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Do I need a pre amp?

Sitka

Sitka

Active Member
A new year question:

Do I need another pre amp in my system?

my current music system:
Musical Paradise power amp MP 301 MK3, it has 2 inputs, one is phono, one is CD player

Musical Paradise phono pre amp MP 2-P
The MP-2P is phono only , no other inputs.

So, the CD player is connected directly to the power amp.

An additional pre amp would allow additional sources.
Opinions please

thanks
 
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As you know the MP301 MK III has it's own preamp built into it with, as you said, has 2 input's.
You plug in your TT into the MP-2P and then into one of the inputs and the other input most anything other than a TT.
If you want to add more inputs then get, as mroboto said, a 2 or 4 or 8 input switch box and plug it into the other MP301 input.
I would get something like the Radio Shack tape control center (# 42-2115) which has 4 inputs.
This is a pretty versatile piece of gear and would allow you to add a cassette deck into the mix as well if you want to. You would hook up the MP-2P into the RS 42-2115 as well if you wish to record off your TT.

So, you don't need another pre amp.
 
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Back in the day, one of the reasons a preamp were a necessity for the phono stage, and very useful was their ability to manage routing with tape loops and later external processing loops. And tone controls. You have the phono covered. If you aren't looking to add tone controls, you could just as well use one of the switching devices mentioned above and a good one would be cleaner than many preamps. I had a cool Schitt input switch once - sold it to a buddy who needed it more than I did.
 
Do you need a preamp? probably not if you ask anyone at random on the street, and they may be right you probably don't "need" a preamp. This is the Tube section on Audiokarma, so were going to help you out by being a bad influence and suggesting, "why stop at one?" Preamps can add a depth and dimension and they can really be a statement piece that classes up the whole system. They look beautiful too. Glowing dimly, wrapped in exotic oiled hardwood...

Yeah, preamps can be a lot of fun.
I have certain friends that buy every preamp they can find (tube digital passive or otherwise) and they dont ever get rid of them...
I'm going to say you owe it to yourself to try a few good tube preamps.
No you don't need one, but this hobby isn't about needs is it?
 
Sitka said:
A new year question:
Do I need another pre amp in my system?
Click to expand...

It depends. Is the power amp's output driven to full power off of the current sources? (Capable to being driven to clipping/distortion higher than sounds OK). Do you even need more power from your system? I have an amp that could use a preamp to make more power, but in my listening space with my speakers, I never turn it up close to full volume so I don't "need" one. As others have said you could probably just get a high quality switching box for more inputs, a pre-amp could change the sound in a good or a bad way depending on the unit and your system.
 
Some sources do need more gain. I use my computer out in the workshop with a cheap USB sound device to make up for the burned out internal sound card and it just has very weak output levels.
 
Actually it looks like the MP3 is an integrated amp with 2 line level inputs, not a power amp, so it already has a preamp built in. You need to use the phono preamp (might be clearer to call it a phono stage) to increase the phono signal output to line level (also to add RIAA eq). The cd player is already producing a line level signal so no cd preamp is necessary.
 
I guess I must take the plunge and buy a preamp. Just to satisfy the need to know if the addition of a preamp will improve the sound stage and overall sound quality. It would also allow for more flexibility selecting source and a remote control.

The next question, what preamp?? Musical Paradise offers a tube preamp - MP 701 MK2 @ $720, plus extras. This would match the current system.
Some folks here have spoken highly of Conrad Johnson, others Primaluna. Open to suggestions.

thanks in advance.
 
The gain is adjustable in the MP 701 preamp. (also adjustable in the phono stage MP 2P, which I have set to the lowest level).

As I understand it, gain should be minimized, is that correct?

What is the recommended gain, if any, with a preamp?

Some people say the best preamp is no preamp -- but I am inclined to try one. The source selection and remote are a plus for mr.
 
Sitka said:
An additional pre amp would allow additional sources.
Opinions please
Click to expand...

Sitka said:
I guess I must take the plunge and buy a preamp. Just to satisfy the need to know if the addition of a preamp will improve the sound stage and overall sound quality. It would also allow for more flexibility selecting source and a remote control.

The next question, what preamp?? Musical Paradise offers a tube preamp - MP 701 MK2 @ $720, plus extras. This would match the current system.
Some folks here have spoken highly of Conrad Johnson, others Primaluna. Open to suggestions.
Click to expand...
It's beyond me why people seem to look for expensive solutions to simple problems. $720+??

Your (simple) problem is that you want more inputs and a remote control, right?

I had the same needs so I bought one of these a while back and it has worked well. It's not tube, but it has 3 inputs plus a 4th bluetooth input, although I haven't used that one. Remote control works well and controls the volume, mutes and switches inputs. You only get additional gain if you turn it up past ~90%. But you probably don't need or want extra gain. Sounds very clean. I've used it with both tube and SS amps.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/329....store_pc_groupList.8148356.24.5a115c3fl6apjj

Another solution would be to get a relatively low cost DAC that has a remote with preamp function - I'm using the Loxjie D30 but there are others like the Topping (E30?) that are similar.

I use it with a switch box that allows me to choose from a few different digital sources.

I don't know how good a DAC this is but here's a much cheaper alternative to the Loxjie or Topping:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/384241381053?hash=item5976922ebd:g:HLEAAOSw159g1ev2

If you insist on something with tubes I'd go with a combination of one of the little FX type tube preamps. Combine it with a simple switch box like this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153857919355?hash=item23d2a5897b:g:7MIAAOSwARheZWJs
and a stand-alone remote control unit. The FX and it's cousins do have gain, though, and you almost certainly don't need any gain.
 
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