Phono pre-amp for Shelter 501 MK

Take a look at the Aqvox 2CI. I don't have the 501 (yet) but have heard one through the Aqvox and it sounded great.

Be careful,it just so happens that pre just got listed as a promotional item and Rick just happens to be a brand new member. Now that i look further Daemon is a brand new member. I'm only saying...

I am extremely happy with my Eastern Electric Minimax phono. Especially after adding some NOS tubes that I got from Vintage tubes. I think that it is a great match for the 501. I think that it does work best with MC where the step up transformers are required. I think that they are running a sale here on Audiogon that brings it into your price range.

The 834P would be one of your best choices and you can easily find one used here on Audiogon for well under $1100 (around $600 in black). They are plentiful (for good reason) and easy to resell should you wish to try something different. I've owned two of these in the past (one with volume control, the other without) and they are an exceptional product. Nickt is mistaken about there not being enough gain for your Shelter. The 834P will handle cartridges down to .22mV and your Shelter is .4mV. I believe the MC gain is 68dB, more than enough. As to impedance, the MM section is set at 47K ohms and the MC is under 100 ohms. You will have no compatibility issues.

I was a little skeptical of the posting on the Aqvox as well, but now that it's been recommended and some credibility questioned, I figure I may as well chime in as I'm not a new member and just bought one.

I actually paid a bit more than the current price listed on Audiogon, but I did have the opportunity to audition the piece before I bought it. I don't have alot of experience with high end stages, but I have difficulty believing anyone would be unhappy with the Aqvox. Sound quality is superb (I'm using it with a Denon 103R on a Gyrodec/FT-3 and it sounds fabulous even though the TNT review suggested it might not match up well with the plain Denon 103-a member at Audioasylum is also using the Aqvox with a 103R and is very happy) particularly running into the balanced input; I'm running fully balanced all the way to my integrated and the sound is very good. The Aqvox is also incredibly flexible in terms of both gain (fully adjustable from 40-75 db) and loading, although using the balanced "current" input, loading essentially becomes a non-issue with any high output or low output moving coil.

There are a number of very positive reviews: Hi Fi World has it listed as one of their best phono stages and I see that someone at Positive Feedback has nominated it as "Product of the Year" and feels it would be an outstanding phono stage at twice the price.

I'm not shilling, just saying that I am extremely happy with mine. Just (if you are using a moving coil) make sure you use the balanced input to get the most out of it and, if at all possible, the balanced out as well. For $750 U.S., I think it would be very tough to beat.