Phono Preamp Recommendations

Got the 640 and really like it. Interestingly enough have discovered by comparing using the same table that the phono stage built into my Optimus STAV-3400 is actually quite good. There is almost no discernible difference at normal listening volumes. Of course the built-in cannot do MC like the Cambridge can.

Greetings,
I just recently purchase a Parasound JC 3 Phono Pre-Amp.
Very happy with my purchase.
It got some very good review in Sterophile a few issues ago. Glad I made the purchase.
It is driving my very low output Denon DLS1 (0.15mv) very well. For the price I think it is a real deal.
Respectfully,
Joe Nies

I hate to resurrect a very old thread, but there as someone looking to get back into vinyl very soon there is a point here that surprises me:

" Interestingly enough have discovered by comparing using the same table that the phono stage built into my Optimus STAV-3400 is actually quite good. There is almost no discernible difference at normal listening volumes. Of course the built-in cannot do MC like the Cambridge can."

It surprises me that an Optimus can approach the quality of a Cambridge phono stage! Is there an intrinsic advantage to a built in phono stage? Or are the differences between phono stages modest? Or am I reading too much into this? I have a Lexicon Mc-12 and a Citation 7.0 for preamps, but I will need a phono preamp for either/both.... Otoh, I have an ADS integrated amp with a phono stage (I think MC and MM, don't recall
at the moment). So this might change how I set things up. Thanks!

I use the 640p with a Pangea P100 power supply and it sounds great. Worth the 100 bucks for the Pangea. The 640p has been replaced by a new model (641P) that might be better, but I haven't compared them (the new one is basically the same price as the old one). I assume the Pangea works with the 641p. I see no reason to buy another phono pre myself as this 640p sounds so good with my system and it is one of the few out there with the rumble filter I need, but if I replaced it I'd just get the new one.

Aewhistory: Remember that both the internal phono stage and the Cambridge are being run into the same line-level preamp. I have never heard this Radio Shack product, but I can't imagine it offers resolution high enough to allow the listener to hear differences among phono stages. Perhaps gross tonal differences would be apparent, but I would imagine that the Optimus line stage is the bottle-neck in this system.