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I just purchased a cherry Thorens TD-147 Jubilee, and now I'm searching for a cartridge and phono pre. Cartridge budget is ~$200. Phono pre budget is ~$400.

Someone who owns a TD-147 has recommended a Grado Gold cartridge.

Thus far, I have identified three candidates for phono preamps:
Cambridge Audio 640P
Bellari VP129
Grado PH-1 (used)

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated...

[Brad]

For Phono stages:

Graham Slee Gram Amp SE
Dynavector 75
Audio Experience Concerto tube phono


If you're careful, buying used can get you a LOT more bang for your buck

for the Cart, if you go Grado, you might take a look at some of the recent posts on Grado tweaking...

[chadh]

Following the series of threads pointing the way to analog bliss on a budget, I'm starting to get fascinated with the possibilities.  So, may I ask why you chose the Thorens turntable rather than...ummm...anything else?  And (if it's not too rude to ask) how much did it cost?

Hopefully I'm not distracting much from the real issue here - getting some suggestions for cartridges and phono stages.  Without knowing anything about it, I might mention the Channel Islands VPP-1.  I use both the Channel Islands headphone amp and a pair of the chip-amp monoblocks, and am thrilled with both. 

Chad

[WEEZ]

If you can live without the auto-lift feature, there is a 160 w/ SME arm available at vinyl nirvana. (www.viynalnirvana.com).

It's a good site to check out every once in a while for AR; Merrill; and Thorens. You might give a call and let'em know what you're looking for....FWIW...

WEEZ

[robert1325]

I've got a dl103 cartbridge at the moment, very musical ! it's cheap to. ( check ebay)



For a phono stage,  I've been looking around the last couple of weeks and ordered the jolida jd-9.  It's a hybrid phono stage. ( SS+ tubes) but is supposed to match very well with the dl103 and low MC's in general.  I read several positive comments about the match with the dl103 and the jolida jd-9. I've also read somewhere the jolida betters the cambridge 640P  easily.     When you buy it new, it's 450 dollars but you can get it cheaper second hand or buy the dl103  and use the money saved on the cartbridge to get the jolida...          Ofcourse, I'll report when the jolida is in,  I've got an old thorens 321 TT with a SME 3009 arm  - and the dl103 is mounted on a audio technica headshell to add some weight.

Here's are review from audioasylum ( using the dl103)
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/messages/445768.html



here are some other comments from audioasylum ( Excuse me for linking to another forum  )

I listened to the JD9, stock, in a system consisting of the Jolida "Music Envoy" amps, large MBL loudspeakers and one of the TOTL Clearaudio tables and cartridge. This was at the Jolida plant [I live nearby]. The sound was stunning. Mike Allen played The Raw and the Cooked LP by FYC. I would just say the JD9 was right at home in this system. The fact that it costs only $450 is, to me, amazing. Funny thing though, I've never seen a pro review of it anywhere. I wonder why?

I immediately bought one when I heard it in a system with Dynavector DV-DRT XV1/JMW 12.6 tonearm/VPI TNT HRX and revealing amps (Nuforce 9 monoblocks) and large panel speakers and it sounded completely at ease in that company. The fact that I heard 'music' in that 30K system and that the 450 dollar JD9 was part of it completely amazed me. The only non-stock thing was that the owner put some expensive milspec grey plate tubes in it (forgot the brand, but he wanted 120 for two. I declined and bought his second recommendation; two new old stock GEC JAN's for $60. I remember thinking at the time that was expensive, but I trust(ed) the guy's ears.)