As long as the advertising for this pre-amp clearly stated that there is no onboard phono pre-amp, I guess it's okay.
My Ella failed a few months back needing a beefier bridge rectifier, now I'm getting channel drop outs. The drop outs are coming from the L/R gain controls that are stepped ladder controls. I would have expected this preamp to last longer than 8 years. I'll be using my faithful little Marantz 1060 SS integrated amp as a preamp until I decide on something else. I really don't want to have to pay over $1,000 for an updated PCB and new transformer for the Ella.
I presume you tried different tubes in the unit?
DUDE! Those are inputs. It's universally known that you need an external DAC or CD player. Right?No built-in tape pre, tuner, DAC, or CD player either. All inputs should be labeled aux.
I looked at the website and didn't see any reference to the phono input.
Not the same thing. Outboard phono preamps are very common. Crutchfield has over 20 phono preamps available, who's buying these? More than likely those who have high-end separates or those who have A/V receivers without phono inputs.
Custom label the inputs to what offends your sensibilities the least.DUDE! Those are inputs. It's universally known that you need an external DAC or CD player. Right?
You plug a turntable into this pre-amp and see what happens when you spin the dial to PHONO.
Sheesh!
No. I was thinking of a daughterboard that plugs into and activates the tone stack on the pre-amp.
Never fear! Underdog is here!Option #2.
I'm starting to lose faith in audiophiles.
Maybe the selection is there because the phono stage might be an option not included with the base model. It the phono option is ordered, then the knob position will work to select that. Just guessing.
I looked at their website and there is no reference to the phono input, that is the confusing part. Had you not brought this up, I would have assumed it to be a full-fledged phono input.
Any of us unfamiliar with it would be confused as well. The exception would be the newbie who just bought a cheap turntable off of amazon which has a built-in phono preamp. It would be plug-and-play for them except when they try to hook up speakers, unless of course they have powered speakers.
Tubes are fine. There is a dual DC regulated filiment supply. One for each of the two channels. The voltage come from a single filiment transformer. The added optional phono preamp board draws it's heater voltage from one of those channels. The bridge rectifier on that one channel was running close to its maximum amp rating. That's the one I had to replace with a higher current one. I went and replaced both rectifiers and regulators whilenI was in there. But now the stepped attenuators are dropping out. I'm just done messing with this thing.I presume you tried different tubes in the unit?
Man! A failed rectifier bridge is not good. Usually, this is a sign of a bigger underlying issue. Like a weak or improper power supply design.
Well, good luck with the fix!
The customer could ask the seller if the phono preamp is actually present, too.I looked at their website and there is no reference to the phono input, that is the confusing part. Had you not brought this up, I would have assumed it to be a full-fledged phono input.
Any of us unfamiliar with it would be confused as well. The exception would be the newbie who just bought a cheap turntable off of amazon which has a built-in phono preamp. It would be plug-and-play for them except when they try to hook up speakers, unless of course they have powered speakers.
So it seems, the target customer for this preamp would be either the snobby audio-phile or the snotty hipster
