2. analog
  3. 1073882936

Gram Phono Amps?

I am looking for an inexpensive Phono Stage to use with a modified DUAL 5000 TT and ortphon(?) Cartridge.

I will be using a Pamasonic SA-XR45 which is not known to have a very good ANalog section.I tried some of my Silver Spiral Cables the other night and was impressed with the playback I did get though.

Seeing that Silver Cables are said not to work well with this unit I was impressed even more with my cables and I am hoping that the Phono Amp I do choose is a good match.

I was thinking of purchasing either of the following:
Musical Surroundings MM/MC Phonomena Phono Preamplifier
Gram
Hagerman

What are your thoughts of these units for an inexpensive PA or are there other low cost units I should consider?

TIA
panny
chams_uk
158 posts
 
`I used to own the Gram Amp 2, KILLER for the $$. Upgraded to tubes, but I actually miss this little pup a bit, very musical, didn't add much of anything, just detracted a bit.

Hard to find used, so expect to pay retail. At that point, a used Phonomena MAY be a better deal for a little bit more money.

My 2 cents.....
johnnantais
621 posts
 
If you go too high in quality, you'll expose the weaknesses of your set-up and not find it musical anymore. I'd go for the lower-end Gram phono amp, as it's said to major on musicality over details and such. There's also the new NAD phono stage, which is MM and MC, and said to be quite an improvement over the PP1. NAD also majors on musicality: good bass, good rhythm, decent detail, and forgiving while sounding "complete." That is, unless you're planning to upgrade your record-player soon. Balance is the key, as I found out recently when my speakers were recently and drastically ungraded. Now it'll take months before I iron this out...Of course, it's live and learn...
panny OP
99 posts
 
I like the small footprint or thumbprint you might say!"Hey I coined a new phrase"Thumbprint"instead of "Footprint".No one steal it ,I own it remember that!L

Anyways,I am trying to get away from big boxes and into small componrnts now.There aer tradeoffs to doing that though as performance suffers alittle,but I can live with it.

I will look at the 3 mentioned again and see what I decide on.

If I had my way I would buy the new Linn Klimax setup ,but it's just a bit out of my $$ range at the moment at something like $9K.

The Panny is a great unit and beats a seperate setup I used about a year or so ago that cost 3X the price. I think there is something that can done to upgrade the analog section of the player and testing the Silver cable I market was good the other night so I think there might be synergy issues with those who have said it sucks. Silver is not suppose to work with it and analog sources are suppose to suck air,but that was not my experience the other night.

So I am hoping that the Phono Amp I do choose will be a good match also.

Any other choices that I am missing?

Thanks!
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