tubes, the sound became way better than I ever heard it at any time. It took the DUDE to make a significant jump in performance from the Audible Illusions 3A. It was even harder to find an equal replacement for that wonderful phono section. It was also WAY more expensive to make this jump in performance--like 4 times more not counting the extra ICs needed. Long post--sorry. But...there is nothing in combination to do a full preamp cost wise that can compete with the AI preamps. You’ll have to spend way beyond your budget to do so.

Bob

thanks Everyone for adding your thoughts.
Now I'm learning the critical importance of a phono stage. Great detailed advice guys!


Follow up question: Unless I plan on spending over 1k on a cartridge, is there any point in a moving coil cartridge or should I buy the best MM phono stage and cartridge?
I do have 2 small kids so I wasn't planning on spending more than $300 on cartridges until the kids get older:)

I would do the latter, unless I had a good reason to do otherwise (like a great opportunity from your dealer).