Looking for a suggestion for a good Phono Stage

"I believe ARC put out an SP4-A that had the phono stage"

Patrickrealtor76
I'm fairly sure all SP-4 preamps came with a built in phono stage. However, not all came with a built in MC head amp.
If you use a high output cartridge(like most Grados, MMs or HOMC) there should be no problem. If you want to at some stage move to a low output MC then a good step-up transformer would probably better than the head amp that came with the SP4 anyway.

PBN,
Interesting that you and "Liberty Audio" have the same street address in El Cajon, Ca.

How about an explanation?

Thanks in advance.

My SP-4 has SPARE, TUNER, MAG 1, MAG 2, HEAD AMP input selection. I run my phono through MAG 1. Am I getting that part right? There is a fair amount of hum coming out of the speakers until I begin to play a record. I have decided to upgrade to a Grado Prestige Gold (from the green) unless somebody has an idea of a comparably priced cartridge with better synergy. What about Pro-Ject Tube Box for the stage. A little up in price from the $200 I quoted, but maybe worth it? I apologize about my lack of knowledge in this field. I did not grow up around vinyl and decided to do a 180 degree from setting up my system to play PC audio so I'm jumping into this head first.

I think your Mag input is intended for an MM cart., so if you are running it striaght in, without a separate phono stage, that is correct. If not, you may be phono amplifying your phono stage, which should amount to an unacceptable amt. of gain and is thus noisy. The Head Amp input would make sense as an MC circuit, but I am not certain about it. Can you download an SP-4 user manual?

Audiofeil,

Yes we do have the same address, we make the B2B-1.

Your observation has been brought up here before by others. However, if you read my post you will not find any "superlatives" about the phono stage not even a link to our new website just a suggestion to check it out. The original poster was asking for suggestions about phono stages.

I see nothing wrong in that, part of my "job" is to make folks aware of my products.

Peter