Best mm phono stage for £200?

mf xlps v3,

 

I rather liked the Graham Slee with the special psu for this price range - or £220 might get you a Michel with hera PSU s/h very good indeed IMO - need to look out for on though. . . .

 

The original ISO/Hera was always a nice package and well worth a second hand punt... if you can get one.

 

ROTEL RQ970

or the Linn LK1 had a good phono stage

 

I didn't think the LK1 had a very spectacular phono stage - it was OK.

 

I didn't say spectacular - but good, and it is available very cheaply. I think it compares ok to a Creek phono stage

 

Oh yeah, it probably does compare well to the Creek.

 

I think the Creek might sound better than the Linn.

 

Hi all - yes, the Cambridge gets a vote from me.

Word of advice - stay away from these "micro box" thingies like Pro-Ject...

Keep your eyes open for a 2nd-hand Trichord! Excellent!

D

 

Mmm... the LK1 was not that spectacular. The Linto on the other hand is quite special.

D

 

Thks all for the input, I think i'll try the 640p out of curiosity...off to richer sounds this a.m.!

 

Remember- avaliable in black or silver

 

Have got the 640p - seems to sound great out of the box but I have a little queery!

I have a dynavector 10x5 (hi output moving coil) and the 650p has a choice of mm or mc.

The dynavector seems happier with the mc setting (whereas i though it was designed for a mm stage?) Or is it a case of the 10x5 being able to play through a mm but better in a mc?

 

shame the Rotel is MUCH better

 

That is not 'constructive' feedback and merely feeds the post purchase stress (i now look like my avatar)

 

This from a review of the Rotel:

"The Rotel RQ-970BX excels at bass power and overall smoothness, but it is not the last word in other areas of the sonic spectrum."

I've not heard the Rotel, but I have heard the Cambridge a lot (both standard and heavily modified) and I suspect that the Rotel and Cambridge have quite different qualities. No matter what you buy someone will happily tell you that you could have bought better (not for the cost of the Cambridge though).

Use the input that sounds best to you. When you say it sounds happier through the MC - what exactly do you mean by 'happier'? You don't just mean louder do you?

 

Kind of louder and more in your face (if you know what I mean)...I need to listen more!

 

Hmm...sounds like you do just mean louder.

 

You need to look at the specs of your cart, and how your phono stage matches to it. I've left you a post in the other thread. You'd be better off looking for a Dynavector P-75 second hand. You should get one for about £200ish. You'd get that to match to your cart properly, then the cart can do what it's capable of.

 

Thks for the help ls!
The 640p seems to sound better than the rotel amp (when i go back to that the music seems lacking in interest), but are you saying that theres not a lot of point in going down this route with the cambridge stage? The point of the experimentation was to improve on the rotel amp phonostage and for £60 is easily absorbed.