good phonostage ~£40

What good phonostages are there around 40 quid, Looking at NAD pp1/2 and project phonobox at the moment. Any more to think about? Richer sounds do a plug in board for 20 quid to make my A5 have an internal but Id imagine it wouldnt be anything like as good as the above. Any thoughts people?

 

What's your TT?

 

i have used both and found them nigh on identical. they do a job. niether are what you would call great, but you have to spend, at the very least, twice as much to get any improvement over either of them.

 

I don't know about the NAD but I had the £20 doughterboard in my old Ariston Amp. I was more than happy with it.

Also have you considered the project phono stage at £40?

 

Turntable will be a thorens td160, I have indeed thought about the project phonobox A.T. Will there be much/any improvement in the project or NAD over the cambridge/ariston add on board? also do you know if it is possible to fit it myself? Im fairly competent but dont know whats involved. Certainly cant stretch to twice the amount at the moment Im afraid. Any other 'stages to consider?

Thanks again guys. One day I might stop asking and be able to answer some questions

 

Fitting that doughterboard is a piss of p*ss, there is just a linker you need to cut, with plyers or even scissors, its really easy then just plug the board in to the slot. There is no soldering involved or anything. However I doubt richers would let you fit yourself. I had to get them to fit it for them to supply it. I also got them to fix my fualty pot while it was in, they never did fix it though.

 

do they charge you much to have it fitted?

 

tebbs, Id go for the project box if it were me.

My logic would run to the knowledge that if in the long run I ever changed my amp, my phono stage would not go with it.

Few amps have decent phono stages, and having it seperate means you can always get a better seperate one at any point, should you want to.

To the best of my knowledge, things dont get better in the new market until youre talking around 150...

Although.... you might get a second hand Rega phono stage for about 50-100... although even that is beyond budget possibly?

 

No fitting is free which really translates to fitting is including in the price. The so called enginneer in the shop does it. However my experience with their engineers is not good. They seem to think a pot is somthing you smoke.