Phono Stage for under £60

[ciderman9000000]

Any recommendations on some cheap as chips models?

I've just bought a NAD C326BEE and didn't check beforehand that it had built in phono (spoiler alert... it doesn't). I've never owned an amp made post-2000 before and so did not consider that the absence of phono might even be a thing now.

It's my GF who likes playing the vinyl the best, she's gonna kill me if I don't sort it out for a her lol.

[ciderman9000000]

So I've been doing some research and seems to me that the DJpre II by ART will be a good buy at £40. Any thoughts on this?

[alphaGT]

Under £60? Is that how much you love your girlfriend? Just kidding! If you must, there are several budget phono preamps like this Rolls Model

https://www.parts-express.com/rolls-vp29-phono-preamp--245-035

Or this Behringer

https://www.parts-express.com/behringer-pp400-microphono-ultra-compact-phono-preamp--248-6348

Or ART
https://www.parts-express.com/art-dj-pre-ii-phono-preamp-with-riaa-equalization--245-876


This is in the US, but I’m sure if you search on them you’ll find some local. In all honesty, they’re not that bad.

Russell

[alphaGT]

So I've been doing some research and seems to me that the DJpre II by ART will be a good buy at £40. Any thoughts on this?

It’s a preamp, it works, and really isn’t all that awful. Will it compete with a £400 unit? No, but you may be surprised. I don’t know what kind of record player and cartridge you’re plugging into it? But if it’s nothing fancy, this may be a good match?

Russell

[ciderman9000000]

It’s a preamp, it works, and really isn’t all that awful. Will it compete with a £400 unit? No, but you may be surprised. I don’t know what kind of record player and cartridge you’re plugging into it? But if it’s nothing fancy, this may be a good match?

Russell

It's all we can afford, I'm afraid. I've just spent £200 upgrading my speakers and amp to Mordaunt Short 902i's and a NAD C326BEE.

The turntable is an old Trio KD-1033, made some time in the 1970's I believe. I'm not sure about the cartridge as it's just the one that came with it when I bought it 2nd hand 7yrs ago, but it has Encore ME75EJ printed on the underside (probably fairly bog standard — should this be ungraded?) and I know that the stylus is by Shure.

[alphaGT]

Believe me I’ve been there, there’s nothing wrong with a modest stereo. Having good music in the house is what’s most important, not how much you’ve spent.

As long as the record player is working, no reason to upgrade. A good needle can last for decades, and many thousands of hours of play. So, again, no reason to panic until it fails to function. Which could be a long time. I suspect that these low cost preamps, like the ART you mentioned, will be similar to what may be found in many low cost receivers these days. I’ve heard night club DJ’s using these affordable preamps to great effect. So no worries, let us know how it turns out!

Russell