For the time being I plan to stay with the MAC. However I do see going to separate Amp Preamp in the future. That being said I would anticipate not going with one with a built in phono stage so I want one that is flexible. I appreciate all the responses to date. I plan to attend the NY audio show in Westchester in November hoping to be able to listen to various setups.
Is it time for a phono stage?
I've been back into vinyl for a year now after almost a 40 year break and love it. Started with about 180 and now have around 800. The problem I find is it is hard to listen to equipment before buying. My system is a Mac MA6600 integrated,VPIPrime with Ortofon 2M black and a set of Revel F-30. Most of the equipment I've purchased has been based on reviews and reputation. I'm looking to spend in the 2-4k range and am leaning towards tubes. Current choices are The Chinook and the Herron ftph-2. I also was thinking about the Asthetix Rhea but was told it might not be a good match due to the Mac's input impedance being low. Honestly a lot of the technical stuff can be overwhelming but I know it's important. Looking for advice. Thanks.