Battery powered Phonostage

[Frankyc2003]

Hi everyone,

I am growing increasingly frustrated by background noise emanating from my valve phone (MingDa 2006MC). Changing my SUT did reduce the noise floor quite considerably, but now that I have 97dB Horns, valve noise is sometimes a bit too present...
I am curious to see how I can achieve more of an 'inky black background'.
So, does anyone here, has had any direct experience with battery powered phonostage. I have read some interesting and attractive reviews of Sutherland PH3D or Nighthawk F117...:scratch:
How does the dynamics and spaciousness would compare with a valve design...

Has anyone got direct experience with these? Suggestions? All welcome!

many thanks and happy friday!:cool::cool:

[MartinT]

Hi Francois

I wouldn't get too focussed on whether the phono stage is battery powered or not. The trick is to have a phono pre (with SUT if you have) that has an overall noise floor lower than the vinyl surface and recorded tape noise.

My Whest phono preamp with Choir Audio SUT achieves this, so that I can hear only vinyl noise and then tape noise on top of that for older recordings. Any system-generated noise is well below this level and very low at my playback levels anyway. Get your earthing correct and there should be no hum either.

[dgolh]

Hi François (bonsoir François),

I used to have a Nighthawk and it is a very nice phono preamp. Very versatile (gain and load can be according for each channel to your needs) and very quiet.

I sold it when I moved to a Bryston BPMC26 but it is a totally different story.

[Rare Bird]

I used to love my old Pink Triangle 'PIP II'..If you can find one :)

[Firebottle]

Hi Francois,

How did the Firebottle phono compare to the Ming Da on background noise?

I have improved the top end and am working on a final version. John has the updated prototype (or will have very shortly).
I am going to experiment with running the first stage pentode in triode mode to see if there is any difference in the noise floor.

I'll keep you posted,

:cool:Alan

[trio leo]

Hi Francois,

I'm not sure if this is what you require, but I am using an Albarry MCA11, it's a battery powered moving coil amplifier.

I think it is a superb unit and IMO just allows the cartridge to do it's job, also at £500 I think it's a bargain.

you can find specs @ albarrymusic.com

regards Al

[paskinn]

I use 100db horns and don't seem to get problems with noise....at the level where the room shakes, you can lift the stylus and hear almost nothing (maybe a tiny touch of hum but very low indeed). I get this result with a range of phono stages, usually a music first sut (fabulous, and British) and a simple, basic Croft riaa. Nice and quiet. I've also had similar results with stuff like a Cambridge 641 and very expensive LFD phonostages.
The point is, you are unlucky to get noise at any normal level. I don't think batteries are the answer. An odd question, but are you expecting too much? As long as the phonostage is quiet compared with the vinyl there is no problem. The obvious issue is your Da Ming. Borrow something else and see. I don't see why the stages you mentioned, such as the Sutherland, are any more likely to solve the problem (I had a battery powered Pip preamp, and while it might lower hum, it cannot deal with 'hiss'.)
As for stuff like dynamics, isn't that a different issue?
One final thought; are 'inky black backrounds' that likely with ther truly massive sensitivity involved with 98db. those speakers will be about 10db louder than a standard speaker. Ten db is a hell of a lot of extra gain. Such a system offers lots of things, but can never be totally silent, with vinyl. Doesn't worry me at all, but it might you.

[Qwin]

Hi Francois - I don't know what level you are thinking of entering this field, but "HypnoToads" Moving Coil Phono Stage (HTMCPS) is powered by batteries and is somthing I am building, between other Turntable and speaker projects :D

He posts here, but has a good thread on this item over at AK: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=418308

and my efforts so far can be seen here: http://www.jkwynn.co.uk/HTMCPS_HTML/HTMCPS_Thumbs.html

[Frankyc2003]

Thanks to all for some precious suggestions.
I guess I might be expecting a little too much from my system for sure.
But having heard the firebottle mm in my system, it was very silent in operation. It had a little high frequencies constriction though. But nonetheless better than the MingDa.
My stage is flawed. I know that now. The reasoning behind the battery was to cut all AC noise out of the equation.
I guess i would need to try something like a nighthawk in my system to see how much an improvement/difference I get.
Food for thought indeed.

[MartinT]

AC noise is hum. Try to eliminate earthing problems (for instance, earth the turntable, SUT and interconnects all to the phono preamp's earth post star-fashion, not in a chain) and listen to what's left.

If the phono preamp itself hums (the main reason I had to get rid of the PS Audio GCPH I used to run), then it's useless and you will need something better. There are many phono preamps out there which don't hum.

[topoxforddoc]

Francois,

Your issue is about circuit noise inherent to the design of your Ming Da. Assuming that you don’t hear 50Hz hum with your other sources, then the background noise will be due to your phono stage. Your high sensitivity speakers will expose any circuit design failings in a phono stage. My Avantgarde Duo speakers are even more ruthless than yours in this extent, as they are 104dB/W.
I use two phono stages in my system - the on board MC stage in my TRON Meteor preamp and an additional WAD Phono 3 for my Decca. The TRON is silent in use and the WAD is very quiet.

Charlie
www.charlie-chan.co.uk

[MartinT]

Assuming that you don’t hear 50Hz hum with your other sources, then the background noise will be due to your phono stage.

No, it could be down to poor earthing arrangements.

[Tarzan]

An incredibly quiet phonostage are the Tom Evans stages....very quiet indeed..


Battery power is good, this was brought home to me when l brought home a battery PSU for my Sensation amplifier the difference was not subtle.

[Tarzan]

An incredibly quiet phonostage are the Tom Evans stages....very quiet indeed..


Battery power is good, this was brought home to me when l brought home a battery PSU for my Sensation amplifier the difference was not subtle.


Sorry about the grammer chaps- hungover:cool::doh:

[Alex_UK]

Sorry about the grammer

...and the spelling! Must have been a good night, eh? :lol:

[Frankyc2003]

:lol:
I will try to star earth every thing now.
:eyebrows:

[Tarzan]

...and the spelling! Must have been a good night, eh? :lol:


It was- but l was supposed to go to work this morning..........:doh::cool: