Q. I have an Emotiva BasX A2 amp driving Thiel CS2 speakers. My turntable is a Phase Linear 8000 Series Two with a Vessel R3SM cartridge. Since my amplifier does not have a phono input I am using a Music Hall Mini Plus phono preamp. I am considering upgrading the phono preamp and have a $250 budget. What would you recommend, and does my system have high enough resolution to hear a difference between my Music Hall Mini Plus and a $250 phono preamp?

—E.M., San Leandro, California

A. The phono preamp is a very important part of the record playback system. Most phono cartridges have power outputs in the millivolt range, compared to the approximately 2.5-volt output of a CD player. That means you must amplify this tiny, fragile electrical signal 500 to 1,000 times or more before it can be reproduced by your amplifier. In addition, the signal coming from the record is adjusted with an "equalization curve" so that the entire audible spectrum can be reproduced. When the record is made the curve is applied, and when the record is played back the phono preamp equalizes the signal again for accurate reproduction. This amplification and equalization is a very precise process and a good cartridge like your Vessel R3SM will benefit from having a good phono preamp, which will bring out its very best. (The one I use myself, a Graham Slee Accession, is about $1,500. This is almost as much as my Technics SL-1200GR turntable was when I got it several years ago.)

The combination of a turntable, cartridge and phono preamp is called the "phono front end" that supplies the electrical signal to your system for amplification. You seem to have deduced correctly that your phono preamp is the weakest link in your front end, and it would indeed benefit from an upgrade. Your system is good enough that you would clearly hear the difference.

The series of Music Hall Mini phono preamps, composed of the $89 Music Hall Mini and the $149 Mini Plus, are excellent values and very popular at the $100 and $150 price points. The key to making the upgrade worthwhile is choosing the right $250 phono preamp, and I am confident that the Andover Audio SpinStage is the way to go. It is widely acclaimed, and the world's foremost vinyl expert, Michael Fremer, said of the SpinStage, "This thing is ridiculously good." Not only is the sound quality absolutely top-notch and class-leading in its price category, it has a wide range of adjustments so you can tweak it to perfectly match your system.

I was able to try the SpinStage last year and have recommended it to several readers via email. Just recently I received the following note from a reader who upgraded from the Music Hall Mini Plus to the Andover SpinStage upon my recommendation. He said, "Oh my, what a difference it made! Rich and warm, with the highs under control. The soundstage was a notch up from the Music Hall Mini Plus. The bass tones were rich and rounded but without getting mushy and losing detail. The more I listen to it, the more I enjoy it."

The Andover SpinStage lists for $249 and is a top recommendation at that price. Andover is currently running a promotion that uses the coupon code SAVE80 on andoveraudio.com to reduce the price $80 to only $169 with free shipping. Even those with modest audio systems might want to take advantage of that deal. It's a great investment towards future listening, and it can grow with you as you upgrade turntables and cartridges.

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