Suggestions for phono preamp for LOMC's


I am looking for a phono preamp that will work with LOMC cartridges.   Budget up to $2500 but would be quite happy spending significantly less.  I have about $10k invested in my table/arm so any appropriate suggestions would be appreciated.   New or used would be fine.

bobheinatz

I’ve used the Manley Chinook with my Sumiko Blackbird Lo with great results. It has very dark background and very adjustable. I have the same tubes it came with when I purchased it new in 2018 and no desire to change them out, still sounds really nice. 

I suggest you look at the Lounge Audio LCR MKIII Gold with their Silver step-up amp for MC cartridges.  That combo would be a bit under $1500.  I have the MKIII Gold with a MM cartridge, and the SQ is simply stunning, especially when I spin one of my 1980s Sheffield LPs or one of my 45 rpm LPs from that time.  Hand made right here in the USA, in the Los Angeles area.

McIntosh MP100 Phono Preamp offers Moving Coil and Moving Magnet adjustable loading (6 settings each); balanced and unbalanced analog outputs; optical, coax and USB digital outputs; and a Mono switch for playing mono records to decrease noise and play the signal correctly.

~$1,700 or so new: https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/preamplifiers/MP100

 

My recommendation is to get a phono preamp designed specifically for LOMCs. Over the years I have pretty much limited my phono cartridges to the low output variety because they seem to sound best in my system.  The phono preamp I use is the Paradox Phono 70 Signature.  This unit replaced one in my system that cost $6K and bested it by no small margin.  Good luck in your search.