Phono preamp upgrade
- Thread starter JDY
- Start date
I read a review where it was mentioned that the Schiit Skoll F lacked weight or the bottom end. I was thinking of getting one. I used a Project Phono Box S now for ten years but put it aside once I hooked up a Parasound P5 preamplifier for comparison. I never knew it was that much better. So what do I do? The Parasound needs to back to the basement and I don't want to spend more than $500.
sqlsavior
Lunatic Member
In general, I would recommend an SUT into a MM stage over an active MC stage for playing LOMC cartridges, but more specifically, if you come across a used Fosgate Signature (tube MM/MC) phono preamp, give it a try. My new one was within your budget, but they are no longer manufactured.
It is a marvelous little box (9"x5") with lots of adjustability, great sound stage, and no tiny DIP switches to fool around with -just use the small remote to adjust on the fly from your listening chair. (I have two of them: one silver, one black)
Neither of my Skolls lack bottom end, the reviewer must have been using a puny ass little power amp to drive his speakers...
I forgot that the Skoll has some serous gain: 40,50,60, and 70db for the weakest output MC carts (I forgot because I use them with MM carts at 40 db gain)
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Audio reviews on the Net can be a little iffy. Vinyl sound, in particular, is a very personal thing. Phono stages are at the core of that sound. It's prolly one of the more difficult things to accurately convey the nuances of any high-gain pre-amp section — without sounding like an over-the-top fanboy or a perpetual cynic.
Reviews prolly should be done with one or two sets of known good headphones. This eliminates the amp and speakers AND their placement — as more variable factors in the final judgement.
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From my understanding, a MM phono with a SUT offers more flexibility to use with an assortment of cartridges. I only have two. And truth be told, I'll be using the Ortofon 99% of the time. I may invest in a mono cartridge much much later down the road. Also, my budget won't allow for a quality phono amp and SUT. So a MC phono preamp may be the only way to go.
Darlington preamps were the flavor-of-the month some time back. I bought one of their lower-in-the-line units and have been very happy with it. I found it to have subtle but better separation than my old Pioneer (Allied) receiver, and much better "presentation" of the acoustic music I usually listen to (mostly bluegrass and acoustic guitar based)
At that time, Darlington had a very liberal try like return policy, don't know if same now. They have many more models now it seems. The owner/engineer of the company is/was a member here.
At that time, Darlington had a very liberal try like return policy, don't know if same now. They have many more models now it seems. The owner/engineer of the company is/was a member here.
You can get an inexpensive Chi-fi SUT, by Reisong, for around $200. The one you'd want is the 1:20 model. It's made from billet aluminum, with gold-ish transformer covers, decent RCAs, and it actually sounds pretty good. Reisong makes mostly inexpensive tube amps, they might wind their own transformers. I don't know that I'd want to put it up against a better-built Lundahl-based unit, but for an intro to SUTs, it's not a bad option. I still use mine, occasionally, with a Darlington Labs MP8B.
twiiii
Lunatic Member
Some times buying a recent pre-owned piece is a great way to save money. If you have been dealing with a dealer steadily for years and he gives greay service after the sale sometimes he is willing to help you ought with the purchase proce, too. I have been dealng with Audio Calssics mostly for years now the shop I worked for as closed its doors. Pearl Audio has also been nice to me over the years as one of the employees use to work for my Mcintosh Rep at one time. I have tried different Dynavector pre-amps because that's the brand of cartridge I have been using for qute a whle. I also have tried a couple of Mcintosh pre-amps and have a MP 1000 right at the moment. I t also works well with my Dynavector MC cartridges. What I lke about it is that it has RCA outputs, balanced XLR outputs and Digital out puts. I use all three. The Digital feeds the CD recorder, The Balanced feeds te HT system and the RCA feeds the Stereo system. It can sound a little bright until you have selected the correct parameters for the cartridge you are using. But its very quiet even with MCoils and is easy to set up and adjust. Grounding is not an issue either. All three systems it feeds are on the same leg of the AC power transformer so there are no ground loops and everything is grounded to a very nearby copper water pipe. Selecting the correct imput impedance for a MC and the correct capacitance loading for the MM allows you to make fine adjustments. The line out put and optical digital output make for easy connections to pre-amps , processors and recorders.
It seems to have an overly aggressive rumble filter. It starts rolling off at a whopping 250 Hz, and by the time it reaches 30 Hz it's already at -5dB.
I guess this could be perceived as a "lack of bottom end".
But it's fine without the filter.
For comparison, here's a properly implemented one:
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Gigantic
A big, big love
I wouldn't characterize my Skoll like that, especially with a Denon DL110 HOMC cart. I've found it to be rather robust sounding and extremely flexible.
Looking at the above graph, the frequency response without the rumble filter is perfect. It's pretty much textbook stuff.
However, the filter looks worrying and does seem to explain why one might find the bass a bit lacking with it activated. Maybe you're not using the filter?
That graph can't be correct. There would be a tremendous loss of bass response.
The roll-off should be steeper in angle and start at a lower range. Rumble is in the low-to-subsonic frequency range. Like 30Hz and lower.
Right?
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Yes, that's how it should be. But ASR says it isn't.
www.audiosciencereview.com
Now, of course it's not impossible that Amir made a mistake in that test. I can't vouch for its accuracy. I trust Amir, but he's human, too, and mistakes do happen. I'm just reporting what I've found.
But if some people find it a bit lacking in bass, then this might explain why.
Schiit Skoll Balanced Phono Stage Review
This is a review and detailed measurements of the Schiit Skoll balanced phono preamplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $399. Touch controls select everything from loading of the input (resistance and capacitance) to input type (RCA or XLR), gain and filtering. A remote...
www.audiosciencereview.com
Now, of course it's not impossible that Amir made a mistake in that test. I can't vouch for its accuracy. I trust Amir, but he's human, too, and mistakes do happen. I'm just reporting what I've found.
But if some people find it a bit lacking in bass, then this might explain why.
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Rolloff beginning at 250Hz? Might as well not have a woofer. Well, not a good woofer. That's 6X9 range.Yes, that's how it should be. But ASR says it isn't.
Schiit Skoll Balanced Phono Stage Review
This is a review and detailed measurements of the Schiit Skoll balanced phono preamplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $399. Touch controls select everything from loading of the input (resistance and capacitance) to input type (RCA or XLR), gain and filtering. A remote...
Now, of course it's not impossible that Amir made a mistake in that test. I can't vouch for its accuracy. I trust Amir, but he's human, too, and mistakes do happen. I'm just reporting what I've found.
But if some people find it a bit lacking in bass, then this might explaint why.