Phono Stage Question

I concur with what you heard about the Heed Audio Quasar. I have a friend that runs Blackbird Audio and he uses it with his Basis Turntable. Hands down the best SS unit I have Heard under 2500.00. At CES the distributor used it with his ref. table and cartridge becuase the VIVA unit didn't show up. I hear it held up very nicely.

I heard that room at CES and the Heed is a great value. At your 1k point there are alot of contenders. Michael Yee has just come out with a battery operated phono for Musical Surroundings at 1k just as Ron Sutherland has. Michael's compares very well to the $2800 model but without the frills. ASR also has one at that price, not battery powered. Audio Electronics has their PH-1 DJH for $900. EAR has an mm version of the 834P Black for 1k. I think you'd have to compare them side by side to get a proper take on them though.

Which Benz Ace?

If the gain of the phono stage is too low, you will have to turn up the pre-amp, resulting in more noise.

MiniMax Phono and Clearaudio Champion is what I'm using.
More correctly, the Clearaudio Champion + Clearaudio Syncro
(speed controller) + Origin Live Silver Mk2 + ZYX R100 Yatra
and the Eastern Electric MiniMax Phono.

MiniMax Phono
.
You should be able to pick up a used MiniMax Phono in the price range which you are considering.
.

The cartridge is the Red one. It was recommended to me by Blackbird Audio in San Diego for my Champion Level II. Are any of the phonostages discussed here low gain models which would require me to crank the preamp with this cartridge?