phono stage recommendations around £300

[Chris-_007]

Hi All,

Now that I've finished my Thorens t/t I'll be looking to add a decent phono stage into the mix when funds allow, possible over the next month or two.

I'm currently using the Thorens with a Denon DL110 but may upgrade this one day. The phono stage will be connected to my XTZ Integrated.

I have absolutely no experience with phono stages so I'm looking for some good advice here.

I've seen Angle Audio are selling their Reference range for £270 and I've seen a used Trichord Diablo for £350ish. Are these any good and what others should I be on the look out for.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

[Rollehojja]

Try finding a Tom Evans Microgroove or a Microgroove+, the first one should be around ~300£ +-30£ and the later one a little bit more used. GREAT phonostage even at retail price! Have a MG+ myself.

[stewartwen]

I would also look at s/h Graham Slee stages as well.
S

[alfie2902]

2nd hand Pure Sound P10 should be doable for that money.

[clap]

I've owned a Puresound P10 but much prefer the Dynavector P75mk2 which replaced it. Much lower noise floor and therefore much more detailed.

[alfie2902]

Depends if you want to listen to details or music, I guess

[JANDL100]

The Angle Audio gear is good, I didn't know he now had a "Reference" 'stage. His £150 "audiophile + battery PSU" setup is certainly excellent and well worth a trial.

[Stupinder]

Angle Audio is good -I have the battery stage set up specifically for a Denon DL110.
Given my limited experience, Stewart is right re the Graham Slee stages too. I used a Gram amp 1 which was far superior to the PhonoBox SE, Phonobox 2 stages it replaced.

[JANDL100]

I tried my "audiophile" Angle Audio with battery PSU against a Graham Slee Amp2 at Paul Pac67's place - the AA was significantly better, imo, with the Amp2 sounding a bit bland and lifeless in comparison

[Stupinder]

I tried my "audiophile" Angle Audio with battery PSU against a Graham Slee Amp2 at Paul Pac67's place - the AA was significantly better, imo, with the Amp2 sounding a bit bland and lifeless in comparison

The G Slee amp is up for sale having been replaced by the AA :-)

[johnniebaby]

Another vote for the "audiophile" Angle Audio with battery PSU fantastic VFM.

[Howlindawg]

In the £350 bracket you should be able to find a Graham Slee Era Gold V with PSU-1.
MM only but produces a lovely clear, detailed, well balanced sound which I much prefered to other stages in the price bracket that I tried (P10, Dino, DV75).

For sound per pound the Musical Fidelity X-LPSv3 is hard to beat with a MM/HOMC.
They go for around £125 (used) which is a bargain.

Also in this price range you could have a new Lehmann Black Cube (statement version) which punches well above its weight.
The original Black Cube is even better again but they're hard to find on the used market and run £450 new.

[JANDL100]

... avoid the Dino with standard PSU. Horrible. Needs an NCPSU or similar to do justice to the excellent circuit design, whereupon it transforms into something pretty darn wonderful.

[Alvolake]

2nd hand Linn Linto without a doubt. There are a few knocking about since Uphorik etc. came out. It certainly is an enjoyable listen.
Of course it is MC only.

[stewartwen]

I agree with JANDL re the Dino, with the upgrades psu, dont get the very expensive lead, it is very close to the Graham Slee Jazz Club. Although it doesn't have the eq change facility.
S

[clap]

Depends if you want to listen to details or music, I guess

Well, I want to at least here all the instruments in the mix and hear them realistically. The phono stage goes into a valve pre-amp which helps with musicality. The choice of power amp helps too. The dynavector is not bright sounding. The Young dac is more detailed and you have one of those.

I did think that the P10 might not have worked for me as it was valves into valves. Many say the P10 is heavily system dependent.

[gthang]

... avoid the Dino with standard PSU. Horrible. Needs an NCPSU or similar to do justice to the excellent circuit design, whereupon it transforms into something pretty darn wonderful.

agree the Dino is very good with a decent psu. The standard power supply is crap, and as jerry says, doesn't do it justice at all. Plus with all the gain and load settings it's very flexible. Had mine for a few years now, use with budget MM's and decent MC's, sounds grand with them all.

[Chris-_007]

Cheers guys, just recovering from a near amp disater this morning. I really need to stop buggering about.

Lots for me to consider here.

Thanks for your time, i'll check some of these out over the next couple of months,

[griffo104]

Well, I want to at least here all the instruments in the mix and hear them realistically. The phono stage goes into a valve pre-amp which helps with musicality. The choice of power amp helps too. The dynavector is not bright sounding. The Young dac is more detailed and you have one of those.

I did think that the P10 might not have worked for me as it was valves into valves. Many say the P10 is heavily system dependent.

I heard the P10 used in conjunction with a Tribute SUT round a friend's house - going in to a Croft pre-amp so again valves and valves. The sound was alittle tubby I thought but very pleasant nonetheless. however switch back to the sold state Whest it was apparent how flabby the P10/Tribute sound was and also how much detail was being rolled off at the higher frequencies. Knowing that I'm not sure I could live with an SUT/P10 combination - I wouldn't know what was doing it and I'd rather have the one box as well.

Don't tie yourself in to an MM only stage either as you may decide to have a low output MC at a later date so a flexible stage is always a better option.

I used a Dino and then updated it to a Dino+ so and I would totally agree with Jerry's comments regarding it, you do ant the better PSU, but it's great flexible stage, again as Stewart mentions don't bother with the better cable between PSU and the stage, I did and it does nowt.

I currently use an Audio Analogue Aria, which I sold my Dino+ for and I prefer the AA sound, easier and relaxed so balances nicely with carts with a bit of bounce and has virtual battery as well so even though I haven't heard the angle Audio stage others here have mentioned it does make a good quiet backdrop for listening to vinyl.

[rahman]

Something to remember about the P10 is that it has an output impedance of circa 5K, so some system matching is required.

My first experience with the P10 was not so great (troika and SUT into P10 and then a bryston pre - most likely a combination of bad cart/SUT matching and rather long IC's) but I dusted it off not too long ago and tried it with a decca cart (and very short IC's) and it wasn't far off the phono stage in my vacuum state pre FWIW.