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Music First Audio LP-103 LCR

Phono stage

Relative price

above typical

Among the 44 phono stages in the catalogue, this one is above typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

Reviews: Tracking Angle (Jason Kennedy, Feb 2026) - "uncanny transparency", neutral/honest, class dynamic tracking, "extraordinarily quiet" despite SUTs; The Ear (Chris Frankland, Jan 2026) - "enthusiastic recommendation, worth it".

Competition record

Assessed against 10 rivals across the sixty systems: 1 head-to-head won, 47 lost.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • quietness at rest ×36
  • low-level clarity ×18

Who it comes up against

Naim NVC TT MM/MC

16 lost · Anchored, Artisan, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Naim NVC TT MM/MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.

extraordinarily quiet... a testament to the build and designTracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026
so neutral in character... honest and revealingTracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026

Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl

8 lost · Anchored, Characterful, PRaT, Romantic

Against the Anchored brief, the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl keeps the slot decisively.

With the van den Hul The Frog, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

With the Audiolab 9000Q, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the van den Hul The Frog gives up quietness at rest under the Anchored weighting.

quietMusic First owner/dealer record
quietMusic First owner/dealer record

Rega Aura Reference MC

7 lost · BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Intimate, Reference

Against the Intimate brief, the Rega Aura Reference MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the van den Hul The Crimson, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

With the EAR Yoshino 868L (Line), the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the van den Hul The Crimson gives up low-level clarity under the Intimate weighting.

extraordinarily quiet... a testament to the build and designTracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026
extraordinarily quiet... a testament to the build and designTracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026

Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC

5 lost · Anchored, Characterful, PRaT, Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Anchored brief, the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the van den Hul The Frog, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the van den Hul The Frog gives up quietness at rest under the Anchored weighting.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.

quietMusic First owner/dealer record

EAR Yoshino 88PB MM/MC

4 lost · Artisan, Reference, Twin Arms

Against the Artisan brief, the EAR Yoshino 88PB MM/MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the van den Hul The Colibri, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

With the Audiolab 9000Q, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the van den Hul The Colibri gives up quietness at rest under the Artisan weighting.

quietMusic First owner/dealer record
quietMusic First owner/dealer record

Tom Evans Groove+ SRX MkII

3 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Tom Evans Groove+ SRX MkII keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the weaker phono stage for that brief.

Whest Audio 60Se Pro

2 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Whest Audio 60Se Pro keeps the slot decisively.

With the Goldring Eroica HX MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Goldring Eroica HX MC gives up quietness at rest under the Silent Path weighting.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.

quietMusic First owner/dealer record

Whest Audio TITAN Pro II

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Whest Audio TITAN Pro II keeps the slot decisively.

With the Goldring Eroica HX MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Goldring Eroica HX MC gives up quietness at rest under the Silent Path weighting.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.

quietMusic First owner/dealer record

Michell Apollo + Muse PSU

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Michell Apollo + Muse PSU keeps the slot decisively.

With the Goldring Eroica HX MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

With the Audiolab 9000Q, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Goldring Eroica HX MC gives up quietness at rest under the Silent Path weighting.

quietMusic First owner/dealer record
quietMusic First owner/dealer record

Cyrus Classic PHONO

0 lost· 1 won · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR takes the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Music First Audio LP-103 LCR is the stronger phono stage for that brief.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.

What the reviewers said

LCR Music First Audio LP103 LCR (maker + press record; ASC-2 audited)· Harmonic texture
LCR RIAA Music First LP103 LCR· Harmonic texture
quiet Music First owner/dealer record· Electrical noise floor
uncanny transparency... hear what the vinyl, cartridge and turntable sound like Tracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026· Electrical noise floor
extraordinarily quiet... a testament to the build and design Tracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026· Low-level noise floor
so neutral in character... honest and revealing Tracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026· Tonal body
three dimensionality... you can hear into every recording Tracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026· Spatial resolution
opens up dynamics in both the broad and micro sense Tracking Angle (Kennedy) 2026· Micro-dynamic resolution
real and vital, putting the musicians in the room The Ear (Frankland) Jan 2026 / TA· Presence & articulation

How it scores

Clarity

  • Electrical noise floor 81 from listening evidence
  • Spatial resolution 76 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Tonal body 82 from listening evidence
  • Presence & articulation 76 from listening evidence
  • Harmonic texture 76 from listening evidence

LowerVolume

  • Low-level noise floor 82 from listening evidence
  • Micro-dynamic resolution 76 from listening evidence

Specifications

mm capableTrue
mc capableTrue
mm gain db30/50
mc gain db44/80
mm load resistance kohm50
mm load capacitance pf100
mc load resistance options ohm100/200
output impedance ohm100
balanced outputTrue
psu externalTrue
notes