Advice on buying a phono stage....

There is no BB3 available for loan at the minute, however, I do know of two that would be available very soon.

It would be my choice at your price range, but I am biased lol

Plus one from me for the BB3. When I was using it I had an LP12 of a similar spec as your own.

It is a wonderful phono stage that really makes listening to music an absolute joy. As John (lurch) says it is brilliant in its standard guise, but then you can improve it further with improved valves. Here is a link to customer feedback audioaddictsforum.com/thread/1639/bigbottle-avalon-customer-feedback

Looking at your TT spec I would also consider a MC cartridge, they really can unlock so much more from those little grooves!

Tons of choice out there and people will steer you one way or other.

My advice in this game is to always do your own homework and research to inform yourself. From my experience, you will then be drawn to something, get a sense of what is genuinely good and what you want, by way of that gut feeling.

That has always been the way for me, regardless of how much favour forum members have for things. I have never been disappointed by this approach and learned an invaluable amount along that route as well.

Btw, you wont pick up an Aurorasound Vda for anywhere near between £500 -£800. Maybe people are referring to the Aurorasound Vida Prima, which I recommended on your welcome thread. I purchased mine, new, for £1K.

The far more expensive Vida's do come up, but you'll seldom see the entry Vida Prima for sale - wonder why ??     Mark my words when I say it is an audio bargain, research it yourself, along with as many other phonostages within your budget, that you can. 

Btw no.2 - do you know what you are after ?  do you like valves? ( I personally have never had an interest and I have heard valve phonostage, it was a BB3 and was good, did nothing wrong, typically very warm valve sound, which for me carries a level of bloom to the sound, that warmth which many love.  Whilst I like a sense of a touch natural warmth ( My Plinius 9200 Integrated amplifier does that), I prefer an overall foundation in kit that stays more over in the neutral lane, if you know what I mean and let's the music bring its flavour and star the show. 

Either way, it's not about what me or anyone else wants and likes but you, hence why I asked.

All the best, what ever you decide on 
  

And I kind of knew that before you mentioned ie: and point being the danger in this game can so often be hearing something that is not necessary 'better' per se but different, a dangerous thing because people are often pulled by that without really realising - been there done that.   

Again, valves, from my perspective, for reasons I've mentioned and other reasons, specifically, are not a requirement I have ever felt I need in this game.  Also, another thing to have to change at some point, that I didnt need in the equation.


And then valve rolling is for me an unnecessary thing, like trying out flavours, sources on the meat, if you get my gist, I have no desire as see it as unnecessary, a non requirement, but each to their own, absolutely - I'd be a complete ignoramus to believe there are not folk out there with valve component that play some sweet music and bring an awful lot of pleasure - hence again, why I asked what the OP likes (or doesn't for that matter), if indeed he knows.


    

Thank you very much for your thoughts and replies.  

As usual it boils down to the 'bang for buck' and we have probably all discovered that once you get into big bucks the marginal benefit of your last grand (or at least, £500) goes a lot less further than the first one.  That's partly on my mind with the Croft phono stage and this comment 

and similar/the same comments by Pete and jandl100...  I may well change my cart to MC in future but if I do it will probably be a relatively affordable one (such as the AT one Lurch mentions - I don't think I can face shelling out more than £600 on a cart) and it won't be just now.  Even if I had big bucks for a new cart, spending them on it is risky not just because the damned things literally wear out but also because of potential accident - literally a fortnight ago, whilst cleaning the deck, someone who wasn't meant to be cleaning the TT at all destroyed my stylus with a duster. It only wasn't a disaster cos the stylus is vaguely affordable. 

Robbiegong you're right I meant Vida Prima.  And thanks for the tip off in the 'intro' pages.  I find your 'do you know what your looking for' comment a bit unnerving (!)  The true answer, beyond an improved soundstage, is no, not really.  I don't want to be pushed back into my seat, I think I like a 'neutral' and perhaps on occasion a smoother sound, but I'm not wedded to valves.  I've never heard an external phono stage on my system never mind a valve one.  I like my Croft amps and I've heard an Icon Audio valve phono stage that I really liked, but I also rather like the idea of a mixed/hybrid set up (eg solid state phono stage) and I appreciate (and agree with) Bigman's comment that just because it says 'valve amp' on it it's not going to sound the same as the next one.

Unfortunately I have very little opportunity for comparison - the problem with cartridges and arms in particular (and in fact any component in the used market) is that they're quite hard to experiment with.  Specific items don't come up much and then it's a black and white choice of buy it or don't buy it.  I generally tend to read reviews and just take a punt. Up until now I've not been a box swapper or much of a tube roller - however on the former, with a (used) phono stage I think I might have to start just wading in a bit - buy something (ideally which offers a range of potential adjustments for a range of future cartridges), then buy something else, compare them, and flog the one that's deemed sub-optimal. The worry is that my budget (both for cartridges and for phono stages) might preclude me from hearing much of a difference between the new box and what I have.  

Ok, I have to point this out and it can cause some fuss, but it is what it is...

Croft preamps do not always play nicely with external phonostages. I can't remember why, but there is something about the inputs having a high ohm number which affects them, or something like that. I will try to find out and post here.

I wouldn't recommend buying any phonostage until you have tried it on your preamp first, due to this.

Aside of that, this is a bit of a left field suggestion:

I genuinly don't think that any of the aforementioned phonostages will take you very much further, if at all, if i am being totally honest. Your budget could be put to much better use for now.

Seeing as MC isn't where you are going at the minute, this will give you a much larger overall upgrade in the long run.

The Croft 25 Pre is where i would spend, if it is in standard form. I'd send it to firebottle for some modifications. Better caps, removal of the cheap potentiometer for a stepped attenuator, better quality selector switch, wiring, and some phonostage upgrades that he is well known to do.

I'd also recommend correction of the RIAA curve to a more accurate frequency response. It pays off.

This would not only lift the performance of the phonostage (measured and proven) but would lift the entire system's performance as the parts mentioned are known bottlenecks.

Glens devices are very capable when tweaked, and I think you could probably do all of that for well within your budget. Probably have change too. The other benefit is resale value will go up due to the mods. It's a no brainer in my opinion.