Please recommend preamp


I'm new at this but am trying to put together a nice system primarily for a large vinyl collection that can also play CDs and probably either a tuner or cassette player. I will have speakers in two rooms, neither very large. I started with the JBL 4312 speakers from my youth for the bedroom and then bought JBL L150As for the living room for $950.  I just got a QSC RMX2450 amp in excellent condition for $300. I think my next step is a pre-amp. What would be a good bet for around $1000?  I'm hoping to get it right the first time rather than test-drive and buy and sell; really, I just want to listen to my records.
takeum0ut

Showing 1 response by russbutton

You want to spend $1000 or less and want a phono section.   Were I you, I'd drop $920 on the SP14 kit from tubes4hifi.com.  It's not that hard to build it yourself.  This is a line stage preamp which will stand up against preamps costing much, much more, as well as the classics like the  McIntosh C22 or Marantz 7.  

http://tubes4hifi.com/SP14.htm

Pick up a cheap phono preamp and save your nickels until you can afford the phono preamp you really want.  Build the SP14 and not only will you have a true hi-end preamp that can't be beat, you'll enjoy the enormous satisfaction that comes only with building it yourself.