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PHONO PRE Help!
- Thread starter dokblues
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ferninando
Lunatic Member
how much 'better' do you want? seems you got some 'Better" already. but anyway, I can't recommend anything sept how bout just gettin a PRE with the MC ins you want and get GOOD one you like.? sorry couldn't be more helpful. I'm sure other AKrs will chime with suggestions.
2DualsNotEnough
Addicted Member
I bet this would be a step up,and the price is excellent for new.
http://spearitsound.amazonwebstore....froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle
http://spearitsound.amazonwebstore....froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle
I'd say get (or borrow) an O'Scope and start looking for places where you can add quiet to your existing chain. I think you'll spend serious $$ chasing a few db of quieting with new chassis and parts that you may already have in hand with some tweaks?
If you're dead serious about spending $, I'd go a different direction. I'd get a new (used) pre-amp or phono stage with a known good design that allows switch selectable capacitive and inductive loading for the cartridge. That will allow tailoring the sound and working around cable loading and such to get the sound you want.
OBTW - we need to know what the inputs to the phono chain are? What TT and cartridge? Have you upgraded the phono cables? Done the arm wire? How about the headshell? Need more info before we go splashing around with recommendations
If you're dead serious about spending $, I'd go a different direction. I'd get a new (used) pre-amp or phono stage with a known good design that allows switch selectable capacitive and inductive loading for the cartridge. That will allow tailoring the sound and working around cable loading and such to get the sound you want.
OBTW - we need to know what the inputs to the phono chain are? What TT and cartridge? Have you upgraded the phono cables? Done the arm wire? How about the headshell? Need more info before we go splashing around with recommendations
Brett a
~◦●○o0o○●◦~
I upgraded from a Cambridge 640p to a Jolida JD9 (both purchased at Spearit-they're my local brick-and mortar). The Jolida is definitely a clear step up from the CA. It presents a bigger, fuller, more open sound. The music is much more "in the room". It came stock with a pair of Electro Harmoix 12ax7's which turned out to be better in my set up than Mullard re-issues.
The Jolida is a bit more $$$ than you mention, but all the good things people say about it, I find are true. (Except the comments about the stock Chinese tubes, as I said, mine came stock with Russian (EH) tubes.)
There is a thread here on AK about phono amps in the $400 range. There might be some suggestions in your range there too:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=208333
Engmaxx
New Member
What about something like this:
http://www.phonopreamps.com/tc750lcpp.html
It is cheap and looks reliable and hey, I bought one.
http://www.phonopreamps.com/tc750lcpp.html
It is cheap and looks reliable and hey, I bought one.
Tedrick
Infinity-phile
The Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena is a pretty damn fine phone pre-amp. Not tube based like the Jolida, but a good SS step up from the Cambridge. Offers 13 user adjustable gain settings and 17 cartridge loading settings so you can fine tune to get the best match with any cartridge, including LOMC. Also, it's a dual mono design (it has separate gain and loading switches for each channel) with no op-amps in the circuit path.
draconus
Mal from Oz
Not sure if it's a step up or sideways, but I have heard/read that the Pro-Ject Tube Box II is very good value for the money. It uses dual mono circuitry for improved separation and has an outboard PSU. Runs both MC and MM (not together though), has reasonable RIAA specs. Has 60db gain on the MC side so should be good for low voltage MC's. I'm getting one in a a few weeks to hook into my Ming Da MC3R pre.
http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?prod=tubebox
HTH