How do you know it's time for external phono stage

your new cartridge delivered more information because of its higher quality, the same will occur in most cases by upgrading almost anyother piece of equipment... you get what you pay for, GENERALLY. I think upwards of $800 will get you the beginning of the end in used phono stages.

i may have a Krell KPE Reference Phono Stage for sale in the near future, if you are interested let me know.

enjoy the music

Your TT is still the weak link. I'd go for really good power filtration for the Classé, if warranted and a cryo'ed, tuned power cord. My choice of TT is well known, but one would need at least 5K to defeat my creature on steroids...

Psychic,

I searched the archives for your TT choice but couldn't find it.

Also, could you recommend power filtration and a cryo'ed, tuned PC (whatever that is). I had a Synergistic Master Coupler but it was too unwieldy so I sold it.

Thanks for your help.

E.

A while ago I was sort of forced to go with an external Phono stage since I went from a phono preamp to a to a line stage. It is hard to make an honest judgement about the change since I could not go back and forth while listening. My phono stage came about a month after I sold the preamp. Going from memory though there was a big improvement. The line stage and phono stage sounded better than the internal I had prior to the seperates.

here is a great buy Krell KPE Reference, a commanding phono section due in large part to the massive power supply for this delicate signal...buy it...ps it is not mine...

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?preatran&1078965528