Change my PRE or buy a PHONO stage?

[The Duke]

My Audio Research LS7 pre power has no provision for phono.
Thus, I am left in a dilemma.

Take a loss / hit on the ls7 and sell her on / 2nd hand and buy a pre with a good phono.....
Or buy a phono stage to add to her.
I have maybe £500-ish.
I intend resurrect my Dunlop System Deck 11X - now the AudioNote deck with the Linn Basik arm & cartridge.

All comments welcome.
Thanks

Tim

[Mike_pt]

I wouldn't let an audio research pre go away...
for half of your 500 you got lots of decent phono stages that will do more than justice to your linn basik combo.
besides, to be using that combo at the side of a meridian cd I'd say you don't listen much to vinyl, so why let go a wonderful pre?
I got an old axis/akito/chorus black, and don't listen to vinyl much anymore; I bought a creek ohb9-se and it's quite ok, but that's a quarter of what you're willing to spend; you can find a better one. Btw, I also use MLs.

[alexs2]

As mike has said,DON'T get rid of the Audio Research pre,as you'll have to go a long way up the price scale to find something better,that also includes a phono stage.

At or around the £500 mark,you should find the following

MF X-LPS/3...tends to be a bit flat and 2-dimensional

Trichord Dino..much better with the PSU upgrades,but good in stock form,and allows you the ability to upgrade as funds allow...plenty of detail,smooth,and open sound,with good imaging.

Tom Evans Microgroove...bit of an acquired taste...very good attack,but may sound a bit sharp in some settings,and needs to go back to the manufacturer to change load settings if you change cartridges.

Graham Slee....should be able to fit one of these just beneath your budget,and they are very highly rated.

EAR 834P...smooth and sweet,but again not to everyone's tastes as it can sound a bit closed in.

There are others in this range as well,but these are the ones I've tried or heard,and my own choice was the Trichord,with one of the NC power supplies(which brought the total above your budget,but in base form it's well within).

[Paul Williams]

Or this new one from Icon Audio looks to be interesting

http://www.iconaudio.co.uk/pdf/Produ...1-Aug-2005.pdf

but don't know if this one comes with the 30 day trial

Paul

[alexs2]

Originally Posted by Paul Williams

Or this new one from Icon Audio looks to be interesting

http://www.iconaudio.co.uk/pdf/Produ...1-Aug-2005.pdf

but don't know if this one comes with the 30 day trial

Paul

Definitely worth a look...very possibly a Mei-Xing pre,as most of Icon's products are.

Also worth a look are the Project phono and Tube box phono stages,although the Dino and Microgroove are definitely better(IMHO).

[dynamic turtle]

If you do decide to change you pre-amp for one with a phono stage, I recommend you take a look at this Unico C5P at Heathcote. Very good VFM in my opinion: http://www.heathcoteaudio.co.uk/prod...d=Valve%20Amps

BTW, the only other popular PS not mentioned is the Lehmann Black Cube. Here is a Consonance two-box valve stage that looks like terrific value (bottom of page): http://www.chinese-hifi.co.uk/specialoffer.htm

It might be worth noting that some Valve PS struggle to produce enough gain from MC carts. If you go for a valve PS, you might need a step-up transformer.

DT

[alexs2]

Originally Posted by dynamic turtle

Here is a Consonance two-box valve stage that looks like terrific value (bottom of page): http://www.chinese-hifi.co.uk/specialoffer.htm

It might be worth noting that some Valve PS struggle to produce enough gain from MC carts. If you go for a valve PS, you might need a step-up transformer.

DT

Most if not all of the valved phono stages don't have enough gain as you've said,and those that do mostly use transformers as a step-up prior to the tubed output stage(as in the consonance you've shown above,and the EAR etc etc.)

Noise becomes a significant problem with low output MCs and high gain tubed phono stages,and transformers are a good way round that,although cartridge loading may then become an issue.

[Londondecca]

I thought the Linn cartridge was a MM not a MC

[alexs2]

Originally Posted by Londondecca

I thought the Linn cartridge was a MM not a MC

Linn produced both MM and MC cartridges,manufactured by a variety of companies including Scan-Tech(aka Lyra),Supex,Goldring,and Audio Technica.

Even if the cartridge with the Systemdeck was a Linn MM,it would be well worth upgrading to something decent,but the point in question was that the LS7 preamp is purely a linestage,and doesnt include a phonostage,hence the need for a decent RIAA corrected phono stage.