Reddit mentions: The best phono preamps

You could easily Pro-Ject your way up for £1000, and have a great sounding set-up going on! (I know, because I just went full Pro-Ject after browsing, checking and listening to tons of TT's)

• I can't recommend the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon enough. This will set you back £300, but it's worth every pence. And it comes with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge, so you're pretty well off there. (Although I went for the Ortofon OM 10 personally)
  
  
• Hook it up to a Phono Box II, and for an additional £70 you're even pre-amped! Or, use a pre-amp, dependent on the amp you're going to use. The pre-amp is with its £123 a tad more expensive, but those extra pounds could come in useful. (Whether or not the amp can adjust volume. If not, like the one listed below, you'll need this to be able to adjust the volume)
  
  
• Power it up with an Amp Box DS, and for another £300 you're done!
  
  A great set-up for under £700!
  
  Of course, you can always use some speakers as well. I don't know how big you want to go, but if you want to keep it compact and clean, you can't go wrong with a pair of JBL speakers. These will set you back for £150.
  
  So for under £850 you have yourself a truly great brand and spanking new set-up.
  
  If £1000 is your budget, you can even squeeze in some upgrades.
  
  
• The Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter is a good purchase for £100! Looks beautiful on the TT, and gives you less resonance, so a better sound. (But more importantly, you can leave the stock felt mat aside. How much I like Pro-Ject, that felt mat is crap!)
  
  
• The Speed Box is another great upgrade for some £100. This one will let you switch between 33 and 45 rpm, without having to manually change the belt. It also equalizes the power from your outlet, resulting in a guaranteed playback speed of 33 or 45 rpm.
  (Do check compatibility, though. Not all power supplies are compatible. For the BE power outlet, I had to go for the Speed Box SEII. That one will set you back a bit more, but I heard that Pro-Ject is releasing a new one this summer that supposedly will be 'budget')
  
  So it's possible to have an upgraded set-up for just over £1000. And I guarantee you'll be very happy with your set-up!
  
  I know this relies heavily on Pro-Ject. But what can I say... I'm a fan. I'm sure there are other possibilities and options out there that are just as good (and if you can score some great vintage finds, even better). So, I'm not saying you should absolutely go for this set-up. Do as I do. Snoop around. Listen and compare. Just wanted to give you an idea of a great new set-up within your budget.
  
  EDIT: expanded on the pre-amplification.

First of all, before I give suggestions, let me just say it's definitely possible to find something better than what I'm recommending for less money if you go vintage or scour craigslist. However I don't have the knowledge to really help you with vintage gear. I know it takes time, patience, possibly repairs & finding parts, etc. Plus you need to know what you're looking for. And if you don't live in a huge city with tons of quality vintage hi-fi stuff on craigslist or floating around in goodwill stores, it could be a while. So if you want to go that route, maybe somebody around here could take a look at your local craiglist or something and help you out.

So with that being said, if you want to go new/newish, this is the exact lineup I bought for my first setup recently. It's all going to fall into the category of entry level/minimum for "audiophile" so it won't absolutely blow your mind, then again looking at your current situation maybe it will lol:


Project Debut Carbon DC (usually a $400 table, available for $300) here

You will see a lot of people recommend Project, Rega and U-Turn as the best entry level "audiophile" style tables. I am not a man of means so it worked for me. The DC is the upgraded version of the Debut Carbon with a better, quieter power source. Comes with an adjustable counterweight and anti-skate, which your LP60 does not have and the absence of which can cause damage to your records. Furthermore you can upgrade the stylus, the platter, I think the tonearm (?) down the road if you wish, when more money becomes available. It comes with an Ortofon 2M Red which is a solid budget cartridge.

Audioengine A5+ - lightly used $319

Very good powered speakers for the money, so you wouldn't have to spend money on a receiver/amp at this time. I've been thoroughly impressed with them.

Project Phono Box S lightly used - $161.50

Phono stage. Could maybe find one for cheaper that would be just as good, I don't know a ton about phono stages. Remember to set the gain to match your TT when you get it.


Total: $780

I know you said your budget maxed at $600, maybe wait another paycheck or 2 or find a different cheaper phono stage and/or downgrade the A5+ speakers to A2's which are bookshelf speakers if you're ok with that.

There are a lot of options out there, this is just what I ended up going with recently and I'm very satisfied. I've already upgraded the platter on the TT to an acrylic one, and will prob upgrade the cartridge next christmas as a gift to myself, thinking maybe the 2M Bronze. But this will absolutely serve and give you a huge increase in performance from day 1.

Speakers should be most of your budget as they have by far the biggest impact on sound quality. I built my entire system for around the same amount, and incidentally also considered the RP6.

I went:

• TT: Marantz TT15 S1
  
• Preamp: Parasound Zphono ( http://www.amazon.com/Parasound-Zphono-Phono-Stage-USB/dp/B001RM7BLG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416417406&sr=8-3&keywords=parasound+preamp ). FWIW you can get a very good preamp for pretty cheap. Even the ART DJ Pre is pretty good, and is only $50 ( http://www.amazon.com/ART-II-Preamplifier-Output-Switchable/dp/B000AJR482 ). This is one area where the audiophile snake oil gets insane IMO.
  
• Amplifier: Peachtree Audio Nova125 ( http://www.amazon.com/Peachtree-Audio-Integrated-Amplifier-Rosewood/dp/B00KSPIKI6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=18PRT9VKJC02NRJ2FN50 ). Same with preamps, great amplifiers can be had for very little money. Just find one with low distortion and enough power. Emotiva amps are a great way to get lots of low distortion power for very cheap ( https://emotiva.com/products/emotiva/amplifiers-0 )
  

• Speakers: KEF R500 ( http://www.kefdirect.com/r-500-floor-standing.html ). You should spend most of your money here. You can read all you like on the internet but this is one area where you should really really audition in person. If you are set on bookshelf, check out the KEF LS50. You will probably want a sub if you get bookshelf speakers, SVS makes great subs and has a no-risk in home trial period ( http://www.svsound.com/?utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=svs%20subwoofer&utm_campaign=Brand )
  

  
  

  edit: Keep your Yamaha, it puts 90W at .09% distortion into 8ohm and looks from the spec sheet like it can handle 4ohm loads as well. You will be fine with that amp driving anything but the most demanding speakers. Your amp also has airplay built in, which is incredibly useful when you have friends over etc.

Upvotes for Pearl Jam!

As far as the standard DC; it's a very minor inconvenience. You simply lift the platter off, move the belt to the 45rpm position on the spindle, and put the platter back on.

You can also get the Pro-Ject Speed Box later on if you went with a non-automatic and wanted to add that capability.

It really all comes down to preference. If you didn't go the route of the the Espirit package, you have more room to play and can always add on the features in that combo later.

For instance, you could go with the following (assuming you have a preference for the Pro-Ject and Ortofon carts:

• Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC: $400
  
  
• Ortofon 2M Bronze: $440
  
  
• Pro-Ject Phono Box S: $150
  
  Total would be $990. You wouldn't have the acrylic platter ($100 to buy separately) and you wouldn't have auto-speed change (noted above, you could get the speed box later if it was too much of an annoyance). But the Bronze is a big jump over the Blue, and I did not find the platter change to give much (if any) of a sound improvement.
  
  Personally, I'd prioritize the cartridge above most other things. Whether that's an Ortofon or something else in a similar range to the bronze.
  
  But, at the end of the day, it's all subjective to each person. If you think the speed control and platter are must haves, and the Blue will be good enough for your system, then that TTL is definitely a good deal with the bonus accessories and it will sound good too.
  
  Hope that all helps a bit!

If going with a Pro-ject, at least get a Debut instead of the base model Essential and the better ones have (DC) motor control.

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit (DC) €395 is on sale for the same price as the Pro-Ject - Debut Carbon (DC).

Phono preamp: Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Black €144 has adjustable gain settings. Taking the Guesswork out of Phonostage Gain.

Then consider looking for a used stereo or AV recevier. A good amount of stereo receivers have a phono input so you can start using that and upgrade to a better external such as the Phono Box S2 later.

Canton are a German speaker brand look for some used or new for a good value.

Good deal on sale: Canton SP 206 Kompaktlauts Speakers Black (Pair) €126.90

Speaker amplification:

• Low budget Auna AV2 CD508 or Auna AV2/CD50 or Dynavox or Mohr SV50.
  
• Sony STR-DH190 has a phono input.
  
• Better Pioneer SX 10AE
  
• Onkyo TX8130
  
• Onkyo TX-8220
  
• Yamaha RS202DBL
  
  Also check out r/BudgetAudiophile.
  
  Home Audio Guides: Intro to home stereo systems • Zeos Tutorials, Diagrams and Videos • r/audiophile Guide to Home Audio • Introduction to Audio Components • Speaker Placement for Stereo Music Listening • r/HTBuyingGuides FAQ

Cool! I'd like to see some pics of those speakers when you get a chance. I read this blog about this preamp and I'm contemplating one for my next purchase. I currently run an 80s Yamaha with an integrated preamp...it is pretty nice, but I'd like to upgrade sometime.

Best of luck to ya!

I'm looking for advice. I have an Audio Techia LP120 with the stock stylus that was installed at the record shop I purchased it at, and I'm looking to upgrade. My intention is to keep the existing one set aside ready to swap out with the upgraded one when I play older and used records to keep the new one in as good of shape as possible. Is this doable? It seems that the tonearm is made for such an arrangement given as the head shell has a quick disconnect.

Next question is the actual stylus. At first, I was looking at an Ortofon Blue, but I've also seen people really like the AT-VM540ML. Thoughts?

Final question; Protractors...I am so confused and I can't find very much information on selecting a good protractor. I've tried printing them online but I can never be sure that my scaling is correct, so I would rather just buy a product on the market. It seems that most protractors I can find on Amazon are Baerwald, even some disk shaped protractors. Not really sure what the best tool is for my TT. Also, I have 99.9% 12" records, so to my limited understanding of cartridge alignment, I should be aligning for my record size rather than TT or tonearm style.

And lastly, I use the on-board pre-amp on the LP120, the old and cheap Behringer I had before sounds even worse than the on-board one. Would be nice to get that upgraded to as long as I can find a decently affordable option. For example, I found this on Amazon. Although it looks legit with the tubes and all, it is only 65 bucks and I don't want to waste my time and money. If I have to pony up more than that for a decent preamp, then I may start with that before the cartridge.

I've been collecting for a few years now, only this past year have I gotten really serious about it, so I'm sitll learning. Thanks in advance!

It's a little over your budget ($299 from Amazon) but I recently purchased the Vincent Audio PHO-8 and I love it. I have it paired with a Denon DL-103R. Very detailed soundstage, I think the bass is very clean, and beautiful build quality.

I haven't heard the Rega Fono, but I have heard the Cambridge.

I'd certainly take the Cambridge between the two of them, especially considering how stupid cheap a reconditioned one is on Accesories4Less right now.

IMO, the best phono preamp that can be had in that price range is the Vincent PHO-8. Fully isolated power supply in its own chassis and MC/MM support. It punches way above it's weight, I haven't heard a preamp under $1000 that sounds as good (though I'm sure they are out there).

if that's including a turntable then the LSR305's may be your best bet. To achieve a new passive setup that's better than those, you'll need at a minimum this receiver with these speakers, which leaves you with ~ $170 for a U-turn orbit, but still short of a phono stage. I've heard that this is a satisfactory budget phono stage, perhaps you could consider it. I have to tell you though, that vinyl is an expensive proposition, and whilst this is a very decent, even competent turntable compared to the Crosleys and the Pyles, it is built to a price, and you might find yourself wanting to upgrade really soon. If you're willing to go used, you might find more options at a similar price point. New, my recommendation would be to perhaps spend a bit more on the receiver and speakers; and add what's remaining to a turntable fund, save up for a bit and get a nice turntable (that's more of a keeper) and a phono stage.

I would be very hesitant about running something as weak as a phono signal that distance. At very least make sure you use a phono pre-amp near the turntable and plug into a non-phono input at the receiver. I would consider something like a Sewell Sound Link - but I'd definitely use the phono pre-amp before sending through that and use the non-phono input on the receiver.

​

The extender:

https://sewelldirect.com/products/sound-link-al10-rca-3-5mm-over-cat5e-6-2000ft

There are obviously much better phono preamps - but this would be bare minimum.

https://smile.amazon.com/Behringer-Microphono-PP400-Ultra-Compact-Preamp/dp/B000H2BC4E/ref=sr_1_6

Something like these would be better:

https://smile.amazon.com/Pro-Ject-Audio-Phono-preamp-Output/dp/B007DB5I60/ref=sr_1_14

or

https://smile.amazon.com/Schiit-Mani-Phono-Preamp-Cartridges/dp/B07P8WYX6N/ref=sr_1_11

My Rega P1 is is plugged into a " Rega - Fono Mini A2D MM Phono Preamp & USB A/D Converter ", then fed to my laptop so I can record records as I listen. I run those through Audacity to clean audio, save as a Flac file and upload to Google Music. I'll either listen with a set of Bose desktop speakers, or through Soundheiser open ear headphones (which is the better experience in my case). And because it's on Google Music, I can hear my records anywhere! Next best thing to hearing the actual record.

Hello fine people of /r/vinyl!

I'm looking for general thoughts on this setup for my large-ish bedroom. Any pro/cons on amps I haven't thought of? Any general warnings on choosing a preamp? I'm not trying to go too much more expensive unless there is a good argument to do so. Also, any cable advice would be great!

• Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit (DC)
  
  
• Phono Preamp: ART DJPRE II seems well reviewed? This is the second time I've seen the Vincent - PHO-8 recommended (once in a review and once in the comments below) but it seems like it might be somewhat overkill with the setup I have planned. Would this amp/speakers actually get any benefit from the upgrade?
  
  
• Amp: Arcam A19 or Peachtree nova220se unless you all have a better suggestion. I don't use headphones. Arcam has a good phono preamp which Peachtree is lacking. Peachtree has an integrated DAC which will be great... until it is outdated. The Arcam will be a pain to get my hands on so I was leaning towards the Peachtree 125se which is, of course, out of stock. So I'm looking at the nova220se instead. But then I need a phono preamp... bleh.
  
  
• Speakers: KEF LS50
  
  Thanks! (ps. If the 'no stupid questions' thread restarts tomorrow, I may repost this there.)

ART DJ Pre II. Adjustable gain and a subsonic filter. Generally considered the best phono stage until you hit the $200+ mark.

https://www.amazon.com/ART-DJPREII-Audio-Turntable-Preamplifier/dp/B000AJR482

For $10 over your budget, I'd suggest this;

https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Little-Bear-Turntable-Pre-Amplifier/dp/B075YQM28P/ref=pd_sbs_23_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B075YQM28P&pd_rd_r=a55e9663-c5fc-11e8-a9f9-45c00ac54db7&pd_rd_w=il42v&pd_rd_wg=ZIGqR&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=0bb14103-7f67-4c21-9b0b-31f42dc047e7&pf_rd_r=ZR0971SVJMV8BPR9P1B1&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=ZR0971SVJMV8BPR9P1B1

Tubes do something really wonderful with vinyl. And even though this is pretty much a solid state preamp, it does use the tubes as a buffer which get you most of the sound.

Well, the best thing would be to find a deal on a vintage stereo receiver with a phono input.

In any event, if you have unpowered speakers, you need to have some sort of amplifier. Depending on the size, you could get away with something like a preamp (to bring the turntable up to line-level output) and running that into a T-amp, which might be enough to power your speakers.

Preamp: something like this.
T-amp: something like this.

Hi all,

I'm looking for some cartridge assistance/general information on a first TT I am purchasing as an x-mas gift for my girlfriend (she's rad).

I've read all the links and guides and have finally settled on two choices for a new TT: the Fluance RT83

or the Denon DP-300F

The Denon DP-300F is on sale for black Friday currently so I am leaning towards it. That being said, I would like to replace the cartridge on it with a Ortofon 2M Red. How difficult would it be for someone completely new to TT's like myself to replace the cartridge? Would I be better off purchasing it already upgraded from another source and just pay the difference for the work and peace of mind that it is done correctly: https://www.turntablelab.com/products/denon-dp-300f-turntable-ortofon-2m-red-upgrade

Also, as a side note, I am looking at pairing both with an active speaker (I'll upgrade and do things the right way as I get more funds--ugh!). And if I go with RT83 I'll pick up a Schiit Mani pre-amp as well. To hook everything up, all I'll need is two pairs of RCA cables for connecting the TT to the pre-amp and then another pair to connect pre-amp to speakers correct? I would hate to get everything all packaged together for x-mas and then figure out I didn't even get the right cables to hook this bad boy up.

Cheers

What would be the difference between these Phono Preamps? They all vary in price, and I've seen them all talked about on this sub, and I've researched review sites/videos on Google and YouTube, etc. And I really can't find someone saying one or the other is clearly better. There's just so many preamps I see that are recommended, and I keep asking questions in this thread to get a better idea so that I can purchase one.

Schiit Mani -- http://schiit.com/products/mani

Music Fidelity V90 LPS -- https://www.amazon.com/Musical-Fidelity-V90-LPS-Phono-Preamp/dp/B00E5BY9SO/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1475180747&sr=1-2&keywords=schiit+mani

Rolls VP29 --https://www.amazon.com/rolls-VP29-Phono-Preamp/dp/B0002BG2R2/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1475183493&sr=8-6&keywords=bellari+phono

Pro-Ject Phono Box MM -- https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Ject-Phono-Box-Preamplifier-Black/dp/B000YEK1AQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1475183640&sr=1-2&keywords=project+phono

Hackerman Bugle 2 -- https://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/products/bugle2

Pro-Ject Phono-Box S -- https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Ject-Audio-Phono-preamplifier-Silver/dp/B007I961IQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475184602&sr=8-1&keywords=project+phono+preamp+s

These are all phono preamps that I've seen that are pretty popular on the Internet and on forums, reddit, etc, but I don't know the difference between all of these. If it helps, I just purchased a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC and I already have Audioengine 5 speakers.

For budget, I'd want to stick between $100 and $200, but I'm willing to go to $250.

The Parasound Zphono is a fantastic unit to add to your list of options. There is also This version, with usb out to record vinyl. The headphone out, and three inputs (just one phono) are a nice touch as well. Both support MM and MC cartridges.

With links!

Turn table - https://uturnaudio.com/products/orbit-custom

Monitors - https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Rokit6G3--krk-rokit-6-g3-6-inch-powered-studio-monitor

Preamp - https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Little-Bear-Turntable-Pre-Amplifier/dp/B075YQM28P/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=little+bear+tube+amp&qid=1557685982&s=gateway&sr=8-5

​

I bought my Turntable without a preamp specifically so I could choose my own. When/If you build a custom u-turn table you can have one installed into it to save on headaches and space. Hope this all helps! My set up may be small but that's due to budget, not because I don't know much so if you have questions feel free to reach out!!!

Like most people said, discogs is your place for reviews. Look up a specific pressing and there will often be reviews of that pressing.

For example, if you were looking to buy Pinkerton by Weezer on vinyl,you would look up discogs and learn that the MoFi and VMP pressings sound better than the 'back to black' pressings.

Generally, there are a few to avoid, but that's mostly in terms of labels and pressing plants. All albums "translate" well to vinyl, as in given the right pressing conditons, even a modern digitally recorded album will sound cool on vinyl. There are some purists who think that only analogue sourced music works on vinyl but they can jump in a lake. It's more about specific pressings.

Also, your turntable and setup will have a huge impact on how your record sounds. Go speak to the angry mob at r/vinyl for setup help.

​

Edit: shit, since I'm going too deep on this comment already, here are some setup tips if you need them. Stay away from Crosley. Don't buy a bluetooth turntable because... that's analogue -> digital and defeats the purpose. You may read that the incredibly popular Audio Technica ATLP 60 will DESTROY your records. It absolutely will not (if you play each record less than 1,000 times like a normal human). However, that does not mean it's a good turntable. I would avoid it and look for a more expensive turntable - the investment will be worth it in the end. I've heard the U-Turn tables are good for beginners but haven't used them personally. Pro-Ject tables, which I have used, are also good. You're also most likely going to need an amplifier/receiver. If your amplifier doesn't have a phono pre-amp (it will have "phono" written on the back, along with a grounding pin), you will need to pick up a seperate pre-amp. I recommend the Pro-Ject phono box.

I've had this phono preamp recommended. After that I need a cartridge and some from of audio interface I think. Is a receiver a cost effective option or would I be better off with just an audio interface? Also what cartridge would you recommend?

Schiit Mani Phono Preamp for MC and MM Cartridges https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P8WYX6N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MDVsDbCQME1XV ah I see.so i guess my question would be then.since i have a built in phono,if i switched the switch other way(turning off preamp?)and connected to this.would that be a great improvement?

Looks like there are options, you're right that I misjudged the ART. I might be wrong, but it looks like the Pro-Ject Tube Box can be used to control the output with that variable dial. And there seems to be a bunch of no-name phono preamps in the sub-$100 range with volume controls - TEC, Muslady, Fosi... can't vouch for the quality but it does look like it's an option, at least.

Something like This or This

I do like what you linked though... that's certainly an option.

So I just want to make sure I have everything I need to start listening.

I bought

U-turn basic turn table

Pro ject pre amp

Pro-Ject Phono Box E Phonograph Preamplifier (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CZW87HS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.y5JybP1H26AD

Edifier prowered speakers

Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers - 2.0 Active Near Field Monitors - Studio Monitor Speaker - Wooden Enclosure - 42 Watts RMS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016P9HJIA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GA5JybESPYCTD

In my opinion this is the best preamp for the money

I think the 551p and 651p are now discontinued and replaced by the CP1 and CP2 so here's the price comparison:

• CP2 on Amazon: $249.00
  
  
• CP2 on Richer Sounds: £129.95 ($156.69 according to google)
  
  Big price difference. I've heard great stuff about their preamp and they were at the top of my list when I was looking for a cheapish one $100-150, but I couldn't find one for a decent price here.

You should have gotten the phono preamp and amplifier before even buying records, but, cest la vie. Out of curiosity, how did you even listen to them while they were that quiet?

You need a phono preamp so that you can boost the signal from the record player to line level. You'll plug the record player into the phono preamp, and then the phono preamp into your amplifier, and finally amplifier into speakers.

I chose the TCC 760 phono preamp and a NAD C325 amplifier for my introductory setup.

Is this a good preamp to use with the fluance RT82?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P8WYX6N/?coliid=I3282GGRUFDHOQ&colid=3A3W1Z0CUSK9T&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

It seems to be suggested quite a bit, but I'd like something $100 or slightly less if possible.

I am new to preamps, as I've owned record player with them built in but am looking to upgrade my set up to one without. So the preamp is a whole new world. I've been reading for hours on them tonight and it's a bit overwhelming!

Whats the difference between this preamp and this one? Also what other preamps are better in this price range?

shitty. I have a Yamaha R-S700 (3 years old) all analog receiver..and the phono pre-amp sound like ass. I bought a Cambridge Audio CP2 preamp and the diff is night and day. Point is that built-in phono pre's are seldom of the quality you can get with a separate - even at a value price like the Schiit or Rega.

https://www.amazon.com/Schiit-Mani-Phono-Preamp-Cartridges/dp/B07P8WYX6N/ref=pd_cp_267_4/132-5221849-4872706?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07P8WYX6N&pd_rd_r=feaaf4e2-af77-4029-b754-d978bebc5084&pd_rd_w=jpQxq&pd_rd_wg=xLnNS&pf_rd_p=0e5324e1-c848-4872-bbd5-5be6baedf80e&pf_rd_r=BPYQBP6ZST4EJAFH40C4&psc=1&refRID=BPYQBP6ZST4EJAFH40C4

If you really want an answer, r/audiophile is a better place to ask.

There's the Leema Pulse IV which has a phono stage for both MM and MC cartridges, but it doesn't seem to be purchasable anywhere yet. The only other one I know of is the Parasound Halo Integrated, which can be hard to find depending on your location.

Have you considered using a separate phono preamp? Something like the Schiit Mani or the Cambridge Audio CP2 for example.

I'd go with the Cambridge Audio 551P or something like the Pro-ject Phono Box.

Of course there are more expensive and less expensive options but these won't break the bank for your upgrade.

I'm going to assume that the amp that you have for your turntable doesn't have a headphone jack already.

I think either of those options would work. Also take a look at these as well.

Parasound Zphono MM/MC Phono Preamplifier with USB https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RM7BLG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rF1QCbQF9HZ8V

https://www.musicdirect.com/mofi-electronics-ultraphono-phono-preampheadphone-amplifier

https://www.musicdirect.com/cambridge-audio-duo-mmmc-phono-preamplifier

Pro-Ject Phono Box S ($199) should suit that turntable just fine.

No, you can't simply connect the RCA cable to the turntable and the crack, phono voltage out is below 'line level' amounts.

To mirror what /u/andrews013 said, yes the aune is probably the weakest point of your stack. If you want to improve your setup, sell the Aune, buy a proper phono pre-amp such as:

TCC TC-750

Rega Fono Mini (which does have a USB output)

Bugle2

or several others & for dac suggestions I'd probably go with either a Schiit Modi, Henry Audio DAC or JDSLabs Standalone ODAC,

https://www.amazon.com/Schiit-Mani-Phono-Preamp-Cartridges/dp/B07P8WYX6N/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=134RUUTB0YR6D&keywords=phono+preamp&qid=1565811983&s=gateway&sprefix=phono+pre%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRlZUMlpINjNZVUFDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTgzMTU5MVRCUkJBUlZDSVRSWiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODEyMzg5MkI0TDlHUUoxTzdNNiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Looking to get my first setup, how does this look?

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https://www.amazon.com/Fluance-RT80-Adjustable-Counterweight-Anti-Skating/dp/B01F2B3FKI/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1542324459&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=fluance+rt80

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https://www.amazon.com/JBL-305PMKII-Powered-Studio-Monitor/dp/B077N2GQXC

x2

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https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Ject-Phono-Box-Preamplifier-Black/dp/B01CZW87HS

Try checking this thing out.

Edit: I see that the rega was mentioned below. I believe this will match your needs.

Yamaha RX-A880 is 900USD.

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-A880-Audio-Component-Receiver/dp/B07D39HGJW

Might look at some older models, depends on what all you are looking to get from it.

You should be able to find a Yamaha RX-V1065 for around 300USD, does 7.2 and both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

> Pro-Ject

How about the Pro-Ject one? It's $200: https://www.amazon.com/PRO-JECT-PHONO-BOX-S-BLACK/dp/B0096QYWZI

Not quite within your guidelines, but I would consider the PHO8 https://www.amazon.com/Vincent-PHO-8-Phono-Outboard-Supply/dp/B003BFYHDC

Which preamp is better?

• Pro-Ject Preamp
  
  
• Bugle2 Preamp

if I get something like this http://www.amazon.com/REGA-FONOMMAD2-FONO-MINI-A2D/dp/B006GE9XQQ rega fono mini, do I still need an additional pre amp? if I understand correctly, a phono pre/ phono stage converts the phono signal (?) into a line out signal. do I always need a separate pre amp to also amplify the signal, or is there something I can buy that will do both of these? sorry if these are stupid questions, but I am having a hard time figuring this out

If you think vinyl records have "more fine detail", you're wrong. It makes very little sense to buy a turntable and start a vinyl collection from scratch today.

In any case, you only need a phono stage, not a receiver. Your speakers are powered. If the problem that you want to connect multiple sources, you can get this to do everything or a separate audio switch.