I use a Denon turntable with a Shure V15 Type III cartridge (the Denon is five years old; the Shure is 28! years old). The sound through the 990 is, in a word, outstanding. I had previously used a Creek phono preamp with another preamplifier, and the sound was not as musical. As well, the Sony TAE9000 also had a phono preamp, but again, the sound as I recall, was still not as good as with the 990.

ANOTHER reason to be extremely pleased with the 990!!