Phono Preamp Recommendations

I would skip the 540P as RIAA EQ is active and it uses ICs. My vote would go to the vintage Radio Shack 42-2101A phono preamp, which you should be able to buy for around $30.00.

It is all discrete, no ICs or op amps and sounds wonderful. I had it at the same time as the 640P and preferred it by a wide margin. It does not have a high gain stage for MC cartridges however. Then again, using a $200.00 phono stage with a low output MC may not be the best idea either.

My 640p is a thoroughly vetted inexpensive item that got some of the best reviews I've seen for ANY phono preamp, has one of the most accurate RIAA circuits ever measured, is built like a tank, and sounds amazing. It also has a (rare these days) 20hz rumble filter that I seem to need, and I stuck a Pangea P100 power supply on it simply because I had one on a DAC and liked it. The Pangea is much better than a "wall wart", cost less than a decent tire, and now that the 640p has been replaced by a new model you may be able to find one for peanuts. Remember...if somebody hasn't actually heard a piece of gear in a system, their opinion of its sound quality is utterly meaningless.

Amen Wolf!