Buying the right phono amp - benefits over budget units with my system?

[david230]

Hi,

I am almost set to purchase my first turntable. I will be buying a rega p3 off ebay which comes with elys 2 cartridge. I have about 100 records to spin on it straight-away thanks to my dads now redundant record collection. Good thing is I will listen to probably 3/4 of them through choice.

Anyway, my amp doesn't have a phono stage so I have also been looking at budget phono amps to get me up and running. The likes of NAD PP3 I found appealing due to its digital transfer capabilities but I know there are plenty more besides. The fact that the nad is considered a budget unit I was wandering if there would be an alternative perhaps with the same features that would maximise the regas full potential?

I would double the budget over the NAD pp3 if people advised it as a worthy option, so say £200-250. My system would be rega p3/elys 2 - NAD c370 - MA silver S8.

thanks

David

 

[NHL]

I'm still waiting for my Leema Elements Phono (a few quids more). If one reads reviews of different phono amps, then often it is the price span from £500 which receives the really rave reviews. £100-£500 seems generate more diverse reviews.

 

[david230]

Thanks NHL. I will probably go for the NAD in that case as I dont really feel I want to jump straight in at the deep end with something like a £500 phono amp! Maybe in time if circumstances change I might make a bigger leap into hifi.. If a price hike of £100 over a nad pp3 saw a fair leap in performance I may have been tempted.

I would be interested to hear others opinions on this too though!