A Budget Phono Stage

[robertoclarkos]

Hi, I have a nad pp2 phono stage and looking to upgrade it to something better. has anyone got and idea on a cheap good quality one? cheers :)

[DSJR]

Now, what can I recommend that isn't sold by my dealer mates or friends with used ones for sale (sort-of private joke)???????????????????? :rolleyes:

I'm sure the A.N.T ones are superbly conceived and built, if expensive. Angle Audio (on eBay) have what appears to be a well designed phono stage with several options/tweaks according to budget - oh, sorry, they're based in my town of residence, so I suppose I shouldn't recommend them, although I don't know them from Adam :uhho:

... I remember the old Trichord? Dino with affection.

Yep, I dare say there are very many good ones out there. Good luck with your final choice...

[The Grand Wazoo]

Shaun,
Maybe you should have a little chat with Alex:
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13214

[DSJR]

Shaun,
Maybe you should have a little chat with Alex:
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13214

Oh yes indeedy :D - Oh sorry, he's a mate of mine :lolsign:

[JazzBones]

Hi, I have a nad pp2 phono stage and looking to upgrade it to something better. has anyone got and idea on a cheap good quality one? cheers :)

The Cambridge Audio MM/MC 640P (Phono Pre-ampliifier) is worth investigating. It has switchable MC to MM and is a nice well made box of goodies for the price. I use one, in conjunction with a headphone amp and 'phones when I'm tuning and I'm doing my cartridge set up and tune up for both my decks (no I'm not a DJ, too bloody old ;)). They show up on Ebay from time to time and I believe that if you're good at circuit tweakery and the waving of a soldering iron you can take these to new heights. Mines a keeper although not used in my systems, its great for headphone listening.

Good luck with your search,

Ron ;)

[StanleyB]

Cheap, good qaulity, better than the PP2? My own one, the TC-760LC, is in the same league as the PP2. So that excludes mine. The 640P is also in that league, which makes me think that you are going to have to drop one of your three requirements.

[keiths]

Now, what can I recommend that isn't sold by my dealer mates or friends with used ones for sale (sort-of private joke)???????????????????? :rolleyes:


:eyebrows::eyebrows::eyebrows:

Don't, you'll upset the Muppet. :lol:

[jostber]

I have the Hagtech Cornet, sounds great:

http://www.hagtech.com/cornet2.html

[robertoclarkos]

hi thanks for all your input. i use the denon dl 110 cartridge . its says its a mc cartridge but should be played through a mm . why call it a mc cartridge ? i connected it to the pp2 it just sounded louder at lower volumes , i take it it starts to distort or something? sorry for all the questions just new to all this. cheers shaun

[keiths]

Angle Audio (on eBay) have what appears to be a well designed phono stage with several options/tweaks according to budget

I've just ordered one of the Angle Audio ("949person") ones with the 'virtual battery' option. I'll report back once I've had a chance to listen to it properly.

[The Grand Wazoo]

its says its a mc cartridge but should be played through a mm . why call it a mc cartridge ? i connected it to the pp2 it just sounded louder at lower volumes , i take it it starts to distort or something? sorry for all the questions just new to all this. cheers shaun

Moving magnet & moving coil are two different engineering techniques and don't necessarily refer to the output. Motor assemblies have coils and magnets and to create an electrical output one must move in relation to the other. In a moving coil, the magnet stays still. In a moving magnet - guess what? - the magnet moves!
If a moving coil has a large number of turns of wire, the output will be higher and then may not need the extra amplification that an MC stage will give, so it suits an MM stage.

[robertoclarkos]

so it just depends on what i prefer and won't break anything?

[John]

Jerry has raved about this phono stage (he usually has a good ear and people often have similar taste) and I notice Keith has ordered one with a report to follow. With the battery powered option this might be very nice indeed
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audiophile-Phono-Stage-amp-preamp-MM-MC-Brand-New-/130572783649?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item1e66be9021
If it was my money I see what Keith thinks of this and then decide

[Darren]

Now, what can I recommend that isn't sold by my dealer mates or friends with used ones for sale (sort-of private joke)???????????????????? :rolleyes:

I'm sure the A.N.T ones are superbly conceived and built, if expensive. Angle Audio (on eBay) have what appears to be a well designed phono stage with several options/tweaks according to budget - oh, sorry, they're based in my town of residence, so I suppose I shouldn't recommend them, although I don't know them from Adam :uhho:

... I remember the old Trichord? Dino with affection.

Yep, I dare say there are very many good ones out there. Good luck with your final choice...

Shill, shill, shill! We just can't stop you shilling can we Dave? :)
You are even shilling for people you don't know now. Frankly I'm
Shocked!

[DSJR]

That rock's uncomfortable to sit on and the hard place gave me a headache.....

:sofa:

[Gromit]

Jerry has raved about this phono stage (he usually has a good ear and people often have similar taste) and I notice Keith has ordered one with a report to follow. With the battery powered option this might be very nice indeed
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audiophile-Phono-Stage-amp-preamp-MM-MC-Brand-New-/130572783649?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item1e66be9021
If it was my money I see what Keith thinks of this and then decide

Oooh - thanks for the heads-up on that one John, you know I think I may be tempted to give this little puppy a try. :)

[YNWaN]

Now, what can I recommend that isn't sold by my dealer mates or friends with used ones for sale (sort-of private joke)???????????????????? :rolleyes:

The above didn't make any sense to me Dave, but a chat last night with a friend has revealed all - I honestly don't know why you bother.

[DSJR]

Bother posting here, or reading about myself in negative, incorrect and totally unjustified posts elsewhere by someone who's been banned from all the "clubs," so wants to spoil others' fun by peeing on their parade??? :scratch: I really wish I had the kind of "influence" I'm accused of having :rolleyes:

[keiths]

Shill, shill, shill! We just can't stop you shilling can we Dave? :)
You are even shilling for people you don't know now. Frankly I'm
Shocked!

Better a shill than not a full shilling :eyebrows:

[YNWaN]

Bother posting here, or reading about myself in negative, incorrect and totally unjustified posts elsewhere by someone who's been banned from all the "clubs," so wants to spoil others' fun by peeing on their parade??? :scratch: I really wish I had the kind of "influence" I'm accused of having :rolleyes:

The later (certainly I didn't mean about posting here) - welcome to the evil cabal :eek:

To be honest Dave, if you go wandering around the secure wards, it's not entirely surprising that 'weird' stuff happens....

[DSJR]

Better a shill than not a full shilling :eyebrows:

"I'm going slightly mad - It finally happened....." - brilliant lyrics by a man on a death sentence (Freddie Mercury).

I'll try to reinforce the fact that Dave W and Alex UK are mates and that products sold by dave are available elsewhere - I thought you guys knew it, but i suppose it could be deliberately mis-interpreted...


By the way, HiFi dave doesn't have any left (;)), but the little Rega Fono-Mini if you can find one available on ebay is really good too for £56 or so. The tragedy in Japan caused supply hiccups I understand and the product was regretfully dropped (I think that's the story).


I gthink I may do some "shilling" for Stan :rolleyes: and get him to lend me one of his phono stages to try, since his price reflects well the low actual costs of these things......... :)

[StanleyB]

I gthink I may do some "shilling" for Stan :rolleyes: and get him to lend me one of his phono stages to try, since his price reflects well the low actual costs of these things......... :)
:lolsign:.
I am actually trying to design an all discrete version of it. Anyone who has heard a good discrete phono preamp might understand why I would aim my attention at such a circuit. But I am stuck on how to handle the wide range of outputs on MC carts, and capacitance requirements for MM carts. They aren't options available below a few hundred quid, but it would be nice to have in something more affordable.

[Audioman]

:lolsign:.
I am actually trying to design an all discrete version of it. Anyone who has heard a good discrete phono preamp might understand why I would aim my attention at such a circuit. But I am stuck on how to handle the wide range of outputs on MC carts, and capacitance requirements for MM carts. They aren't options available below a few hundred quid, but it would be nice to have in something more affordable.

An idea would be to concentrate on seperate versions for MM and MC. Less variables to tackle in one circuit. The proper Rega Phono does this though they leave capacitance settings in the MC version - a giveaway of shared basic circuit. BTW this can be heartily recommended and must compete on close terms with £500 phono stages. Look forward to this coming to fruition Stan.

[DSJR]

I'd be more inclined to look at loading resistance for both MC and MM settings, as I feel sure that 68 - 100K may help neutralise old mm saggy top-ends and 3- - 39K helps some ragged Decca's behave better, although 100 Ohms for MC does seem to be a reasonable compromise. Instead of switches, and in true Beresford tradition, a pair of "loading" sockets alongside the inputs may help here, so that impedance and capacitance could be adjusted by plugging in suitable loading plugs?

The most important thing aside from loading is overload margins, as it's surprising how much less of an issue the "effects" of surface noise and ticks/plops can be when the phono stage osn't misbehaving on these sometimes massive transients.

[Moko]

There's a great thread on cheap phone stages over on Lenco Heaven http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=5987.30 , at the recent Lenco meeting the winner of best sounding cheap phone stages was apparently Malcolm's effort that he made for about £15.

The circuit looks really simple to build with some bits from Maplin's/Ebay so why not have a go and build one yourself, mind you the EAR834P from Germany (on Page 2 of the thread) looks impressive as well.

[keiths]

I got my Angle Audio phono stage today. First listen is very positive indeed - will say more about it after I've spent the weekend listening to it.

[serendipitydawg]

I got my Angle Audio phono stage today. First listen is very positive indeed - will say more about it after I've spent the weekend listening to it.

I would be interested to hear your views as well Keith. I too am tempted to try the Angle Audio phono stage.

Anyone care to speculate about the LDR preamp they do as well?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audiophile-LDR-Passive-Preamp-Phono-Stage-1-2-input-/130574313751?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUC I%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3 D8%26pmod%3D130561120898%252B130561120898%26po%3D% 26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D2733618106921590364#ht_1355wt_ 983

[keiths]

My review of the Angle Audio phono stage here:
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?p=251880#post251880

[robertoclarkos]

Cheers mate.

[RichB]

Thread revival.....

I'm after a cheap and cheerful phono stage for a second system project and wondered whether the world has changed.

[walpurgis]

Here you go:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAMBRIDGE-AUDIO-AZUR-640P-MM-MC-PHONO-STAGE-TURNTABLE-PRE-AMPLIFIER-Exc-c-2009-/151464328677?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item2343fa3de5

You won't do better for the money. I used one alongside an EAR 834P and the little Cambridge did not sound bad at all in comparison.

[RichB]

Here you go:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAMBRIDGE-AUDIO-AZUR-640P-MM-MC-PHONO-STAGE-TURNTABLE-PRE-AMPLIFIER-Exc-c-2009-/151464328677?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item2343fa3de5

You won't do better for the money. I used one alongside an EAR 834P and the little Cambridge did not sound bad at all in comparison.

Cheers...

Sniffing about at the moment to see if I can get a phono/pre, subject to flogging some gear. Might consider croft basic with phono.

[paskinn]

Croft will still be selling superb phonostages at fair prices when much of the competition has disappeared. Only mm of course, but still excellent options, including a good step up. Lowest cost is not always the solution to a problem, in fact it rarely is when you are looking for high quality.

[Reffc]

Having just bought and built the new Hagerman Cornet 3 valve phonostage (also available fully assembled for about £300), I believe that sets the new benchmark for decent quality at a fair price, so would add that to your list of possibilities. In fact, it's something of a bench-mark product competing easily with stages at twice its price point. It also proves that you don't need to spend large amounts to get some pretty stunning performance.