"lordy" wrote in message
...
Now I've got my turntable sorted, although I'm spinning my discs via PC
& headphones, the bass just sounds absent. Is this a common theme with
budget phono-stages. (esp the Maplins one?).


No, it's a common theme with headphones...



Come to think of it, would an external stage of say £40-50 be better
than the one installed inside my old Cambridge Audio A500 ?


Possibly/maybe, but who knows?

No vinyl system is gonna complain about having a decent phono stage forced
upon it, but even the one in my cheapo (60 quid) Argos amp is really quite
tidy and listenable - so I'd guess (I don't *know*) the Cambridge Audio PS
would probably be at least as good as flopping out 40/50 quid on a cheap
standalone. Save up for summat like a Graham Slee if you want to be sure of
a real step up (pardon the pun) - I'm told they are very good, but haven't
used one myself....