Budget phono stage- advice appreciated

If you want to keep well below $400, I'd recommend Parasound's phono preamp, MM or MC, for not much over $100 new, under $100 used if you can find one. (A "Wanted to Buy" ad might get one out of the woodwork.) I have one in a dining room system and am quite pleased with it.

Try the Rotel RQ-970. Handles both MM and MC Cartridges. Got a good review in Stereophile a while back. Retail list is $200. I've seen it used from $100 to $140 I used to have one and was very pleased for the money spent. Sorry for you, but I sold it already.

I have the Creek OBh-8, and it works and sounds just dandy to me. For the price you can't beat it. Good Luck! Jeff

I have the same question as Jeffloistarca. Has anyone tried the McCormack phono stage? List $600 but you can get a used for half-off. Any good for a budget-size analog system with a cheaper Signet MC cartridge? My trusted dealer also recommended the Lehman, but I couldn't see spending $700 (new) which is about the total cost of my lower-end T-table & cart. already. The $100/$200 models seem just a little too inexpensive-sounding (get what you pay for) but I'm probably wrong?

Hi Jeff, news from the land of the cube (that is Germany): I´m using the cube and it´s fabulous. I maybe drop it only because I will get a Klyne PX2.5 soon. But man, try it - you will not regret it! And if I will keep the Klyne (I´ll probably do that) I might sell mine. Try to find out wether the PSU can be easily adjusted to 110 volts (check under lehmannaudio.de/entec/ - Mr. Lehmann is always helpful!). If you can, that might be the ticket, because I could sell mine for under $400. Anyway, whatever you do try to get a hold on this wonderful little amp, you´d regret it if you wouldn´t. Best wishes from Chris