Bradz:
I don't know about me recommending any tubes to put in your phono stage, whereas I am going to be getting a "solid-state" phono stage (the Monolithic PS-1 + HC-1), so I am going to leave you either at the mercy of others here, or leave you out there on your own.
But now, if you are shopping for your first turntable, then I may throw a couple of suggestions to you.
(01). The Music Hall MMF7.
(02). Rega Planar 25 mated to a Dynavector 20-XH (just like Camadeco has suggested).
(03). Basis 1400 mated to a Rega RB300 arm and a Grado Reference Platinum.
Or, you could do just like I did, get a used Thorens for about $200.00 to $250.00, mate it to an inexpensive Grado Cartridge (no more than $200.00 for a cartridge), and then spend the rest of the savings on obtaining tubes for your phono board and buying vinyl. I just bought me a used Thorens TD-147 (and it was a "one owner and well cared for" table too) for about $125.00 (including shipping and handling), and mated it to a Grado Prestige Gold for almost another $200.00. The Thorens TD-147 was a $550.00 turntable almost fifteen years ago. So, while I still may replace it with a VPI Aries Scout/JMW-9 or a Rega Planar 25 (and either table is going to be mated to a Grado Reference Sonata), I may not be that inclined to do so after all after I find out how good the Thorens really is when I finally fire it up for the first time in September. I don't think I'm going to regret my decision either.
--Charles--
I don't know about me recommending any tubes to put in your phono stage, whereas I am going to be getting a "solid-state" phono stage (the Monolithic PS-1 + HC-1), so I am going to leave you either at the mercy of others here, or leave you out there on your own.
But now, if you are shopping for your first turntable, then I may throw a couple of suggestions to you.
(01). The Music Hall MMF7.
(02). Rega Planar 25 mated to a Dynavector 20-XH (just like Camadeco has suggested).
(03). Basis 1400 mated to a Rega RB300 arm and a Grado Reference Platinum.
Or, you could do just like I did, get a used Thorens for about $200.00 to $250.00, mate it to an inexpensive Grado Cartridge (no more than $200.00 for a cartridge), and then spend the rest of the savings on obtaining tubes for your phono board and buying vinyl. I just bought me a used Thorens TD-147 (and it was a "one owner and well cared for" table too) for about $125.00 (including shipping and handling), and mated it to a Grado Prestige Gold for almost another $200.00. The Thorens TD-147 was a $550.00 turntable almost fifteen years ago. So, while I still may replace it with a VPI Aries Scout/JMW-9 or a Rega Planar 25 (and either table is going to be mated to a Grado Reference Sonata), I may not be that inclined to do so after all after I find out how good the Thorens really is when I finally fire it up for the first time in September. I don't think I'm going to regret my decision either.
--Charles--