[jopi]

If you're into DIY you can try the Bugle from Hagerman Technologies. It looks like a fun little project with better sound than the Shack's rat according to some fellow geeks at the vinyl asylum.

Besides the extra gain the more important function of the phone stage is the RIAA equalization. There's almost no bass at all when listening to records without it, so don't even try it.

I also agree with Tuberoller. You don't have to spend a lot to have good sound and even more fun with vinyl. Get a decent used table to get started and to see what you like and what you don't and if you're still into it after half a year or so you may want to look around for something better.

 

[PianoBlack]

Most gracious kind sirs and madams,

I appreciate all of your comments and suggestions. But why am I still not going into vinyl?
One, most of the vinyl I will listen to will come from my school's library (which has a horribly neglected turntable...there must be thirty year old dust on that thing), or from online stores/auctions. This clearly reveals that I'm not building up a large library.
Two, with extensively misappropriated funds stretched between building a good DAC-amp-speaker system and "maintaining" my headphone system ("oh boy, I sure need a HD600 for my classical music. My 'phones system just won't be complete without it...etc."), you're right. The only way to do vinyl and myself justice is to put my whole heart into this and save for it. I can't dabble in vinyl.
Three, I really *really* need to find these audio stores that people just fall in love with. My experiences with audio stores haven't been that great. I was actually shooed out of a headphones store after 'haggling'. But location and lack of transportation *damn my stunted eye-hand coordination* prevents me from just getting down and out.
Four, I felt that with a cheap turntable, I could get something that wouldn't mind being packed and moved three times a year.

...ah. Back to square one. Thank you for disillusioning me on the dangers of lurking in the low-end of turntables. Too bad there's no KSC-35s or HD 580 type deals yet (unless the $350 for a used Rega Planar 3 is actually one of those...).

I thank ye,
Ma'mselle Black