Are expensive phono preamps worth it? [Archive]

magiccarpetride

06-06-2018, 23:57

Inspired by a very good thread on expensive cartridges, I pose the same question regarding the phono stage.

My personal experience is very limited, having tried just a handful of economy/midrange phono preamps. But even within those constraints I've noticed huge differences in the sound quality. I've currently settled on iFi iPhono Micro 2, and am quite happy with the tremendous improvement it is giving me over my old Emotiva XSP-1 phono.

But now I'm wondering if going for some higher-end phono would give me a similar lift? Please chime in if you've had a chance to listen to some high end phono preamps, and if you think those can make a noticeable improvement.

struth

07-06-2018, 02:45

think it can depend again on your kit etc, but I dont think, in general you have to go all the way to the top of tree for quality. one of those areas where middle ground is sensible. The firebottle for instance is about £500and does both types of cart well. MC's need a fair bit of attention sometimes due to the nature of beast, but if, like me your happy with mm then I would say stick to the 200/500 level.

Primalsea

07-06-2018, 07:26

The ifi Phono is supposedly a very good phono stage and if that is the case I imagine that you are starting to get into the territory of other phono stages just sounding different. Whether they are better is more down to if you like what they do more than what you have. It can be a tricky one as what may initially sound very impressive might start to really grate on you in the longer run.

allthingsanalogue

07-06-2018, 08:20

Definitely! Having just upgraded to a Linn Uphorik I was astounded by the improvement over my former Lehmann Black Cube SEII and a Decade that I didn’t even own for a month before I traded it in!

Clive

07-06-2018, 09:48

Bigman80

07-06-2018, 10:36

I'd say the phono stage is more important or harder to get right in a system than pre and power amps. It's an important component in voicing and giving your preferred character to a TT. As said above, it's not necessarily down to price. At 300 quid I find this phono stage a great match for my London Reference cartridge: http://www.templeaudio.net/harmony.html I also love my diy valve phono stage for mono deck & records.I'd agree with this. It's harder AND more important to get that part right than anything else. The cartridge + SUT/HA combo will kill any phonostage if it isn't right then you have to get the phonostage right too. This has been the hardest part for me. Finally accomplished with a DIY Valve phonostage and the use of JFets instead of a SUT. no one solution is best mind you, that's all down to personal taste.

struth

07-06-2018, 11:17

Beobloke

07-06-2018, 11:47

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules. I've heard underwhelming £200 models and impressive £100 ones, and can also recall a £3500 phono stage that was extremely disappointing, and another £3000 model that is still possibly the best I have ever heard.

sq225917

07-06-2018, 12:36

Are expensive phono pre-amps worth it? No, absolutely not. But the value for money ones at the same price are.

stidge

07-06-2018, 13:09

I am currently demo'ing a Pass Labs XP-17 in my system. At an RRP of 4k you would expect it to be better than the Arkless 640p I was using before but I have been surprised just how much better. Everything is clearer, instruments well defined and separated, incredibly black background and great rhythm. I am hearing lots of new things in records I have played hundreds of times.

I haven't listened to anything in-between these extremes so can't tell whether I can get most of this for a lot less money but certainly I can hear the difference spending more money makes. Of course ymmv.

I am sure there must be a middle ground which I aim to investigate as 4k seems rather extravagent to say the least....

magiccarpetride

07-06-2018, 13:53

That should be xps-1... ps they are very good but need running it a fair bit and respond well to use of battery power

Thanks for the correction. Yes, my XPS-1 has been in use for 11 months before I upgraded. It is a really good phono (certainly beat several other ones in a similar price range).

But switching to iFi iPhono 2 made XPS-1 sound like a blaring mess. At least to my ears.

Yes, I paid double for iFi iPhono 2, but to me the extra cash was definitely worth it. Which made me ask the original question -- is it worth going for an even pricier phono, seeing how much improvement I got from paying the double price?

Bigman80

07-06-2018, 13:56

Thanks for the correction. Yes, my XPS-1 has been in use for 11 months before I upgraded. It is a really good phono (certainly beat several other ones in a similar price range).

But switching to iFi iPhono 2 made XPS-1 sound like a blaring mess. At least to my ears.

Yes, I paid double for iFi iPhono 2, but to me the extra cash was definitely worth it. Which made me ask the original question -- is it worth going for an even pricier phono, seeing how much improvement I got from paying the double price?Doubling the price may not prove to be double the improvement.

struth

07-06-2018, 14:01

Thanks for the correction. Yes, my XPS-1 has been in use for 11 months before I upgraded. It is a really good phono (certainly beat several other ones in a similar price range).

But switching to iFi iPhono 2 made XPS-1 sound like a blaring mess. At least to my ears.

Yes, I paid double for iFi iPhono 2, but to me the extra cash was definitely worth it. Which made me ask the original question -- is it worth going for an even pricier phono, seeing how much improvement I got from paying the double price?

the xps1 is 229£ now.:eyebrows: it did improve a lot using battery supply. lifted it quite a bit. shows the smps was shit

magiccarpetride

07-06-2018, 14:31

the xps1 is 229£ now.:eyebrows: it did improve a lot using battery supply. lifted it quite a bit. shows the smps was shit

You know, I totally believe that. What battery supply did you use?

magiccarpetride

07-06-2018, 14:35

Doubling the price may not prove to be double the improvement.

Everyone seems to agree that improvements/worsening is never linear. And it's all kind of subjective. In my case, iFi iPhono 2, which is more than double the price of Emotiva, improved the sound not twice, but maybe ten times (okay, I'm exaggerating here, but really everything was elevated to a whole new level after the switcharoo).

Needless to say, I am very pleased with this upgrade (it demonstrated to me the vital importance of the phono stage), but the little bug is now buzzing around my head wondering if there is a way to go even higher with the phono stage? Or have I reached the plateau, and only venturing into some esoteric territory would bring me substantial lift?

struth

07-06-2018, 14:42

You know, I totally believe that. What battery supply did you use?

its an Anker battery. has a 12v supply plus others. they were not cheap. i picked mine up second hand here. great gadget. my rpi runs off a 5v battery too. I do like the battery supply. although not all batteries are made equal. its better than the linear supply i used to use with the xps1

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180607/f90375923ac706fc9e040482397398d3.jpg

speedracer

07-06-2018, 15:09

I think getting the right phono stage for your system is much more important than many people realise. I have heard ones I consider to be good or bad at a lot of price points, and there are a few affordable ones that punch above their weight too. Generally though, as long as it is made properly with good components, the more you spend the better the sound. There are obviously exceptions to this, and I have heard some with a big price ticket that I haven't liked in mine and other peoples systems, but for me an exceptional phono stage is at the heart of most if not all analogue systems.

Macca

07-06-2018, 15:23

there can be quite a difference between stages at the 200-300 quid mark and the stages at the 2k to 3k mark.

No doubt there are some 2k and 3k stages that are just 200 quid stages in a fancy box. But I would say if you have the money - and buy one of the good ones - the improvement over a good £300 stage is substantial.

Not just a little bit better, a lot better. I would not have thought that was true until I heard the comparisons for myself. Previously I had figured that as a phono stage does not really have to do much then there would be nowhere else to go after about £500 or thereabouts except for adding bling to the case and bullshit to the marketing spiel. Wrong!

George47

07-06-2018, 15:24

I believe the answer is yes. The phono stage has a tricky job in that the signals it has to deal with are very small. So attention to earthing, noise and layout are far more important than in other amplifiers. If you use a moving coil then it becomes even more important as there microVolts to work with not milliVolts. If you use a low output moving coil then you are really a glutten for punishment.

Od course what you spend will depend upon the rest of your system and what your expectations are. As always there are some expensive lemons and some brilliant, expensive phono amps and matching them to your system becomes more important.

walpurgis

07-06-2018, 16:01

hifi_dave

07-06-2018, 16:09

Exactly.

You can pay a fortune and get no more than from a well designed, reasonably priced unit but a well designed, properly built and expensive phono stage should give a lot more of everything than a cheaper unit.

magiccarpetride

07-06-2018, 16:45

The title is "Are expensive phono preamps worth it?" But really, you could substitute the name of any piece of equipment in place of 'phono preamps', like speakers or amplifiers for instance and get very similar debate, with arguments for and against.

True. Still, certain components get more headlines (turntables, speakers), while other components (preamps, phono stage) get less attention.

There is very little debate around whether spending more money on a turntable would yield significant improvement. Same goes for speakers. Those are largely mechanical contraptions and it is easy to see how spending more on better engineered parts will determine the improvements. With little boxes, like phono, DACs, etc., it is less obvious what determines the higher price.

Yomanze

08-06-2018, 10:54

I was quite surprised when my Vista Audio Phono 1 mk2 blew away my Trichord Dino / Dino+, LFD Mistral & Hagerman Bugle 2 phono stages. It cost me £225-ish with another £25 for a Mascot 12VAC / 1.5A wall wart PSU. Tranparent, dynamic, loads of slam when the record has it, and fabulously natural top end.

martinjohn308

20-06-2018, 09:49

I started with the S cards in the 32 back in 1982 modded to 32.5 back at the factory went from a Asak T to Karma had 3 of these over the years. Forward to 2007 and used a Graham Slee Fanfare for a short while then ended up with a Audio Whest 30R which was a chasm in SQ over the Fanfare.

I kept this 30R and moved on to a Dynavector 20 VL a very good cartridge at the same time I had a call from James Herriot of Whest Audio telling me that he had some exchange units in the pipeline if I was interested. Then 2010 I bought a Micro Benz Wood SL at the same time I had a loan of a Whest Audio 30RDTSE an jump of improvement over the 30R but even with the trade in value of my 30R it was still £3K.

I then through the forums I noticed the “ Paradise “ thread and people raving about this unit. I contacted Simon Clark who agreed to build me one I think it was in 2015 ? I know it was number 14 and it was a four box phono stage using Naim shoe boxes so completely mono.

Simon builds a great phono stage sourcing the components matching and rejecting them must be so time consuming but the end product is sublime.

Therefore to say is an expensive phono stage worth it ? In my case yes it blew my 30 R into the weeds and was much better than the 30RDTSE who’s is £4K. The proof is in the pudding you don’t see Paradise phono stages for sale, secondly where would I go from here. I know Simon has compared it wit a Tom Evans costing £10K and he told me that there wasn’t much between them.

Whereas the Whest Audio units have switchable dil switches the Paradise has to be removed by its sled to change resistor values. Which one will do a few times till you settle on the value that suit your cartridges.

The cartridge i’m Using now is a Kiseki Blue NS and using 220 ohm resistors.

Regards,

Martin

Reg

curry49

01-02-2019, 17:02

"Are expensive phono preamps worth it?"

In many cases, yes, I'm sure.

But perhaps a bit of comparative listening is prudent. I was once shocked to find that a DJ mixer (and the phono-stage in a small 70s receiver) matched my $2k phono-stage.

JohnG

02-02-2019, 08:55

A selection of a Phonostage is a very personal choice. Each individual will have something in their mind, that must be satisfied.
Experiencing multiple Devices in use, will help a individual create a perception of what is a Detractor or Attractor, in a support to the stimulus they are in search of.
Other idividuals perceptions are irrelivant, as they are not knowing of another individuals stimulus, if a individual can clearly describe what they wish to percieve when auditioning a device, then I am sure others can gauge this and suggest a few items worthy of a audition.
The Cost of the Phonostage is a general guideline to how much a individual gauges the purchase value of a device to be included into their system.
Good Marketing and Market Place pressure, automatically entices a individual to believe that a larger outlay, will offer signicantly more.
Experience will reveal that the 'law of diminshing returns' Prevail, and time taken to investigate will be prudent, as a lot can be had for less.
Every now and again, a device can be stumbled on that will intergrate into a system seamlessly and the end product as a whole, surpasses all before. If such a device is found at any price, it would be money well spent. If such a device was stretching a budget to the point of not affordable, then I say move on, there is a worthy and affordable alternative to be discovered.
From personal experiences over many years, in relation to Phonostages, I have auditioned and enjoyed many, as well as not be so impressed . As a result I have only owned a few, and these are ones most would be happy to own in relation to purchase price.
My personal preferance for a Phonostage is it must make me smile, I tend to like to feel, I am in the right place, I have ended the search.
This is not a technical approach but a approach formed from interaction, perception and stimulation.
It is also a personal thing that is almost impossible to describe. So looking for support in
being directed to devices is not readily available.
There are very cheap as well as very expensive Phonostages that have failed to achieve this, as well as the ones that proved be totally fulfilling.
To answer the question of the Thread Directly,
If a phonostage that is expensive, and affordable, meets the absolute needs of the end user, offering a experience that surpasses previous experiences. Then yes it is worth it.

CageyH

02-02-2019, 08:59

I have also found that expensive Phonostages may not be better, but just different.
It is a personal choice, and a bit of a mission to find one that works well in your system that you like.

Jac Hawk

05-02-2019, 19:17

I've read this thread with interest, like Grant I'm happy with mm cartridges and personally feel that if the same amount of development was done to mm as is and has been done to mc then the very best you can get may not be mc.

I've never used a separate phono pre amp, but am very tempted to give them a go, in my opinion this whole topic is subjective, as what I like someone else will hate, one of my "things to do" this year is to attend more bake offs and listen to more phono pre amps

struth

05-02-2019, 19:34

Interesting that there are very few mm only stages made other than cheap ones. Especially in the 400/600 range.. Not much flexibility with them either. Its really a poor show

Jac Hawk

05-02-2019, 19:44

It's all about what you can sell it for, I read somewhere that one of the reasons there isn't as much development done on mm is that if you spend the same on R&D on a mc cart you will recoup your investment quicker due to the higher sale value of mc, good business sense really, it's a shame though and obviously this will have the knock on effect with things like phono stages

Clive

05-02-2019, 19:52

My MM level cartridge (not strictly an MM) which requires an MM phono stage has a current list price of £3k. It sees off a lot of MCs. Whether this cartridge qualifies as a contender in this discussion I suppose is open to question.

jmalkovich18

05-02-2019, 19:54

I had pre cambridge 540; 650, shiit mani, project phono box s. Most i like project. Now thinkin about more expensive project tube box. DS2, its around £600. Thinkin connect to naim5i with 685 S2

struth

05-02-2019, 20:25

I had pre cambridge 540; 650, shiit mani, project phono box s. Most i like project. Now thinkin about more expensive project tube box. DS2, its around £600. Thinkin connect to naim5i with 685 S2Looked at that and the ds2 usb one too. Both look decent but without a trial it's really difficult. I've heard some fairly ordinary stages for a lot of money before. A whest comes to mind

montesquieu

05-02-2019, 20:43

alphaGT

05-02-2019, 21:07

I tend to go with a rule of thumb to keep the money spread evenly. A £2k ‘table, with a £2k arm, and a £2k cartridge, and a £2k phono pre. For example. But of course this is not a hard and fast rule, just pointing out that it may prove unwise to buy a £4K cartridge and connect it to a £200 phono pre. Or visa versa.

But, as everyone else above has said, quality varies at all price points. Plus, it’s just a fact of life that one cartridge may work better with a particular phono stage than another of the same price. And, how well a phono pre works with a particular main preamp can also be true. So, it opens the need to listen to all combinations, and hear how each works in your system. A major headache when shopping. And don’t forget a decent phono cable! This cable will make a larger difference in SQ than any other cable in your system, seeing it handles such low level signals. But you don’t have to spend a few grand to get a decent cable. Just the one that works best with your gear. I bought a used VPI cable for $200, I have no complaints.

My Parasound main preamp has a nice built in phono pre. I was using a Grado Gold cart., at the time and when I moved to an external Musical Surroundings two box phono pre, there was a major jump in SQ! A $1000 unit new, I got used for $400. And is battery powered.

So, I moved up to a Sumiko Blue Point EVO 3. A little more than twice the price of the Gold. I tried both with the built in phono, and while the Blue Point was better, it wasn’t a vast improvement. But! When I played them both through the Musical Surroundings unit, the difference in cartridges was major! It made the new Blue Point shine! And, according to my own math, I should upgrade to a $1000 cart., to get the most out of my phono preamp. But, I’m loving the Blue Point right now, it does many things right, and I’m in no hurry to upgrade, but probably will eventually. Would it sound even better if I bought a BAT $7,000 phono preamp? I’m sure, but I would not be getting the most from it feeding it from a $500 cart. So, even money makes sense. To me anyway.

Russell

oldius

06-02-2019, 04:47

I use integrated amps with internal phono stages. I did use high end pre-power with a high end (3.6k) phono stage. A friend of mine has recently changed his 6k valve integrated with 3k phono stage for the integrated amp I have too, so it's not just me!

Back in the day, your phono stage was your amp. Vinyl was the medium of choice so if your amp's phono stage was poor, the amp didn't sell.

There is no link, especially in the used market, between cost and quality IMO. As always, trust your ears and demo what you want to hear.

Yomanze

16-03-2019, 12:37

As you go up the chain, things get more explosive, dynamic, quiet and open. Phono stages are just as important, if not more so, than the cartridge IMHO. Price doesn’t always mean performance though...

cjm123

18-03-2019, 08:31

..Sorry late to this thread as per usual!Doh!

I have owned a lot of low to mid (£100-350) priced phono stages over many years and they all have their pros and cons. Some are insensitive with insufficient gain, some sound clinical and some suffer from earthing and hum susceptibility problems. Price seems to be no reliable indicator of a phono stages sound quality.

IMHO you could do a lot worse than a Croft Acoustics Micro 25 and kill two birds with one stone. I bought one and it has a quite simply brilliant MM phono stage and a great pre-amp which brings life and emotion to all that pass through it. It is fast, quiet with plenty of gain and is fun to listen to and beautifully built by a true craftsman who always supports his gear...and a bargain price and there is not much out there that you can all that about these days.

Oh, and one final thing, it has cured me of any desire to keep swapping phono stages or pre-amps.:)

Lawrence001

18-03-2019, 13:24

+1 on the croft I loved my micro basic but for those for whom money is tight, I now use one of those Yaqin valve stages and I'm more than happy with it.

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

Fiddlefye

21-03-2019, 00:31

Last week a friend gave me to try a beautifully-built Bottlehead Seduction with all of the upgrades and prime quality bits employed. It had been sitting on his shelf for a number of years and had a new NOS tube set in it. After maybe 30 hours of play time it really is sounding delightful. I'm running a custom-built SUT (Microtrans transformers) into it and am delighted. I've tun quite a number of phono stages/pres over the years and this one is definitely the new favourite. Not at all expensive, either.

337alant

22-03-2019, 19:31

Another angle on this is a DIY build is the way to achieve the best of the expensive Phono stages at a fraction of the cost :eyebrows:
The Paradise phono stage being the prime example

Alan

Bigman80

22-03-2019, 19:34

Another angle on this is a DIY build is the way to achieve the best of the expensive Phono stages at a fraction of the cost :eyebrows:
The Paradise phono stage being the prime example

AlanAgreed

Barry

22-03-2019, 23:12

Another angle on this is a DIY build is the way to achieve the best of the expensive Phono stages at a fraction of the cost :eyebrows:
The Paradise phono stage being the prime example

Alan

Not much help if the Paradise circuit boards are no longer available. Nor does it help if the transistors have be selected to match one another - not everyone has a transistor tester.

337alant

23-03-2019, 09:55

Not much help if the Paradise circuit boards are no longer available. Nor does it help if the transistors have be selected to match one another - not everyone has a transistor tester.

Its just an example of what can be done, its blatantly obvious that you have to have the skills and equipment, but you could also ask someone to do it for you and still save a lot compared to a commercially produce product.
Simon SQ225917 made quite a few Paradise phono stages for people on here and PFM and put a smile on there faces, I know people who own them and are very happy with them and what they paid to have them built
But as I said its just an example, the Salas folding simplistic phono stage is another over on DIY audio, the phonoclone another , and Bugle 2 from Hagerman sells kits, there are loads out there.

Alan

337alant

23-03-2019, 10:01

Paradise is not a good example , it is too sophisticated and to build it with no oscilloscope , transistor tester , etc... is like trying to build spaceship with just a hammer . Total cost is around £1k and with right tools and proper testing aims a bit higher than standard DIY projects .

I think it is as the saving even in the terms you have quoted are still great comparative to the sound and quality you get for your money IMO.

Alan

Bigman80

23-03-2019, 10:05

JohnG

23-03-2019, 11:06

The OP, will benefit from attending a 'Bake Off 'social event where Phonostages are being evaluated through one system.
I have heard the Paradise in such a situation, and am very aware of the capabilities it has, I had it as a top contender on the day, and this still stands, but, it is one that needs to be heard, as it has a unique reference quality presentation, that most Phon's can't get near.

337alant

23-03-2019, 11:29

The paradise is a phonostage that should cost FAR more than it does, so I believe that was the point being made.

There are other DIY phonostages that don't require much more than a soldering iron to build. Mine is just one of them. Incredibly straightforward and the result is very rewarding.

Building your own stuff only adds to the enjoyment of listening to it.

Absolutely !
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/group-buys/330240-bigbottle-mc-valve-jfet-phonostage-buy.html

I wish I had joined in this one too:eyebrows:
looks excellent and very simple to build

Alan

Bigman80

23-03-2019, 11:47

Absolutely !
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/group-buys/330240-bigbottle-mc-valve-jfet-phonostage-buy.html

I wish I had joined in this one too:eyebrows:
looks excellent and very simple to build

AlanLink isn't working mate, is that to my Bigbottle phonostage?

If so, it's not too late to join in!

If not, I'd like to see who else had the same idea lol

struth

23-03-2019, 11:52

link works for me....and yes it was

Bigman80

23-03-2019, 12:30

link works for me....and yes it wasOh?

Must be a tapatalk issue.

Bigman80

23-03-2019, 12:48

Not sure about this one , with no circuit diagram (one could take it of the board but it's too much hassle for DIY) and no measurement reference points it's pretty useless as one don't know if works as intended . With something like this you definitely need an oscilloscope to see what it does , at least on the output.I'm afraid not, Mac72

There are measurement point available, which are provided to those who've bought a PCB. The Circuit diagram is not provided as it's not mine to share, as I repeatedly state in the thread.

You've obviously not read the opening post on this and jumped to a conclusion. The wrong one.

The PCB was designed so all you need to do is buy the parts listed on the BOM, included are part numbers so you can buy the exact ones specified. You then follow the build guide, which is incredibly simple. You then have an exact replica of the three I have built.

I checked this approach works by doing exactly that and to see if it yields repeatable results.

It absolutely does.

The RIAA network was the only tweak required after the last build with the new board and that has been done. If you put the parts in this PCB that I have specified, the results are the same and the measurements are eerily close. I just mention again, I have tested this theory physically.

I even spec the Transformer so there is no chance of error there.

This project is a "paint by numbers" approach so that ANYONE can build a phonostage WITHOUT the need for specialist equipment. That was the whole point.

All you need to build this board and check it's ok, is to own a soldering iron, be able to solder and own a multimeter. Both of which can be bought for under £20. If you can follow instructions well enough to bake a cake, you can build this phonostage.

smangus

23-03-2019, 14:46

I built my Dcb1 without looking at a circuit diagram. I wouldn't know what it is about even if i had it so made no difference at all to the out come. But that is a well trodden path with a lot of online resource out there, and here [emoji846]

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

struth

23-03-2019, 15:07

I fairly recently bought a new Phono stage, of which im very pleased with. A project phonobox ds2 usb...a bit of a mouthful:lol:
Sounds very good, and is very easy to adjust with buttons on front. It also can play it over optical on the fly and record via usb to pc. (which works very well with a good program)
Was a lot of money for me but I am enjoying it and love the flexability and rhe recordings you can make for the digital side are pretty good.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KE8AAOSwz2tZn~EK/s-l640.jpg

Bigman80

23-03-2019, 15:13

I cannot see anything about reference points in the opening post , tbh i scrolled down to Gerhard's post asking about the diagram and it was it .
Haven't realised it was yours , oopsOops!

No need to mince your words just because it's mine, I'm not offended, I just wanted to explain the availability of the aforementioned information.

I haven't made all the information available on the thread but if anyone has had a question about Gain, Loading, measurement points, alternative parts etc, I have all of that and will share it with anyone who's bought a PCB. It really is a very simple project and one that in personal research has been very reliable. If it wasn't, I'd never have offered them out because I don't make anything on the PCBs. It was a not for profit project. I don't own the circuit, I didn't design it and would never suggest I have the ability to do so. The plan was to see if any electro-numpty, like me, with a soldering iron and will power, could build their own phonostage. I can tell you from first hand experience that they can IF they do exactly what the BOM and build guide says.

No fancy equipment is required and that was the goal! It's like a jigsaw puzzle and once you put it together, there should be no variation between any other Bigbottle phonostage.

I knew there's be resistance to the project because I won't share the circuit diagram but you don't need it, not for this project anyway.

O

337alant

23-03-2019, 15:20

Link isn't working mate, is that to my Bigbottle phonostage?

If so, it's not too late to join in!

If not, I'd like to see who else had the same idea lol

Sorry yes it was your bigbottle and yes I will take a board or is it 2 boards ? PM me
I downloaded a copy of the BOM

Alan

Bigman80

23-03-2019, 15:46

Well done , out of curiosity (if you can share) what's the MC gain and RIAA accuracy , how have you tested f. responce (or RIAA accuracy) with reverse RIAA and white noise?
Unfortunately I have too much on my plate at the moment to start another DIY thingy but if you have a unit I could borrow for a week or two I would gladly compare it with my Paradise and take some independent measurements ( up to my ability) if you wouldn't mind .The Gain is 62db,

Mr Firebottle did the RIAA and all the technical bits and pieces. I'd have to ask him.

I'd like the unit to be tested, and measured but at present, I only have the one unit, mine!

I wouldn't expect it to be as accurate as the paradise, after all, that's a precision instrument of surgical level.

Bigman80

23-03-2019, 19:02

You never know , you should make a loaner unit to attract more audience , I'd definitely be interested in auditioning .I will have another phonostage here eventually. Another Prototype, so it may free this one up for such duties!

Jac Hawk

24-03-2019, 09:31

I've recently bought the Firebottle OTP 3 from John "hate hifi" on the for sale section on this forum, I'd never heard this phono stage before, but Alan has a good reputation for making great sounding pieces of kit so I thought for £165 I couldn't go wrong.

It arrived well packed with a bar of chocolate (nice touch John) but when I plugged it in there was a problem, it made a lot of noise:doh::(:( I was absolutely gutted, any way I called Alan to see if he knew what it could be, he didn't but kindly said he would look at it for me so I dropped it off with him at the WAM show, in the mean time I'd spoken to John and he said he would cover the cost of repair or take it back and refund me.

So after a couple of days I get a message from Alan saying it's fixed, he swapped the internal power supply for a 24v wall wart and the cost.... . .not a bean just £6.50 postage which John paid for.

So what does it sound like, well I wasn't expecting night and day but that's exactly what I got, better definition, wider deeper sound stage and bass I had never heard before, this little beauty is awesome and something I won't be parting with any time soon.