Don't skip over the advice to get a phono stage that has adjustable input loading, both capacitance and resistance. This has a significant effect on the frequency response and therefore coloration of any given cartridge.
As for me, instead of a separate phono stage, I'm using an analog preamplifier from the past. The one I have has a spot on the circuit board where one can install the capacitor and resistor of one's choice for loading, with formulas in the manual for calculating the needed values. Leaving those spots empty results in less than 50 pF capacitance and 50K resistive impedance (nominally 47K). My cartridge (an AT440MLa) has a reputation for being rather bright, but (reportedly) flattening out with about 35K of preamp impedance and under 200 pH. Easy, peasy on my preamp. But even my other preamps that have all kinds of settings for loading don't provide 35K as an option. It also wants the lowest capacitance possible. Given that the wiring provides probably 150 pF or a bit more, even the 100 pF input loading of my previous preamp was a bit too much, which also emphasized the bright coloration. Every cartridge will have its own needs in this regard.
But the amp and RIAA equalizer themselves are not going to be the weak link with any phono stage, no matter what you read.
Rick "RIAA correction is usually within a fraction of a dB across the audible spectrum" Denney
As for me, instead of a separate phono stage, I'm using an analog preamplifier from the past. The one I have has a spot on the circuit board where one can install the capacitor and resistor of one's choice for loading, with formulas in the manual for calculating the needed values. Leaving those spots empty results in less than 50 pF capacitance and 50K resistive impedance (nominally 47K). My cartridge (an AT440MLa) has a reputation for being rather bright, but (reportedly) flattening out with about 35K of preamp impedance and under 200 pH. Easy, peasy on my preamp. But even my other preamps that have all kinds of settings for loading don't provide 35K as an option. It also wants the lowest capacitance possible. Given that the wiring provides probably 150 pF or a bit more, even the 100 pF input loading of my previous preamp was a bit too much, which also emphasized the bright coloration. Every cartridge will have its own needs in this regard.
But the amp and RIAA equalizer themselves are not going to be the weak link with any phono stage, no matter what you read.
Rick "RIAA correction is usually within a fraction of a dB across the audible spectrum" Denney
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