Now that we have the obligatory. "Liberty Audio, I make them" comment out of the way (a feature of every "What phono stage?" thread these days), I will plug the Avid Pulsus, which is the best phono pre I have heard in my system. I preferred it to the SimAudio LP5.3 with optional external power supply I had. Just under your stated budget is the new entry level Avid phono preamp. Haven't heard it, but mighty curious about it.
phono pre suggestions
my system consists of a Rega P3-24 with Elys2. the rest is consumer level and needing to be upgraded. the table i can see getting replaced also for a vpi or clear audio on day.
i am not really looking at upgrading everything now. neither am i interested in buying something to hold me over.
i am looking for a preamp in $1000-1500 area. considering the PSAudio gcph. also looking at the manley chinook or ear 834p...but that is about a solid $1000 over what i would like to spend and i would need a good reason to stretch to it....however i want something i can keep for 20 years and enjoy. but please dont offer suggestions past that....over 2500 is way to far and all the other components in my system would probably have to be upgraded passed where i intend. i like nice things but dont really want to be going to a price point where you have to spend 3x the price to get any real gain. seems 2500 would be about the limits before it starts going into the stratosphere.
i intend to spend about 2-3k on a tube power amp. pre is up in the air. 2-3k on speakers.
here is my concern....some phonos offer more loading options via resisters and/or capacitors..and varying amounts of gain.
i want it to sound good with rock music mostly..with lots of acoustic stuff. never used a MC but it seems any new tanle i would end up with on of those possibly.
so pros and cons for tables between 1000 and 2500. nothing over...2500 is already a stretch.
i am not really looking at upgrading everything now. neither am i interested in buying something to hold me over.
i am looking for a preamp in $1000-1500 area. considering the PSAudio gcph. also looking at the manley chinook or ear 834p...but that is about a solid $1000 over what i would like to spend and i would need a good reason to stretch to it....however i want something i can keep for 20 years and enjoy. but please dont offer suggestions past that....over 2500 is way to far and all the other components in my system would probably have to be upgraded passed where i intend. i like nice things but dont really want to be going to a price point where you have to spend 3x the price to get any real gain. seems 2500 would be about the limits before it starts going into the stratosphere.
i intend to spend about 2-3k on a tube power amp. pre is up in the air. 2-3k on speakers.
here is my concern....some phonos offer more loading options via resisters and/or capacitors..and varying amounts of gain.
i want it to sound good with rock music mostly..with lots of acoustic stuff. never used a MC but it seems any new tanle i would end up with on of those possibly.
so pros and cons for tables between 1000 and 2500. nothing over...2500 is already a stretch.