Adding phono to my system

[styrbjorn]

Hi all,

Posted a couple months ago looking for receiver upgrade ideas. Thanks to ADTG and Steve81 for talking me off the ledge at that point. Now I have added a phono to my setup, though, so I'm on the horns of a dilemma. Do I:

1) Just get a phono preamp to run into my existing receiver (Pioneer Elite VSX 21-TXH)
2) Upgrade receiver (would be nice to have ARC, phono input, and better internet suite for Pandora etc)
2a) Go to separates?

If a phono preamp is the way to go, I'd appreciate any recommendations.

If a receiver/separates are my best bet, I don't want to spend too much since I'm hoping that real 4K will be ubiquitous in about 4-6 years, so I expect to be upgrading everything at that point. With that said I'm comfortable in the $800-$1200 range for receivers (Pio SC-67, Denon 3313CI, etc) as long as I can find something that will match or surpass my existing SQ while giving me a viable phono input.

The rest of my system (if it helps):
Music Hall MMF2.2 turntable, Sony BDP-960CX BluRay changer, B&W 804S fromts (bi-amped), B&W HTM61 center, eD A5-350 sub, and Panasonic TC-P60ST60 plasma.

I'm about 60/40 music/HT for listening.

 

[Swerd]

Just get a phono preamp and run it into your existing receiver. It will cost less, and when you replace your receiver in the future, you won't be limited to those with a built-in phono preamp.

You didn't mention whether your phono cartridge is a moving magnet (MM) or moving coil (MC) type. As a guess, you probably have MM.

Look here for some choices: Budget Phono Preamps

For a MM phono preamp, you don't have to spend a lot, under $100 will be fine. I would have recommended the type I now have (Audio Technica PEQ3) but it is no longer available.

You will need:

1. An unused pair of analog RCA input jacks on your receiver.
2. RCA audio cables to go between the preamp and your receiver.
3. An electrical outlet. Many of these preamps use a walwart type transformer, so you may need the space for that.