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RE: How can you know your phono/line stage is "good" enough?

"...other than auditioning different preamps/cartridges - can you determine in advance if the phono/line stage you presently use will be "good enough" for a higher-end cartridge?"

You really can't determine in advance. You have to try various phono preamps for yourself along with various cartridges. If you have a trusted audiophile friend with similar preferences as you, he might be the next best resource in describing his experiences. I don't put a lot of faith in magazine reviews unless they do a detailed comparison against another piece of similarly priced gear. Otherwise, it's mostly audiophile fluff to me.

Even some of the more expensive phono preamps aren't necessarily the best or to my liking. I've tried the following over the years:

Cambridge Audio 640p
Musical Fidelity V-LPS
Graham Slee Era Gold V
Hagerman Cornet II Silver Edition (factory built tube phono)
PS Audio GCPH
Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena (battery powered)
Aesthetix Rhea (tube)
Rogue Ares (tube)
EAR 834P (tube)

I've also used and still own the Bob's Devices CineMag 1131 "Blue Version" SUT and the Bob's Devices 3440A CineMag SUT, both are outstanding for coupling a MC cartridge to a MM phono preamp.

For the price and versatility, my favorite is the PS Audio GCPH. It gets very little respect because there are so many of them out there and they don't cost a King's ransom.

For a tube phono, my favorite is the Rogue Ares.

My present phonos include the PS Audio GCPH & Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena.

Oh, and for those who dismiss the Technics SL1200 direct drive turntable and arm as insufficient to benefit from some of the better phono preamps and cartridges, all I have to say is that they are dead wrong based on my personal experiences.



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