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QUESTION-Phono-Preamps//Inboard vs. external???

scorv

scorv

Active Member
I have a Denon PMA 7.5 Integrated amp with a dedicated Phono stage. IT works well But I was wondering if I would get better performance for an external Phono Pre-amp say under $400.00??.

I would also like to connect two Turntables so I could switch back and forth???

My system is as follows:
-Denon PMA 7.5 Integrated amp
-Snell K Speakers
-Thorens TD-165 stock TP-11 arm [med-mass] w/ Nagaoka MP-110 cart & Ortofon OM-20
-Pioneer PL-518 w/ AT VM-95ML cart

....looking to maybe get a MC cart. in the future for more details sound??

Any suggestions!?

Steve,
 
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Your amp does not support MC, so an external phono pre would be required. As a TD 165 /TP 11 owner I can assure you that you will experience a significant improvement especially if you go LOMC. My first phono pre was a Music Hall PA 1.2 for around $279 at the time. It served me well for several years, but among other things, the 100 Ohm fixed output limitation had me looking elsewhere for a better balance of quality, features and flexibility. My research took me to the Phonomena ii+. It's above your current budget, but it's an end game piece for me and well worth it. Incredible soundstage / imaging and details. It has been the perfect pairing with the Denon DL-103r and the TD 165.
 
OK any suggestions for a Phono pre-amps for me?

***Cool if it was a multi Ohm settings and possibility of hooking up two turntables through it .

Steve,
 
What kind of music do you listen to? If you are running MI/MM carts, and listen to rock or blues, the built-in one is probably fine. I have a Marantz 3600 and it’s built-in one was one of the best made and worked fine. Where I did notice a difference was acoustic music, mandolins, female vocals, roots, Appalachian, Gillian Welch stuff. That’s where a high quality outboard preamp can really open up the music.

Look for a Niles AXP-1 switcher if the preamp you go with doesn’t have one built in, or if you decide to continue using your amps phono input. No longer made, but do pop up on CL and eBay. I paid $50 for mine.

Sure, you could make your own. But by the time you get the parts, and a case, you will probably pick up noise or hum. After a month of Sunday’s trying to chase down and eliminate the noise or hum, you would have wished you would have just bought a high quality one. And the Niles AXP-1 introduces no noise or hum.
 
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OK I listen to Rock, Jazz and Classical-and Soundtracks...not necessarily in that order. I have all MM carts now but would like the option MC in the future.

Thanks for the option with the Niles.

Steve
 
scorv said:
OK any suggestions for a Phono pre-amps for me?

***Cool if it was a multi Ohm settings and possibility of hooking up two turntables through it .

Steve,
Click to expand...

If you can swing it there's a Phonomena ii+ open box for $599 online. The budget difference is minimal for such a huge improvement, especially to get into LOMC's. I'm just sayin';)

I'm not aware of any budget phono pre or otherwise that accepts two tt's.
 
In your target price range of <$400 you could look at the Musical Fidelity LX2-LPS. You won't find many pre's with built-in variable loading in this price range but the LX2-LPS includes separate jacks to accept loading plugs which you could build yourself or buy as a kit from DB Systems for instance.

There's also the Cambridge Audio Alva Duo and the bargain priced iFi Zen. Those units have no loading options but are well liked, and the Zen has multiple gain settings to suit a variety of MC carts. I'm sure others will chime in.
 
I am almost willing to put money down, that the EAR 834 clones found for around $300 on eBay and AliBaba will sound MUCH better then the phonstage of your Rotel amp.
 
Studio_D said:
In your target price range of <$400 you could look at the Musical Fidelity LX2-LPS. You won't find many pre's with built-in variable loading in this price range but the LX2-LPS includes separate jacks to accept loading plugs which you could build yourself or buy as a kit from DB Systems for instance.

There's also the Cambridge Audio Alva Duo and the bargain priced iFi Zen. Those units have no loading options but are well liked, and the Zen has multiple gain settings to suit a variety of MC carts. I'm sure others will chime in.
Click to expand...

+1 on that!! MM and MC with extensive load settings and dead silent background.
 
I like the EAR 834 clones Do you think they are good deal at the price?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/192265300740?_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item2cc3e7ab04:g:puUAAOSwhURZggYR&amdata=enc:AQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickkfKe2vUidqHRg3XM2X2xOVAbu4hE%2Bz6NFMT3Bi2y6lOghMAa56JszRXPrDjp%2BI0t8BIrpPI%2FhCg8mOzwbQAvkXFitbvXoKGyFEipwU9JgRRMXIgVLBpKQMnaTSr6FMG0iuvLN2K9%2BsFaW6ZyRMo6MaDdShVN4q8Nq0ZmUJp89MbViZPvxq0rvPyuVfrMYGNhTF%2FwrWSELcL3isB3RCFFzgRKO0xrvKQY3qMxBFveEqSYxW5CEqV2gCpElaZlZ5YrQXtQXiUFU42tfST5%2B1VzXQcUIqYM0fOyI3l3tNVbhZoEu5Dg81FnmaZK3LFOIT6i1FbQns6bOaDyRXRsGZlxZOaX38ERDAIU7a0Tr5vjqezrO2iiIbqz1P227V2%2FbZUtVrpI8C4JOCLbDQQ0Dkm%2BiGsbXHKK17V2b4wztIiOQwrYr2qAHQnJ%2FQGo5SZXNpPbcu2qLzK190T9uf9KoJaCIubEOU2ImyYWeF18HHRU8Wms7wIqfMVC%2Bsb5HxH%2F4Zrkr9n%2BboXsbey2N6M0NXg%2F%2B1OYzmudaC3UcSjwJRFIxyli1hIp5pKZOWifhOfFUXW%2FYeks59qBM0ub771LkT1wcZtAIXNxxJu2So%2ByfV%2FCsVuSUKkSLADqN6x64vOGIhn3VXIWo5%2BpVsoabxFnVynEMNyqvr%2BEY8vmKJw1fikPv842svp6sWzExpCTupjGNv%2FlJ9VeuJaTr08sobNnzbEy2JjwZUECCz%2F4ofhUawkUPbmf6HXRwdOOINajcVRpqL6v%2FUAchhFBFm3KizifbZNixKQ%3D%3D|cksum:19226530074068be0de2cabd40ee95e027142e6820b6|ampid:pL_CLK|clp:2334524


I assume I need the 115 volt unit for USA? IS this true? How are the Shuguang 12AX7 tubes.??

Steve.
 
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scorv said:
I like the EAR 834 clones Do you think they are good deal at the price?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/192265300740?_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item2cc3e7ab04:g:puUAAOSwhURZggYR&amdata=enc:AQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickkfKe2vUidqHRg3XM2X2xOVAbu4hE%2Bz6NFMT3Bi2y6lOghMAa56JszRXPrDjp%2BI0t8BIrpPI%2FhCg8mOzwbQAvkXFitbvXoKGyFEipwU9JgRRMXIgVLBpKQMnaTSr6FMG0iuvLN2K9%2BsFaW6ZyRMo6MaDdShVN4q8Nq0ZmUJp89MbViZPvxq0rvPyuVfrMYGNhTF%2FwrWSELcL3isB3RCFFzgRKO0xrvKQY3qMxBFveEqSYxW5CEqV2gCpElaZlZ5YrQXtQXiUFU42tfST5%2B1VzXQcUIqYM0fOyI3l3tNVbhZoEu5Dg81FnmaZK3LFOIT6i1FbQns6bOaDyRXRsGZlxZOaX38ERDAIU7a0Tr5vjqezrO2iiIbqz1P227V2%2FbZUtVrpI8C4JOCLbDQQ0Dkm%2BiGsbXHKK17V2b4wztIiOQwrYr2qAHQnJ%2FQGo5SZXNpPbcu2qLzK190T9uf9KoJaCIubEOU2ImyYWeF18HHRU8Wms7wIqfMVC%2Bsb5HxH%2F4Zrkr9n%2BboXsbey2N6M0NXg%2F%2B1OYzmudaC3UcSjwJRFIxyli1hIp5pKZOWifhOfFUXW%2FYeks59qBM0ub771LkT1wcZtAIXNxxJu2So%2ByfV%2FCsVuSUKkSLADqN6x64vOGIhn3VXIWo5%2BpVsoabxFnVynEMNyqvr%2BEY8vmKJw1fikPv842svp6sWzExpCTupjGNv%2FlJ9VeuJaTr08sobNnzbEy2JjwZUECCz%2F4ofhUawkUPbmf6HXRwdOOINajcVRpqL6v%2FUAchhFBFm3KizifbZNixKQ%3D%3D|cksum:19226530074068be0de2cabd40ee95e027142e6820b6|ampid:pL_CLK|clp:2334524


I assume I need the 115 volt unit for USA? IS this true? How are the Shuguang 12AX7 tubes.??

Steve.
Click to expand...

I like my Zero Zone clone so much I got a SUT and am going to sell my Benz Micro PP1 LOMC preamp.

I traded some speakers for mine, and it came without the Chinese tubes so I can't tell you how they sound.

You don't need matching tubes in this design, and right now I am using a Bogen/Mullard in V1, a Rogers in V2, and an Electrohome in V3.
I've rolled a bunch of tubes in this unit, and haven't heard much difference when doing so.
 
OK So this would hook into my Processor IN jack on the Denon PMA 7.5??

So Turntable-IN-Phono Preamp-OUT-Processor-IN-Denon 7.5??

This will bypass using the built in Phono stage??


Stevee,
 
I am not sure what the "processor" designation means exactly, but I assume that is what you would do.

I am old school, with new tube preamps and vintage tube and SS power amps. I plug my phono preamp into the AUX of my preamp, which is the old school designation.

There might be a Rotel specific category in these forums you could ask on?
 
I also have an AUX input on my Denon PMA 7.5.

Maybe I plug the Phono Pre amp into that??

Steve,
 
Maybe out of your price range but I absolutely love my project ds2 tube box. It does everything: mm/mc, adjustable loading, capacitance and gain, switching for 2 turntables and 2 amps. Plus the tube stage sounds amazing, especially with a pair of cheap sovtek lps tubes. This was my single biggest upgrade in my system outside of speakers and lomc carts. Highly recommended.
 
Full disclosure, I haven't heard the denon onboard stage but if I was to place a bet, my money would be on the ds2. I also think that an even bigger step up in sound will be to try a lomc cart like the denon dl103 with the ds2, but you can always do that later.
 
scorv said:
I like the EAR 834 clones Do you think they are good deal at the price?

I assume I need the 115 volt unit for USA? IS this true? How are the Shuguang 12AX7 tubes.??

Steve.
Click to expand...

Yes, you need the 115 volt unit. I say go for it, you won't be disappointed! It will make a huge improvement in your vinyl playback.
 
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