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Recommended Phono Preamps

timsclips

timsclips

Well-Known Member
I thought it would be nice to have the recommended phonograph preamps listed in one thread. Please list only what you own or have used in the past and what cartridge(s) it paired best with.

I have used only a Radio Shack 42-2930 preamp to connect my first MM turntable to a receiver that did not have a MM input back in the day. It worked but that is all that I remember about it.
 
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I 'm using a Mo-Fi Studio Deck, Studio cartridge, and Studio pre-amp. I figured the pre amp was the best way to go in the interests of compatibility. It has all the settings one might need with a MM or MC cartridge. Not all manufacturers offer this kind of integrated program.
 
patient_ot said:
This could turn into a very long thread covering a wide variety of budgets.
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Agreed. If you are asking for recommendations and/or experience with a certain type (MM or MC), technology (solid state or tube), or price range (cheap to moderate on up to wildly expensive), you'd do better to specify that and ask a more specific question.

Otherwise you are likely to get way too many responses to tell you what you need or you may get very few.
 
Current phono pre is a Graham Slee Reflex M.

Used with a Goldring 1042, a Stanton 680 + Jico Shibata, and an AT VM95ML in current rotation. Sounds great with all of them.

Previous phono preamp was the MOFI Studio Phono - not recommended for cartridges with over 4mV of output. I liked it a lot with my Signet TK3EA + 440Mlb cartridge with the loading down to 39K with a set of loading plugs. Did pretty well with the Stanton listed above also. Horrible with the Goldring 1042 though.

Prior to that I had a Schiit Mani. Very hissy despite good S/N specs and very prone to RFI in locations near radio and TV stations. Not recommended.

I also have a Rega Fono A2D which I have a second TT. This was given to me by a friend, so I'll never sell it. The sound is somewhat polite but not bad and it doesn't pick up RFI like the Mani. Also not recommended for very high output cartridges. Anything with 2-5mV should be okay.

Besides these, the only other standalone phono preamp I've had is a cheap $25 Chinese off-brand one that is rebranded and sold under a variety of names. Not bad considering how cheap it was but definitely veiled like a blanket over speakers.
 
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LexDM3 said:
Agreed. If you are asking for recommendations and/or experience with a certain type (MM or MC), technology (solid state or tube), or price range (cheap to moderate on up to wildly expensive), you'd do better to specify that and ask a more specific question.

Otherwise you are likely to get way too many responses to tell you what you need or you may get very few.
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Bingo. Not sure what OP is hoping to get out of this thread. Are they going to tally up mentions of specific products and make a decision that way, or what?

From experience the best way to select a phono stage is to narrow the options based on budget and features then do an in-home audition. I would never buy another phono stage without one, knowing what I know now. The only exception for me would be a DIY kit.
 
Van Alstine VisionQ. MM/MI/MC with adjustable gain and loading (internal dip switches) for MC. Very awesome. $500 new.
 
Dynavector P75 mk3 set in Phono enhancer mode with a Dynavector 20X2L the two go hand in hand just plain Awesome. EAR 834P with Telefunkin's, use with my AT 50ANV and Denon DL 301mk2 dead quiet phono stage
 
Got two, count 'em, TWO MS Phonomena phono stages. Bought them both used, the two together cost less than one new one.
Love them, especially the Phonomena II with the switches on the outside of the case.
 
bobins08 said:
Marc, I’m curious, is the add on for low out cartridges in the same case?
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no, it sits on top of my pre, didn't own it when you were here. part of a "group buy" from bartertown some months back. I run my MCZ, 10MR through it, plus a couple of low out MCs supplied with tables, and some statement line grados i've given a listen to for Joseph.
 
marcmorin said:
no, it sits on top of my pre, didn't own it when you were here. part of a "group buy" from bartertown some months back. I run my MCZ, 10MR through it, plus a couple of low out MCs supplied with tables, and some statement line grados i've given a listen to for Joseph.
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I still wish my Musical Concepts PasPro preamp had more gain, it’s 36-37 dB and had a very black background. I’m using some fabulous NOS Telefunken tubes in it. The 8MX w/ MCZ stylus needs a lot more volume pot adjustment than any other MM/MI in my collection. None of my phono stages are as good as this preamps phono input. I use SUTs with my MC carts just to stay with this preamp phono input. Designed and customized by John Hulig here in my home town.

I assume this DB systems produces a line level output?

BTW —- Joseph’s .3 x 7 nude elliptical on aluminum cantilever competes with the Grado MCZ. It’s very close. The Grado might be a bit more airy, the Needlestein has more punch. Very close.
 
patient_ot said:
Prior to that I had a Schiit Mani. Very hissy despite good S/N specs and very prone to RFI in locations near radio and TV stations. Not recommended.
Click to expand...

Sounds like your Mani may have been damaged by my old pal ESD. Mine was dead quiet until I zapped it with static from my body a couple of months ago. Then it started hissing.

I have 5 products from Schiit--Mani, 2 DACs, Valhalla 2, and Modi. When my Valhalla started shorting out, I found a cold soldering joint. Looked like a tiny volcano with a hole in the middle. I touched all of them up with solder and it has worked fine.

I tried to repair my Mani and noticed how sloppy the work was on the PCB. Schiit oversells its Made in America marketing hype. Perhaps if they outsourced their PCB construction to Indonesia or Mexico, they would have better quality control. I used to live in Ventura County. People there don't know how to use a soldering iron :whip:
 
bobins08 said:
I still wish my Musical Concepts PasPro preamp had more gain, it’s 36-37 dB and had a very black background. I’m using some fabulous NOS Telefunken tubes in it. The 8MX w/ MCZ stylus needs a lot more volume pot adjustment than any other MM/MI in my collection. None of my phono stages are as good as this preamps phono input. I use SUTs with my MC carts just to stay with this preamp phono input. Designed and customized by John Hulig here in my home town.

I assume this DB systems produces a line level output?

BTW —- Joseph’s .3 x 7 nude elliptical on aluminum cantilever competes with the Grado MCZ. It’s very close. The Grado might be a bit more airy, the Needlestein has more punch. Very close.
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I plug the DB-8HG into a line level on the DB-1B preamp. The preamp phono gain is 37db, the DB-8HG is 52db gain. Plugging a DL103 into it, the volume control on the preamp was about where it is for a grado plugged into 37
 
timsclips said:
I thought it would be nice to have the recommended phonograph preamps listed in one thread. Please list only what you own or have used in the past and what cartridge(s) it paired best with.
Click to expand...

I like the phono in my DB Systems DB-1B with my Grado G1+/MCZ loaded down to 10kohm and a Shure M91/Jico SAS. I haven't found a particularly good MC cartridge match for my DB-8HG other than a Denon DL-103 which is fair. I'm very happy with my Sutherland PH3D set at MM gain paired with a SUT for MC cartridges. The Hashimoto HM-3s work well with my Shelter 501II and the Lundahl LL1931 is terrific with the Ortofon Cadenza Red.

I enjoyed a Budgie phono and matching Cinemag 1254 SUT for a couple of years with a variety of cartridges and I keep a Music Fidelity V-LPS as a backup.
 
Mellotronix said:
Sounds like your Mani may have been damaged by my old pal ESD. Mine was dead quiet until I zapped it with static from my body a couple of months ago. Then it started hissing.

I have 5 products from Schiit--Mani, 2 DACs, Valhalla 2, and Modi. When my Valhalla started shorting out, I found a cold soldering joint. Looked like a tiny volcano with a hole in the middle. I touched all of them up with solder and it has worked fine.

I tried to repair my Mani and noticed how sloppy the work was on the PCB. Schiit oversells its Made in America marketing hype. Perhaps if they outsourced their PCB construction to Indonesia or Mexico, they would have better quality control. I used to live in Ventura County. People there don't know how to use a soldering iron :whip:
Click to expand...

I don't think ESD was the issue. I used the Mani in a few different states and cities. After my last move I was in an area with tons of radio and TV stations. That kind of environment easily exposes weaknesses in build/design with phono stages.

RE: Schiit's crappy build quality, seen that before when people have taken their equipment apart and posted photos. I've well over the hype. I still have a Modi but mainly use it for the optical input so I can get TV sound through the stereo.
 
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