Best MC capable Tube Preamp?

[Bob Clay]

Morning AK

Just moved into the realm of MC carts and needless to say i am blown away on a multiple levels.

This is a whole new world to me. I am looking for some guidance on what you buys think are the best Tube Preamps under $500?

Right now i just have the Project Phono Box S. For the price point its quite musical.

Anyway, would love to hear any insight on this topic!

Bob

 

[nj pheonix]

New deeper rabbit hole

 

[mkane]

SUT in AK Auction for Charity/AK Hell of a lot less than $500

 

[Blue Shadow]

You need an SUT or sand amplification for a LOMC to get it up to something like a MM phono input to avoid picking up a lot of tube noise with such low level inputs, or spend multiple bucks for a unit that might, possibly be able to tube amplify that signal.

Some tube preamps have SUTs in em but you can get a separate one that best matches your LOMC and maybe do better.

 

[sqlsavior]

I don't know about the "best", but the Fosgate Signature is pretty darn good. It doesn't seem to have the noise difficulties that many tube implementations have with high gain circuitry. Unfortunately, they are no longer made, so used would be the only option, and probably more than $500. I have read that Jim Fosgate has designed a phono preamp for Jolida, using the same or similar circuit. Looks like Jolida is changing their name to Black Ice Audio, and the F159 is $1500. Oh, well.

In my experience, an SUT into the MM stage has beaten the MC stage in every solid-state phono preamp I've tried it with. Haven't done the comparison with my Fosgate, yet. I think a good step-up transformer should be in every MC enthusiast's toolkit. A 10:1 turns ratio is a good all 'rounder, and one with two ratios of 10:1 and 20:1 will handle the majority of modern MC carts. Too bad Parks Audio stopped making their Budgie SUT - it was a great value at about $400. Rothwell Audio has some reasonable ones, too.

 

[Bob Clay]

^^ super helpful and informative. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Wildcat]

Rogue Audio Ares, or Ares Magnum. These use Cinemag SUTs internally for low output MC cartridges. Used, probably $900-$1500 to find a clean one.

 

[KB007]

At that price point you're probably not going to find a decent sounding MC pre-amp. Look at a decent SUT, Rothwell make some nice ones, and run it into your MM pre.

 

[mjw21a]

I'd take a look at a Cinemag 1254 SUT.... Wire it up to be able to access all 3 gain levels. Nice and flexible so you're not tied to a single cart. Mine is wired with three selectable inputs (I run multiple arms on my tables) and an MM bypass.

That said, it's only a backup now. The Hashimoto SUT's sound far better to my ears. More $ than you're looking at though.

If you're not fussed about flexibility then the Raphaelite SUT's are pretty fantastic after a rather prolonged burn in too. Good value.

I continue to run SUT despite my phono stage being capable of running even the lowest output carts (0.12mv) as everything always sounds better via a SUT with the phono at lower gain. Better sound stage, dynamics, more fleshed out etc

 

[Bob Clay]

Appreciate everyone’s input here. The fine gentleman in Houston I bought my Thorens TD 150 from last week also had a Rogue Ares that he was willing to part with. After much deliberation and about 100 texts back and forth with him I made an impromptu 6 hour round trip drive to Houston tonight to get it. Can’t wait to hook it up tomorrow morning and dive further down this MC / Preamp rabbit hole. Thanks all.

 

[mjw21a]

I think you'll be rather happy with it. Interested to hear your thoughts with it hooked up.

 

[KB007]

What MC cart are you starting with?

 

[Bob Clay]

Grado Sonata 1

 

[mjw21a]

Do you mean a Grado Statement Sonata? That would be a low output moving iron.... A regular Sonata 1 though is a high output moving iron. No SUT needed.... Unless I'm missing something....

 

[Bob Clay]

Yep Grado Statement Sonata is indeed what I meant.

 

[rdka]

Some of those older Audio Research pre-amps can drive direct.

 

[rothwellaudio]

Some of those older Audio Research pre-amps can drive direct.

If I'm not mistaken those AR preamps don't incorporate onboard SUTs and instead rely on high gain tube circuits. As a consequence they suffer from audible hiss. Also, the gain is too high for an MM cartridge and too low for an MC cartridge.

You need an SUT or sand amplification for a LOMC to get it up to something like a MM phono input to avoid picking up a lot of tube noise with such low level inputs...

I agree, you really need a SUT to interface a LOMC cartridge with tubes if you want a decent signal-to-noise ratio. The one the OP has acquired has onboard SUTs, as does the EAR 834P and some others.
The alternative is to use an MM tube phonostage with an outboard SUT.

 

[Wildcat]

The alternative is to use an MM tube phonostage with an outboard SUT.

That is my plan in the coming year. #2 choice will be the Ares Magnum if I don't find the specific phono stage I'm after.

 

[mjw21a]

Nice, you're in for a treat then. I've always wanted to try the higher end of the Grado Statement range.... Their top of the range has 45db separation! That would put it in a different level of performance to my AT ART9 or Phillips GP922

 

[Wildcat]

@mjw21a I'm enjoying the heck out of my ART7, but am not so much liking the Phonomena II+ phono stage with it--way too noisy. It was even noisy when I ran a Dynavector XX2. So rather than just stick an SUT in front of this thing, I'm taking a bigger move and upgrading the phono stage along with it. I figure I only live once.