Tube phono pre amps

Congratulations! A seriously cool looking table.

Tube phono stage good idea. Spend as much as you can, they really make a huge difference. I don’t know that price range so I can’t make a recommendation for a new one. I would recommend used… Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, VAC, or Presto.

For a couple of reasons I am temporarily back with my Quad 24p (four 6111 tubes). It handles MM and MC carts and has both fixed and variable outputs (so you don’t have to use a pre-amp if you are vinyl only!)

It is warmer and richer than my NuVista Vinyl, but doesn’t have all the various loading options. You have to trust Tim deParavicini (RIP) to make the right choices, and I think he did. Even though I use a 4-way switchbox to use two MI and two MC carts with it, it makes me wonder why I bought the NuVista. It’s about $1700 new, so a used example should be in the right range.

Thank You all for your thoughts. 

Thanks Hoytis for turning me on to Softone. The few reviews I’ve read by owners all are happy. May pull the trigger in the next couple of days. 

@mulveling 

He can get a Hagerman Trumpet MC (better than Cornet, though I'm sure that's a great value too), still well under budget at just under $1300. Stupid good, fun sound for the money. Responds very well to tube rolling (not all tube phono stages do).

+1 Don’t really think you can beat it for the $. And can improve upon it as you get your feet wet. Tubes, power supply….