[93EXCivic]

I have just moved into a new house and I am setting up a little man cave with a listen area. I currently have an Audio-Technica LP-60 turntable, Superlux HD681EVO and HD668B headphones and FiiO K1 and FiiO Q1 amp/dacs. Of coarse having just moved and bought a house and all that good stuff I don't have a ton of money. I am looking for recommendations for a budget phono pre-amp and desktop amp for under $150 combined if possible just to get up an running. Later this year, I'd like to upgrade the amp, add a desktop DAC (for when I am using a Rockbox'ed iPod), add a nice vintage turntable and get some Mad Dogs. 
 
So I am looking for suggestions for a budget desktop new amp, budget phono pre-amp and then suggestions for a nicer amp and desktop DAC ($300 or under each) for later.
 
I am not sure about whether I want a tube amp or solid-state. I'd like something that works well with Mad Dogs, the Superlux and the Hifiman RE-00 IEMs that I just ordered but I am not sure that is possible in my budget
 
I was thinking ART DJ PRE II for the pre-amp.

 

[cel4145]

Receivers/amps with phono stages built in typically run a good bit more than $150. Might want to look at your local Craigslist and see what's available used. Or are you thinking of a separate headphone amp and phono stage?

 

[93EXCivic]

Receivers/amps with phono stages built in typically run a good bit more than $150. Might want to look at your local Craigslist and see what's available used. Or are you thinking of a separate headphone amp and phono stage?

Separate. Something like the ART DJ Pre II hooked into a Bravo V2.
 
I am not sure I'd really have room where I am currently setup for a big receiver/amp anyway.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  So I am looking for suggestions for a budget desktop new amp, budget phono pre-amp and then suggestions for a nicer amp and desktop DAC ($300 or under each) for later.
 
I am not sure about whether I want a tube amp or solid-state. I'd like something that works well with Mad Dogs, the Superlux and the Hifiman RE-00 IEMs that I just ordered but I am not sure that is possible in my budget

 
http://schiit.com/products/mani
http://schiit.com/products/modi-2
http://schiit.com/products/sys (input switch to select DAC or phono pre as source for amplifier)
http://schiit.com/products/vali-2

 

[93EXCivic]

   
http://schiit.com/products/mani
http://schiit.com/products/modi-2
http://schiit.com/products/sys (input switch to select DAC or phono pre as source for amplifier)
http://schiit.com/products/vali-2
 

Awesome. Thanks. I forgot about the Vali.
 
Is there a reason to chose the Vali 2 over Magni? Is the Mani worth it over the ART? The Vali and Mani combo would be quite a bit above my budget right now but I could probably swing the Vali and ART DJ or Magni and Mani. Then add the Sys and Modi 2 later.
 
For some reason, I didn't think the Magni had an A/C adapter.

 

[boblauer]

The Mani will allow you to adjust for different cartridge types Moving Magnet versus Moving coil and rates within those by the switches underneath. I have one at home used with my AVR, works well. It's more but would not need replaced once you upgrade. Only you can determine if that appeals to you or if you intend to chuck the whole setup a couple years down the road, if so go cheap and live with it. One cheaper one that allows adjustment for MM or MC cartridges is the Project  Audio E phono which is slightly more that the ART but can work with more cartridges. 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Originally Posted by 93EXCivic /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Awesome. Thanks. I forgot about the Vali.

 

Is there a reason to chose the Vali 2 over Magni? 

 

If you want to trade some way of smoothing out the rougher edges of the recordings with some lower distortion, higher output power, then go for the Vali2.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93EXCivic /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

Is the Mani worth it over the ART? The Vali and Mani combo would be quite a bit above my budget right now but I could probably swing the Vali and ART DJ or Magni and Mani. Then add the Sys and Modi 2 later.

 

Hard to tell but the main selling point of the Mani is that it works with MM and MC. 

In your particular case there's an aesthetic bonus: everything will look like each other as they have the same basic chassis. Kind of like the Musical Fidelity X-series when it first came out in cylindrical cases.

 

You might as well get them all at once though. First off, if you get a different phono stage now, you'd lose money selling and shipping that, then pay shipping again for the Mani, which can get expensive if it has to come from the US vs a dealer in Australia. Either way, getting them all in one box would save you shipping overall.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93EXCivic /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

For some reason, I didn't think the Magni had an A/C adapter.

 

The original Magni only came with a 120v PSU and you can't just get another one as it outputs AC, unlike 99% of the bricks out there that output lower voltage DC.

 

 

 

[HaNs SuPeR]

Pro-Ject / Box Designs makes Phono Pre-amps, Desktop Dacs, etc. I'd say they are tuned in to the Phono world. 
 
http://www.box-designs.com/

 

[93EXCivic]

 

 

If you want to trade some way of smoothing out the rougher edges of the recordings with some lower distortion, higher output power, then go for the Vali2.

 

 

Hard to tell but the main selling point of the Mani is that it works with MM and MC. 

In your particular case there's an aesthetic bonus: everything will look like each other as they have the same basic chassis. Kind of like the Musical Fidelity X-series when it first came out in cylindrical cases.

 

You might as well get them all at once though. First off, if you get a different phono stage now, you'd lose money selling and shipping that, then pay shipping again for the Mani, which can get expensive if it has to come from the US vs a dealer in Australia. Either way, getting them all in one box would save you shipping overall.

 

 

The original Magni only came with a 120v PSU and you can't just get another one as it outputs AC, unlike 99% of the bricks out there that output lower voltage DC.

 

 

Thanks. Lots to think about. I may just try to sell some spare stuff to try to get the extra money. I am the US so I don't think shipping would be too bad.