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Help Selecting a Good Tube Phono Stage?

Hello,

I need some help deciding on an economical tube phono stage for my system. It must be reasonably priced as my wife and I are cooking a baby in the oven. My system consists of a JVC QLY-66F turntable, a Uwe body Denon DL-103R cartridge, a pair of nice Bogen MO100A tube monoblocks, and a vintage pair of Klipsch Cornwall speakers. A nice tube Pre-amp would be nice too but I am thinking that purchasing a phono stage will be more economical. Besides, this is my vinyl only system and a full pre-amp is not required. I do have a Bob's Decices cinemag step-up transformer if needed, but will sell if my new phonostage is flexible enough to use with both MC and MM cartridges.

Thanks in advance for any input.
thebclshow
grinnell
661 posts
 
I have a decent stock of 12ax and 12au tubes mostly mullards which i think are too dark, tubey, too much mid range so i might look for brighter tubes that might be thiner in the midrange. I have De Capo speakers which may accent the midrange
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I used different combinations of Mullard, Siemens and RCA.

Sounds like you might be a candidate for RCA or Siemens.
grinnell
661 posts
 
I have some RCA5814's in it now with Sylvania 12ax7wa's.

In my tube box se and my primaluna PL2 the sylvania'a are too bright but it opened up the WPP200c
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I was also using RCA 5814. Liked them very much.
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