Help with Phono Pre-Amps.....

[78finn]

I have a question regarding setting up a phono stage/pre amp.

I have an old Sony TAFB940R....some 7 years old but at the time - a What HiFi 5 star rated product. I love this amp...and really have no need to change it. However....

It has a phono input, but I have been considering getting a sepporate phono stage for my Rega Planar 3, as I'm not sure just how good the quality of the sony built in phono actually is. I suspect not great...as the amp only retailed at 400 quid when it was released. I noticed the new Rega 3's come with a phono stage built in....

So I intend to audition a few phono stages...

My question is thus: Can you use a Phono pre amp in with an intergrated amp? If so, how do you connect it up? Do I still use the phono input or do I bypass this and run the pre amp through the AUX input??? I have no idea?

Would be really helpfull to know whats what....and if anyone could recommend some good budget/mid price phono stages, that would be great as well.....

 

[respe]

If you are going to use a external phono stage, then you do not use the phono input. The leads from the deck go into the phono stage, and a separte pair if leads go from the phone stage to a line (aux) input on the amp.

Which Rega comes with a built in stage? Some come with a PSU I know, but I was unaware of of any with a built in stage. Good budget to mid stages, depends on if you are going to be using MM or MC carts, but a few would include Rega's mini, MM or MC phono, the offerings from Graham Slee, Cambridge 640, the list goes on.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd be looking at better speakers before trying a separate phono stage, as you probably won't hear much benefit.

 

[78finn]

Yeah....actually that was going to be my next question i.e. will I actually hear a difference.....and then will that difference actually be worth the cash...???

I have looked into new speakers...but really the room my setup plays in is quite small...and the Diamond 9.2's I am running are already quite big...much bigger than there better known little brother - 9.1's. And the sound I get out of them is just what I'm after really. People tend to be quite anti the 9.1's on here for some reason...but the 9.2's are a different beast. Don't think they ever got a review from What HiFi...but when I auditioned them with the likes of Dali etc. they blew everything away. I guess there not the latest kit these days though.... When I upgrade it will be because the room demands it i.e. when I upgrade my house : )

Fair play though.....I shall probably just leave it then...if I'm not really going to be able tell the difference - hardly seems worth. Better off spending the money on some new music.