phono amp?

[zappa 100]

Reasonably priced phono amp required which will do justice to a Project Xperience/Rondo Red combo into an Arcam Alpha 9. Suggestions please. Thanks.

 

[nads]

I am currently using the NAD pp2 and it does the job well....but i am tempted to have a listen to some others... How much do you want to spend on the Phono amp?

 

[Anonymous]

A Cambridge Audio 640p is yours for £60 - it won the 2007 'Best phono stage' award in WHFS&V.

The Project Phono Box MkII £60 - another 5 star product

The NAD PP2, as nads said is also a very competent!

 

[John Duncan]

I think a Cambridge Audio is all you need (not sure the NAD does moving coil?) - next step up in terms of quality (IMO) is the Dino, which is wasted in the context of your current system, to my mind.

An advantage of the Cambridge is that if you find you want to upgrade at a later date, you'll only lose 10 or 20 quid on resale, at current s/h value.

And the blue light is great.

 

[John Duncan]

Apologies, the NAD does do MC, so that would work also. The Cambridge is better reviewed, which affects resale value in this world of ours.

 

[nads]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"]
Apologies, the NAD does do MC, so that would work also. The Cambridge is better reviewed, which affects resale value in this world of ours.
[/quote]
and it has a great green light. Too much blu about

 

[John Duncan]

No, see, that's where you're wrong (along with Creek, Arcam and NAD) - blue is the future, lights-wise.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Blue lights...arrghhh....too...many...blue...lights...

Actually, I have a 640p and am really impressed with it - it really allows the Rok to sing. The ortofon I'm using is MM though so I can't really comment on the quality of the MC stage, but if it's anything like the MM, it should be great.

 

[John Duncan]

I'm the same, can only comment on MM. Can't see anything being much better than it at MC without serious money being spent though, can you?

 

[zappa 100]

thanks guys
Blown all my serious and not so serious money on the deck so a phono amp is going to have to wait
but i will certainly give the 640 ago when funds allow.

 

[Anonymous]

I use the Dino/Dino+ combination with my Pro-ject Xperience / Rondo Red and it sounds great. I suspect it's overkill (for the turntable/arm perhaps) but as those will be probably not be around too long before an upgrade I decided to get my phono amp of choice to start with.

You may decide not to spend that much but if the rest of your system justifies it, I don't think you'd be sorry if you went the Dino route.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"]
I'm the same, can only comment on MM. Can't see anything being much better than it at MC without serious money being spent though, can you?
[/quote]

Nah, there's no difference untill you start spending more than £500 on a cartridge. Obviously one relies much more heavily on the pre-amp if a MC cartridge is used.