2. amps-preamps
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Phono Stage for KEF LS50 Wireless. Ideas? Recommendations?

After a lengthy hunt for a home audio upgrade, I’ve settled on the KEF LS50 Wireless. Fantastic speakers. I highly recommend them.

Can anyone comment on their experience pairing the LS50 Wireless with a phono section? 80% of my collection is vinyl. It’s unclear to me whether splurging on a nice phono preamp is a good idea, since the signal will be processed by the speakers anyway.

(As a side note: I’d also be interested in knowing whether the LS50 Wireless will "play nice" with a general-purpose preamplifier, as this would allow feeding multiple sources into the single RCA input.)

Totally open to suggestions.

Parameters are:

- sub $1500, new or used
- to pair with a Rega Planar 3 running Elys
- playing rock and roll, blues, jazz and classical
- tubes or not, no set preference here
- mono button and/or headphone jack a bonus

*Current shortlist consists of:

- Mofi Ultraphono (about $500 - includes both mono and headphone out! - but scant reviews)
- Rega Aria
- Project Phono Box RS
- Sonneteer Sedley (Before the LS50s I ran a Sonneteer Alabaster integrated and am a huge fan of their work)
- A used Bryston BP2 - again, not much on the review front, but their reputation precedes them

Thanks in advance, everyone!
pupil

Showing 1 response by asahitoro

asahitoro
244 posts
 
I'm curious of what you chose here as I'm up against a similar decision. I'm also wondering about the general purpose preamp so I can run multiple sources into the KEF's single RCAs? My main two inputs would be a Node 2 and a turntable. I want a analog connection for the Node so I can have full MQA when needed. My price range is in the $500ish range though. Two that I have been looking at:
-Emotiva SP-1 (is the phono section any good?)
-Parasound Zphono w/USB

Any others to consider?

Thanks for any input.
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