I’m not familiar with your amplifier but one of the Rogue tube integrated amps has a built in phono stage. I’m somewhat skeptical about replacing the Marantz based on your budget. My understanding is that phono amps really begin to stand out at around the $2,300.00 mark. So if it were me and I had to be fiscally conservative, I’d first buy the best cartridge I could afford.
As far as nice stand alone phono amps, there are plenty on the used market. For whatever reason, good tube phono amps tend to be a good deal more expensive than solid state. I have an ASR Mini Basis Exclusive and I believe it’s very good for the money and it offers the tone of a tube amp with the bass and transients of a solid state. I need a better tonearm and then a better mono cartridge and I’ll have for the most part completed my analog setup.
If you’re satisfied with the sound after you upgrade the cartridge, then relax. It’s all about the music. I’m saying this as I’m spinning a 1954 Haydn Society box set of vinyl remastered from 1938 recordings.
As far as nice stand alone phono amps, there are plenty on the used market. For whatever reason, good tube phono amps tend to be a good deal more expensive than solid state. I have an ASR Mini Basis Exclusive and I believe it’s very good for the money and it offers the tone of a tube amp with the bass and transients of a solid state. I need a better tonearm and then a better mono cartridge and I’ll have for the most part completed my analog setup.
If you’re satisfied with the sound after you upgrade the cartridge, then relax. It’s all about the music. I’m saying this as I’m spinning a 1954 Haydn Society box set of vinyl remastered from 1938 recordings.