Best sounding phono preamp under $600

Hi Bob,

I've had great results with Camelot Lancelot and Charm 11 psu. I've owned lots of ss phonostages and this is the nicest.Nice company to deal with as well. Would be in your budget bought used.

You might take a look at the Channel Island phono preamp. Well within your budget at $350 new and the company has a good reputation for great sounding stuff.

Agree with Simon74 on the Camelot Lancelot about its sound quality, not that I've tried the others. It's a bit homely though, and ungainly to place with its two boxes and umbilicals. The preamp itself is so small, lightweight, and unconventionallly shaped that it may not lend itself to easy placement even though you'd think it would. (It can be pushed around by attached cables for one thing, and doesn't have any feet of its own.) And as he suggests it's over your budget new at $1K. If you get one, the sound can be improved by replacing the supplied swap-able loading and gain resistors with better Vishays, an easy and inexpensive upgrade.

Check out the Hagerman Cornet kit. Delicious sound at a great price.

Musical Surroundings Phenomena for $600, Dynavector P75 for $600 and Grado PH-1 for $500 should be on your short list. Taste will be the determining factor.