Getting into Vinyl...

I think a SS pre amp is a fine choice. I would set a budget that works & search in that range. Analog is (for me) the most fun. There is so much you can do once you get an idea of what you are looking for. I would look at all the usual suspects in addition to the Rega's plus I would also look at a Rega 3 or up, you have a nice system & you will want a deck that will allow you to enjoy all your system has to offer. While I am sure the P1 is a fine sounding deck it may not give you all that your system is capable of. You also need to figure out whether you want to purchase new or used, used is a great value. I am on a Thorens kick at the moment but there are plenty of other choices.

I currently have a Cambridge Audio 640p pre-amp & while I am considering an upgrade it is only so I can hear what another model has to offer. I don't feel I am missing anything but as we all know in this hobby there are so many different aproaches & every brand sounds different.

Read all you can read, get an idea of what you want to spend & once you buy everything the real fun starts. Finding music is the real treasure of the hobby, I know I love the feeling of coming home with something I have been searching for & spending a quarter of what I would have spent if I bought a CD.

PS- MM is moving magnet & MC is moving coil, at this point worry about finding a MM, it will allow you more options with lower priced pre-amps. MM is usually high output allowing pre-amps with lower gain to drive the signal to a reasonable level while MC is usually low output & requires more gain or a step up to achive similar vollume levels.

Thanks Hodu, Fishwater, very informative, exactly what I needed to hear....A this point I think I am leaning towards the Black Cube with the larger power supply, I will start there and move ahead with the table, or vice versa. Seems like the phono is the more important piece, although we know better as philes. It's all a big chain....

Anyway, I don't know enough about Tables to buy yet and I want to know everything, and that gives time for something nice to pop up on A-gon for me. But the Black Cube sounds like the Phono stage for me, neutral and sounds good, perfect for my system.

Do you guys have any opinions on the MH 2.1? Alot like the P1? I like the Ferrari red. : ) But mainly I would like something I could potentially grow with, without breaking my wallet.

The black cube is a very nice SS unit. If you can solder and build your own the Bottlehead makes very good kits at a not to dear price.

I prefer the Rega's over the Music Halls - just my opinion (English vs Czech made). For a few more dollars you could get a nice used Rega P3. Not saying the P1 is not a good starter table. I ordered a Thorens TD185 and befreo I even took it out of the box I traded it fro a Rega P5.

As far as cleaning vinyl - look at the Orbtrac2. Does a good job without emptying your wallet.

"A[sic] this point I think I am leaning towards the Black Cube with the larger power supply, I will start there and move ahead with the table, or vice versa. Seems like the phono is the more important piece..."

How do you come to the conclusion that the phono stage is the more important piece? You haven't decided on a cart yet much less a table/arm combo.