Hi, I have recently acquired the Project Xperience and the Cambridge Phono stage, I am enjoying it very much and its great listening to vinyl again. However I would appreciate some advise.
At the moment that Phono is going through the Meridian Processor(and sound surprisingly good) but the immediate plan is to put it through a passive amp and directly into the Meridian 557 power amp, it will then be completely analog. I am probably going to purchase a NVA Passive Pre-Amp for this as I have had 2 previously and found them to be very good.
The next thing I thought to improve one would be the Phono MC Amp, at present a Cambridge Azur 640P, I have several in mind that are within my price range and would appreciate any advice or experience with them.
Firstly the Rega Aria £800
Secondly the Clearaudio Basic+ Phono Stage £595
NVA - PHONO 2 / PSU Head Amplifier. MM or MC - £500
Thirdly the Pro-Ject Tube Box S £299
Any thoughts on the above or others would be welcomed.
Phono Amp advice please?
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AJSki2fly
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Phono Amp advice please?
Cheer Adrian 
Project Xperience 2 Pack with Ortofon Rondo Blue Cartridge
Cambridge Azur 640P Phono Stage
Meridian 508 CD
Meridian 562 Multimedia Controller
Meridian 565 Digital Sound Processor
Meridian 557 200w/channel Power Amp for Stereo and Fronts
Dali Ikon 6 mk2 (Stereo fronts)
Centre - Meridian - Active Speaker
Rear & Centres - Mission Flat speakers driven by 50w/channel amp
Mission - Active Sub-Woofer
A sweet sounding set up.
Project Xperience 2 Pack with Ortofon Rondo Blue Cartridge
Cambridge Azur 640P Phono Stage
Meridian 508 CD
Meridian 562 Multimedia Controller
Meridian 565 Digital Sound Processor
Meridian 557 200w/channel Power Amp for Stereo and Fronts
Dali Ikon 6 mk2 (Stereo fronts)
Centre - Meridian - Active Speaker
Rear & Centres - Mission Flat speakers driven by 50w/channel amp
Mission - Active Sub-Woofer
A sweet sounding set up.
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Neilwootton
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slinger
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Re: Phono Amp advice please?
Just a thought, why not try the NVA Phono 1 at £280.00 for starters and if you like the sound (which is probably a given) then upgrade to the Phono 2 a bit later? You should get 100% trade in on the Phono 1 against a shiny new Phono 2, and by that time you may have freed up enough cash to go top of the range with the additional Phono 2 power supply.
Amps - NVA P50, AP30, A40, Stanislav Palo Tube Headphone Amp BB 85
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X
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SteveTheShadow
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Re: Phono Amp advice please?
Yep Slinger, thats exactly what I intend to do with my Phono 1 eventually. 
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Somebody’s stepping on my plastic sandals. Joe Jackson (1979)
Somebody’s stepping on my plastic sandals. Joe Jackson (1979)
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Dr Bunsen Honeydew
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Re: Phono Amp advice please?
AJ - Just about everyone here is an owner of nva phono or wants one so you wont get a balanced opinion. Plus it would I think be impossible to find someone who had heard all of those.
Anyway you take no risk, always buy on-line, if no likeee send back for full refund. Try is the answer to everything, you will find the manufacturers who avoid it are the ones who know they will lose out, or are scare they will lose out.
Anyway you take no risk, always buy on-line, if no likeee send back for full refund. Try is the answer to everything, you will find the manufacturers who avoid it are the ones who know they will lose out, or are scare they will lose out.
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Daniel Quinn
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_D_S_J_R_
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Re: Phono Amp advice please?
Look at the OP's signature DQ
I like the Phono 2 (with PSU) and bought one myself so may be biased. It can have a second supply easily added (just tie up the unused umbilicals behind) which fleshes it out even more. Mine's been set for MM and MC and it's great with either.
I like the Phono 2 (with PSU) and bought one myself so may be biased. It can have a second supply easily added (just tie up the unused umbilicals behind) which fleshes it out even more. Mine's been set for MM and MC and it's great with either.
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way...The time has gone, The song is over, Thought I'd something more to say...
Re: Phono Amp advice please?
Is that a special, I thought you had to have either MM or MC not both?_D_S_J_R_ wrote:Look at the OP's signature DQ
I like the Phono 2 (with PSU) and bought one myself so may be biased. It can have a second supply easily added (just tie up the unused umbilicals behind) which fleshes it out even more. Mine's been set for MM and MC and it's great with either.
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southall-1998
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Dr Bunsen Honeydew
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Re: Phono Amp advice please?
If I could have persuaded her (we had to agree) NVA would be in Devon or Somerset.