Requesting recommendations for phono stage


I have a Primaluna Dialogue Premium Integrated amp with built-in phono stage.  My cartridge is a Clearaudio Maestro MM.
Can I improve significantly on the sound by getting a separate phono preamp?
Looking for recommendations.  My budget is $1,500 plus or minus.
Thanks!!
mabonn

@simao Well, it’s an old brand. Joe Rasmussen is the man behind JLTi, he’s an old partner of Allen Wright. Below is a part of the story from Joe’s website:


“I met the late Allen Wright (1947-2011) in 1975 at a Hi-Fi Show at The Pavilion in Sydney Showgrounds. The Pavilion has since been converted to a large movie studio where the Matrix movies were shot as well as the last two Star Wars movies. Allen was demoing stacked Quads and was the sound of the show by a country mile. This started a 36 year association that sadly ended in 2011.


Allen had identified a particular device used for video purposes, low noise, no internal compensation and no feedback required. As its noise specification was suitably low with low source impedance, a la Moving Coil cartridges, it was decided this could potentially make for an interesting Moving Coil Phono Stage. As Allen was busy with moving his business from Munich in Germany to Switzerland, I took it upon myself to do the actual development and produce working proto-types. Some of these were dispersed locally here in Australia and also a number of them went to the US, the first going to Roger S. Gordon, reviewer for Positive Feedback.


Eventually the production of the phono stage went to Switzerland using much fancier metalwork. It was also given the name JLTi Phono, where JLTi stands for Just Listen To It. On a cost versus performance, its audio quality is unmatched, and that is not just our opinion (old review here).”


** From myself I can only add that the latest JLTi is heavily upgraded mk5 version in a simpler box (for less money). For my version I asked Joe for a special mod to let me use optional loading not only for MC, but also for MM cartridges (Normally I use 47k Ohm or 100k Ohm for MM).


Grab MAGI Phonomenal for sale in Agon now.
It is at least as good as my Allnic H1202.

Thanks for all your recommendations.
My thinking is evolving.  I am considering stretching my budget to $2,500 and going for the PS Audio Stellar phono preamp.

Mabonn, not a good idea. That money will get you a Sutherland 20/20 which is a far superior phono stage. You are also not far off from a Parasound JC3+ which competes with phono stages costing over $10,000. John Curl is an amazing engineer. If my Audio Research died today that is what I would get (with my current allowance) 
Do yourself a favor and find yourself a used Artemis Labs Ph-1. This is an all-tubed design providing roughly 52 dB of gain without the use of SUT’s or FETS/Solid State gain devices! Pure tube, with a natural organic tone to voice and acoustic musical instruments; and dynamics that can make you jump.

It gives you the ability to adjust loading to your liking from 50 Ohms to 47500 Ohms by simply adding resistors in parallel via zif sockets on the back panel. ***I personally would not ever buy a phono stage that didn’t offer you the ability of having an infinite customization of it’s load impedance. Being able to definitively match your specific cartridge can certainly make the difference from good to outstanding sound reproduction.*** It also utilizes readily available small signal triode tubes from the 6np1, 12AX7, and 5687 families.

This will work great with medium to high output Moving Coil cartridges to Moving Magnet cartridges all on it own, or you can certainly add an outboard SUT if you wish to use low output MC’s.

I think I paid about $3000 for mine new, but I would think you could find a nice used example in your price range. I currently have the latest reference level 5 Wavestream Kinetics Deluxe phono amp $8995 (which also is an all tube design eschewing the use of SUT’s/FETS and also has adjustable loading on the back panel), but I can’t imagine letting my Artemis Labs PH-1 go. I will keep it for either back up use duties or if I ever set up a secondary analog system.... that’s how much I love it!

Dick Olsher gave a great review of this phono stage in http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0805/artemisph1.htm if you’d like to learn more about it.

Best wishes,
Don