Best Phono You've Heard Under $2200

I won’t part with my Vintage McIntosh Tube Tuner/Preamp mx110z, I love it’s MM phono, and use a SUT for my MC cartridges to keep using the mx110z’s Phono.

If it died, I would get another one without hesitation. You get terrific sounding phono (2 inputs), and everything else, the very helpful mode switch, a loudness contour if you listen at low volume, balance, terrific FM tuner (I listen to only one Jazz station). Most people have never heard really good FM.

Regrettably, they are getting more costly.

This one is in Canada, around $1,900. USD (seller would accept a bit less I suspect).

Seller will not ship, there is a solution for any ’local pickup only’ item:

You find the closest UPS to seller, pre-arrange with UPS, ask seller to simply drop un-boxed unit in your name, UPS packs and ships to you. You pay UPS directly.

I used my mx110z as-is for over a year, loved it, decided to have Audio Classics overhaul it. The most important thing they did, aside from replacing small stuff no longer in spec, was replace the rca jack panels with new gold plated ones. Prior to that, I cleaned the original corroded rca jacks up (not easy, they are close together), and used locking rca connectors as the old rca jacks are a spec undersized.

this convinced me to take a chance on one

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue77/vintage_mcintosh_experience.htm

features

http://www.berners.ch/McIntosh/en/MX110.htm

+1 on the McIntosh MX110Z, I use it with a Dynavector SUT and a Dynavector XXII cartridge. Beautiful!

@sandthemall

I’ve done a bit of research on this segment. And I’ve put an order in for a Hagerman Trumpet MC.

Congrats. I’m really enjoying mine, and is incredibly flexible for various carts lo to hi. Run with the stock tubes, but don’t be afaraid to use others. Before I stumbled accross the Dynaco/Telefunken snooth plates at a good price, I was using Gold Lion gold pin ax7’s, and for new tubes, those are pretty darn good. Very similar to the Tele’s, but the Telefunken's have a bit more smoothness. But both provided a bit more detail and definition over the stock Mullards. That said, it all dependes on the rest of your equipment, and what your ears prefer.

From some (@mulveling here provided some great insight and convinced me), whom have had many more and much higher end phono pre’s than I, a great pre and performance for the money. And can easily compete with pre’s twice it’s cost+.

I can probably stretch my budget a bit if its wirth it. I freely admit the Herron would be a great pickup. Decware ZP3 but thats like a year + wait. My research on the ZP3 seems like a no brainer. MM only, and the reviews and such all point to a sound I am looking for. I didn't at first but am warming to the "Frankenstein's lab" aesthetic.

If anyone is selling a Herron hit me up wink wink nudge nudge.

Thanks @bkeske,

It’s scheduled to arrive today so very excited to listen to it in my system. Yes I do respect Mr. Mulveling’s input and this was a large part of me looking into the this phono stage as his posts are always well-reasoned and thoughtful. And the more I looked into it, the more I liked. My system is already on the warm side so this should be interesting. I will be first testing it with a MM cart (AT740ML...which prefers a 100pF capacitance setting but seems to sound fine at 200pF) and then on a MC (AT33PTGII).

I certainly will look into some nos 12ax7 as I have a good stash of 12au7 already.