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COMPLETED Recommendation for a phono preaamp

Live4speed

Live4speed

New Member
Just got back into listening to vinyl, so I acquired a Thorens TD-160 with a Denon DL 110, hooked up to a Yamaha RX550.

Sound is amazing, however the volume output is quite low.

So I guess need a matching phono preamp for the DL110.

Any suggestions?
 
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I have the Emotiva XPS-1, does both MM and MC, works very nicely with my system and my AT cartridge. I also have used it with my Denon 1250 and DL300. The sound is full, clear and well defined.
 
Live4speed said:
Just got back into listening to vinyl, so I acquired a Thorens TD-160 with a Denon DL 110, hooked up to a Yamaha RX550.

Sound is amazing, however the volume output is quite low.

So I guess need a matching phono preamp for the DL110.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Suggest that you try out several external phono amp for volume output first.

Very few would be able to boost the volume higher than what you already have in the Yamaha RX 550. :idea:
 
The output of the Denon (1.6 mV) is not quite enough to drive the Yamaha to its rated output (MM sensitivity 2.5 mV).

However, that is only "one click" lower than maximum. If it sounds good, and goes loud enough for you, the volume knob position is unimportant. If it doesn't go loud enough for you with the volume knob all the way up, then you would likely need more efficient speakers to make a meaningful increase in volume.
 
It goes loud enough at about the 80-90% volume level and sounds amazing, however, I'm concerned about clipping the amp (not that I intended to listen prolonged at those levels usually).
 
Live4speed said:
It goes loud enough at about the 80-90% volume level and sounds amazing, however, I'm concerned about clipping the amp (not that I intended to listen prolonged at those levels usually).
Click to expand...

Since the rated output of the cartridge cannot drive the amp to its rated output, clipping is not something I'd worry about, despite the knob position. With a 48 dB phono stage, that would be a different story.
 
Live4speed said:
It goes loud enough at about the 80-90% volume level and sounds amazing, however, I'm concerned about clipping the amp (not that I intended to listen prolonged at those levels usually).
Click to expand...
as noted, the clipping would be a non issue. 48db of gain should be more than sufficient. you can have a DB-8 built to what ever gain you want, or a DB-8HG in normal configuration. DB Systems.........not a pretty phono stage, but none will best it at its asking price
 
Here you go! Its new...just hit the market a month ago....has dip switches now and can record vinyl to digital. and I think its like $499 over at Audioadvisor.

 
For half of that, and also at Audio Adviser, look at the Parasound Zphono-USB(the non-USB model is even less, but has fewer features). MM/HOMC/LOMC capable, built-in Analog/Digital converter, rumble filter, mono switch, assorted other features. More options than I really needed, but I figured it's better to have it and not need it, yada, yada, yada. Most importantly, it sounds good.
.
 
sqlsavior said:
Since the rated output of the cartridge cannot drive the amp to its rated output, clipping is not something I'd worry about, despite the knob position. With a 48 dB phono stage, that would be a different story.
Click to expand...

Yes, no/low signal, nothing or little to clip.
 
I just picked up the pro-ject tube box ds and it sounds pretty nice with what I have. It can go 40 50 and 60 dB and also has an ohm loading knob as well as Pico switch. Can do mm and mc. Switch out the stock Tubes to whatever you like as well.
 
If the Yamaha has a phono input already (which it sounds like it has) you might use a step up transformer with good effect. Sowter offers their model 1090 transformer for MM cartridges. It is 1:2 ration and would therefore double the voltage from the cartridge. 3.2mV would be just a bit more than the input sensitivity of the Yamaha. It will lower the impedance shown to the cartridge by about a factor of 4 (i.e. shows approx. 11750ohms to the cart assuming Yamaha input impedance is 47k ohm). This may or may not be fine and can be corrected.

I have an SUT made from these transformers in use between a Soundsmith Voice cartridge and McIntosh phono section. I am very pleased with the sound. I have no affiliation with any of these vendors but am just offering an alternative.

One advantage of using an SUT is that you don't give up another input for the phono. If you use a standalone phono section, it can't be plugged into the "phono" input or else you will have twice the RIAA equalization and that would be very weird sounding.
 
sqls: Actually the output of the DL110 is (even) less far away from the input sensitivity of the RX550 than it would seem, 'cause Denon generally tends to specify the output voltage with a mono/laterally modulated test disc - which also goes for the output specs of the DL110 and DL160. And a stereo cart will only see factor 0.707 (= 0.5^0.5) of the mono modulation per channel, so that 5 cm/s in lateral modulation would translate to roundabout 3.5 cm/s in stereo/45° modulation. Thus one needs to multiply those 1.6 mV with 1.414 (= 2^0.5) to get the usual value for 5 cm/s in 45° modulation => ca. 2.25 mV, which is quite a usual value for a high output MC and not quite one dB away from 2.5 mV.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
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