The Emotiva mini-X a100 has a volume control so it does not need to be connected to a preamp or a receiver. It is essentially an integrated amplifier that is limited to an input for one source. Since you are only looking at a turntable for your source it could work in a system for you. This unit is being well received and the price is certainly right. http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/amplifiers/emotiva-mini-x-a-100-pre You would need a phono stage to use a turntable and the Musical Fidelity V-LPS II is a good one.

What turntable and speakers are you considering?

Unless you have a pressing need to add a CD player or FM tuner, etc. that little Emotiva amp is a very competent piece for your application. Those Pioneer speakers are overachievers as well. They should like the Emotiva feeding them.

The Musical Fidelity phono stage will be by far better than any built-in phono input of a receiver or integrated amp.

I think the best sound for the money would be the Cambridge Audio 350A amplifier, with a separate phono stage; $299.

The Musical Fidelity V-LPS is really excellent; $189 from Needle Doctor. THe Cambridge Audio 551P for $139 is another good possibility, from Music Direct.

Another possibility would be the Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 integrated amplifier, which has a phono stage incuded for $350 at Audio Advisor. It has slightly less power output, but it should work well with most speakers.

nicholaus wrote:

I want to buy an amp/pre-amp or integrated amplifier, but budget is an issue.

What would be better:

Marantz pm5003 for $450 (or possibly some other all-in-one)

OR

emotiva mini-x a 100 ($220) or cambridge audio 350a ($300)

with

Pro-ject: phono box II ($200) or Cambridge Audio 640p-b ($200) or High Fidelity V-LPS MII ($200)

 

I guess another question is.. Does the emotiva amp also require a receiver? or is it capable of hooking directly up to a preamp and you're good to go?

I am looking for a vinyl-only setup. I rarely use it for anything else.

 

Thanks

Emotiva mini-X a-100.

Cambridge Audio 350A: 45 watts into 8 Ohms, THD <0.02%@1kHz, 80% of rated power, THD <0.15% 20Hz – 20kHz, 80% of rated power, S/N ratio >92dB unweighted. Why wimp out by specifying THD at 80% of rated power and not providing a 4 Ohm rating? Who they tryin' to fool?

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/assets/documents/350ATop.jpg

Emotiva mini-X a-100: 50 watts/channel RMS continuous into 8 ohms; 20 Hz - 20 kHz; <0.05% THD, both 2 channels driven, S/N ratio >-95dB A-weighted. 80 watts/channel RMS continuous into 4 ohms.

Seeing a fan in the Emotiva Mini-X  was a surprise. Maybe that's one of the things that allows it to output the extra few watts?

As for a phono preamp, it seems that the Pro-Ject Phono Box II has been recently replaced by the new upgraded Pro-Ject Phono Box S. Looks like a very nice unit, with multiple loading and gain settings for both MM & MC cartridge's, and a dual mono layout. http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Phono-Box-S-Phono-Preamp?sc=7&category=949   It has a retail price of $199, but I know my own local dealer sells Pro-Ject at a discount from retail.

I also know the MF V-LPS, and Cambridge entry level phono pre's are tried and true units that have been around for a while, but I'm impressed with the Pro-Ject offerings, They tend to use decently high quality circuits and components, even in their lower priced products. My own experience is as a current user of a Pro-Ject Tube Box SE II.