PSE studio one preamp question.

[Ironwolf]

I am currently using a pse studio one pre and studio two amp. I got them second hand years ago but only recently started using them as the amp need to be fixed. My question is I've never opened the preamp so if I do how can I tell if the mc phono option is in it?

 

[Binkman]

My question is I've never opened the preamp so if I do how can I tell if the mc phono option is in it?

G'day;
According to the user manuals here: https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/pse/studio-one.shtml
If the unit has 2 phono inputs phono 1 is MC while phono 2 is MM. the first manual shows the 2 phono inputs while the (Alt Scan) manual shows only 1 phono input. = MM only.

 

[dogwan]

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...read-professional-systems-engineering.898230/

You can see some pics of the MC stage in my Studio One in the above thread.

 

[Ironwolf]

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...read-professional-systems-engineering.898230/

You can see some pics of the MC stage in my Studio One in the above thread.

I looked thru your thread and its got a lot of great info on pse. From what I can tell no mc stage in mine. Opened it to verify it.

 

[dogwan]

I looked thru your thread and its got a lot of great info on pse. From what I can tell no mc stage in mine. Opened it to verify it.
View attachment 2101267

Yup, no MC board in that pre.

Honestly, even though the optional factory MC section in my Studio One is working great after rebuild (as seen in that thread), I kind of prefer using my SUT built with vintage Harman Kardon XT-3 transformers. It's just a little smoother sounding. Don't get me wrong, the PSE MC section does sound really good and is pretty dang quiet, but it still is a little bright sounding (Solid State'y) comparatively. May be just my cartridge though.

 

[Ironwolf]

With no mc board I decided to test the other phono input and it works as mm.

 

[Binkman]

So two inputs but only one channel functional? I suppose the altscan on hifieng. was an earlier eng. model and latter went to 2 channels?

 

[Ironwolf]

So two inputs but only one channel functional? I suppose the altscan on hifieng. was an earlier eng. model and latter went to 2 channels?

Not exactly sure what you are asking. All inputs and channels functional correctly. My issue was that neither of the two phono inputs were labeled as moving coil so I had to open it to verify that mine did not have the mc phono board installed. Both phono inputs are operational as mm phono stage.

 

[Binkman]

Just wondering... the alt scan user manual showed one phono input. e.g. if anyone wants to be sure of MC they'll have to take the cover off.

 

[dogwan]

I posted that Alt. scan over on Hifiengine. It was uploaded to the big PSE owner's thread by an original owner on post #64. He also posted the original brochure on post #58. He said he was the original owner and bought his Studio I & II new in 1978. The brochure does show an illustration of the Studio I face showing only one phono position on the selector switch.

I don't know what years the span of the Studio One ran. Maybe there's a difference between the early and later runs? Maybe it was a an option to get either one or two phono inputs (but because the only significant difference seems to be a different selector pot, probably not a major cost consideration). Other than those scans I have not seen an actual unit with only one physical phono input in all the pics I seen while searching for info on these.