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Tube phono preamp reddit. That thing is a piece of junk.
Tube phono preamp reddit. The phono stage didn’t wow me, but man did the line stage open my eyes to what an active stage, especially with tubes, does to the soundstage, in every dimension. I recently enhanced my Project Tube S2 Phono Preamp with Mullard 12AX7 tubes, anticipating an improved sound quality. I have a nice, fairly new Denon AVR-2112CI receiver that unfortunately doesn't have a phono input. The Fosi comes with two 6A2 tubes - I did pick up a pair of 5654's ($20 on Amazon) after reading a couple of reviews that stated the 6A2's were a little harsh. What is the normal procedure for turning it on and off? Is there an amount of time to leave it on before engaging it? It is a Pro-ject Audio tube box s1 if that matters Any the BlueSound Powernode or powernode edge is a great all-in-one solution that provides audiophile quality streaming, preamp, DAC and power amp in a small box. This is a good and fairly short article on phono pre design. The tubes aren't actually being used to amplify the signal, they use a cheap little IC chip for that. It is an intergrated amp with a tube buffer stage. Now suppose you add a gain Awkward_Slide1244 Best choice in phono amp with USB out Purchasing USA I’m looking for recommendations from the Budget Audiophile community on a high quality phono preamp with USB output that won’t break the bank. And I would figure the phono section of your Onkyo amp is pretty good. It will struggle though with demanding loads. I haven't found that to be the case so far, but will be rolling the 5654's for an A-B comparison in the coming days. It’s a pretty good little device with a very nice sound for the price. Budget is $500, happy to spend less. Just wondering what you guys use and/or prefer for your phono preamps in your various setups. This replaced my Fosi Box X2. Swapping tubes on one of these basically just searching for ways to make your $50 phono preamp cost you $100 or $150 They have a cheap tube phono preamp with seemingly great reviews. Caution, tube phono stages need to be matched to the cartridge. Knowing what I know now, I would suggest the following: Regardless of choice, the DJPreII preamp is a great, low price choice The Fluance is OK, but kind of over-priced for what it does. Reviews also somewhat mixed, but far more positive. With the tube however I don't want to wear it out by staying on. That requirement is severely limiting and would keep you out of the Project Tube offering which comes in at $500 and is probably the cheapest viable option for you. Our primary goal is insightful discussion of home audio equipment, sources, music, and concepts. That thing is a piece of junk. The sound quality coming from the Pro-ject Carbon Debut is just better, probably from that Realistically, is it possible to build a decent tube preamp (preferably stereo, but I realize that's unlikely at this pricepoint) for under $100-150? Or is the price range of this sort of thing higher than I realized? Also, any recommendations for circuits and designs on the lower end of the price range that are decent, mono or stereo? Apr 15, 2025 · Here I’m presenting a similar DIY project for those who are interested in tube preamps. I am looking to upgrade to a Fluance RT82 and get a preamp. First setup! Audio-technical AT-LP60XBT and a Tube Phono Preamp. I’ve tried the “straight wire with gain” preamp route and the “excellent, flat measuring route”…and I’m 100% certain I like my preamp to add some flavor. r/audiophile is a subreddit for the pursuit of quality audio reproduction of all forms, budgets, and sizes of speakers. Then the power into 8 ohms is 4 2 / 8 = 2 watts. As a bonus, it accepts both 6N2 and 12AX7 tubes, which gives a large variety of tubes to switch or "roll" between to find the sound you like. Almost certainly your cartridge is a moving magnet type; moving coil cartridges cost $1000 or more, and if you had spent that much, you'd know it. You aren't going to find a total tube kit for $150. The Peo-Ject Tube Box S2 I've just started spinning vinyl with this set up and it's proving to be a great listening experience. A bluesound node has everything in it but the power amp. If you’re looking for tube sound which I’m assuming since you’re looking at the ampapa, the little bear T11 (now the douk T11 since Douk bought little bear) is an ALL PURE TUBE preamp, the gain is purely on the tubes, no solid state involved. Does anyone have an opinion on the Bellari VP129 Tube Phono Pre-Amp? I have a Mcintosh 12AX7A Tube I’ll be using as well. If your cartridge costs more than your preamp then you have it wrong. 1 stereo. The IFi and Mani would also be considered neutral. It does its job as a phono preamp and has pretty decent output for the headphone amp driving my 250ohm Beyer DT1990Pros quite well. My current system is project debut carbon evo with sumiko wellfleet Cambridge CXA81 integrated amp Cambridge 551p phono pre amp KLH Model 3s The phono pre amps i was looking at are Schiit skoll Project tune box s2 Any recommendations for a preamp to go with an Audio Technica AT-LP120-XBT-USB turntable? It has a built-in pre-amp, but I’m considering a tube preamp. Working my way from source to speakers, the next component I'm researching is the phono preamp. com, but you would still need to get a case for it and a power supply. This subreddit is for the budget minded audiophile that wants to grow out of soundbars, boomboxes, mini systems, portable bluetooth, lifestyle speakers, and PC peripheral branded audio solutions. Aug 15, 2020 · Recommendations for a Tube Phono Preamp? by dwex » 15 Aug 2020 00:34 Can someone recommend a tube-based phono stage preamp? I don't know anything about tubes or preamps but am open to being educated! Normally, I care exclusively about performance, but I think tubes are beautiful and want something with visible tubes. What would be the changes in sound clarity changing to the project? And it looks like it has the subsonic filter to filter out acoustic feed back? Mixed but leaning more toward the negative side. 9% of published phono preamp circuits are for moving magnet cartridges, and the very few which aren't, always include "Moving Coil" and/or "MC" and/or "pre-preamp" in their name. Seeking alternatives (excluding NOS tubes), I'm contemplating the Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 as a potential replacement. It would nonetheless still need a phono preamp for a turntable somewhere My new pre amp arrived today. got my TT connected via RCA into Phono (creek obh-15) pre and from there via RCA into tube amp TT to phono has a ground It sounds awesome! It's a definite improvement over my previous preamp, which was also a kit preamp by the same company. These are entirely separate functions and you should seek out separate devices to accomplish them. , easier to drive amplifier or active speaker and greatly improve the sound quality. Our X2 is 12V going in and then converted to ±12V by the power supply chip. In a real tube preamp, the tubes will introduce some distortion and compression that might be pleasing to some listeners, and could be interpreted as "warm. The differences are subtle, but noticeable. $500, but allow another $200 or so to replace the stock Chinese tubes and you have a pretty amazing little preamp. The new one is a different color, more greenish/blueish. Turntable is a Fluance rt85 with an ortofon blue cartridge. ) Edit: I found these on amazon: "OSD Audio Pre-1 High Definition Preamplifier – Multi Source Select Phono Ready". The Bugle2 gets good reviews. The tube upgrade has made a remarkable difference, as sound definition (not least the bass “punch”) and clarity improved a lot. It's the cheapest combination tube phono preamp + headphone amp and for the price it's ridiculously good value. I've decided to go with the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO ($500). For a cheap good sounding preamp, check out the Fosi Audio Box X2 on Amazon. Using premium parts which you can find in the phono stages for $3k-$4k. It’s an amplifier of roughly the same quality as the bargain basement karaoke amps you see on Aliexpress for like $80, plus some tubes added as a decoration. In fact, using two preamps will overamplify and distort the signal. Hey all, quick question regarding turning on and off the tube pre amp. But if you did a side by side comparison with the same settings, would it sound different? Jul 28, 2025 · To be able to listen to turntables through your system, you'll need a phono stage (also called a phono preamp). I'm running it through an AT-LP120 with the internal preamp removed. They do a lot for the money. I have the opportunity to buy a hardly used (15-20hrs max) Bellari for $250CAD or buy a new Fono Mini for $199CAD+tax (so roughly the same amount). so I decided to buy an equalizer just for my turntable and I put it between the preamp and the amp I have a tube phono preamp (pro-ject tube box s2) and it has a warmup type of 30seconds built in. Real tube preamps cost closer to $500 absolute minimum, and closer to $1000-2000 more I ordered the preamp and GE tubes together so never tried the original ones, but I got it installed now and listening and it is freaking amazing. Active, where the EQ is done in a feedback loop. 3. So, ever since I stopped using my amp's built in phono stage and started using a little bear tube preamp through my amp's "pure-direct" mode which bypasses the tone and balance settings for a pure signal and I've thought it has sounded stunning except lacking in the midbass-lowmid frequencies. The amplified signal is then ran through the tubes to alter the sound a bit, supposedly making it sound similar a real tube amp. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Now I am waiting on a custom faceplate so I can put my DIY Pass B1K preamp back in after installing a remote Muses-based volume control. 4V. I used to own a Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 and found the sound quality rather clinical. Archived post. The first one he made for himself, later for his best friend and after that started to sell them from time to time. Rolling tubes on this may make a slight change to the coloration of the sound, but it's not going to work anything like real tube rolling since the tubes are NOT actually providing any gain. It's currently a cheap Digitech phono pre-amp I just bought at an electronics store as a quick fix when I changed amps. Take a step Also go watch some YT reviews and teardowns on those little "tube" phono preamps. I feel uniquely qualified to provide input. Thank you. There are a few SS DIY phono preamps in that price range, however. 3 Analysis Performed I just tube-rolled a Brimar CV 4003 NOS tube into my Vincent PHO-701 phono preamp, replacing the standard (probably Chinese $10) tube. Any suggestions/feedback on the Chinese preamps that float around on eBay and wherever else? The list of phono preamps with built in headphone amps is extremely short, the list of phono preamps with good headphone amps is approximately zero items long. Have the Fosi X4, I don't have any complaints so far. Feb 2, 2024 · Tube power amps have what most are talking about in tube sound. Fakespot detects fake reviews, fake products and unreliable sellers using AI. A preamp with gain can make up the difference. 3 Fakespot Reviews Grade: B Adjusted Fakespot Rating: 4. Jan 3, 2025 · The best phono preamps, regardless of budget, should perform this task in a way that sounds exciting and elevates your listening experience. I took the bottom cover off (see photo below), but stopped exploring as soon as I saw the three capacitors lurking on the underside. Jan 24, 2025 · Pedal Pimp Fosi X2 Mod Ever since purchasing my Fosi Audio Box X2 Phono Preamp, I’ve become obsessed with making it the best it can possibly be. The Fosi X2 arrived first. The U-Turn Pluto 2 preamp is as good or better than the Fosi. The phono input on your receiver expects a low-level input directly from your turntable; it has an internal preamp. Here is the analysis for the Amazon product reviews: Name: Mini 5654 Vacuum Tube Phono Preamp Home Stereo Audio Pre-Amplifier Headphone Amp Company: Visit the Douk Audio Store Amazon Product Rating: 4. Another to consider in the same price range is the ART DJ PRE II, which also has variable gain, measured well (on ASR), but is an ugly little warthog. Try connecting your S2 to a line-level input like an "Aux" or whatever it's labeled on your receiver. This is a solid state preamp with tube sockets for looks. Dec 2, 2024 · Into the hi-fi audio fray strides the dual-mono Pro-Ject Tube Box DS3 B tube phono preamp ($1,099) — yet another high-value, smartly priced product from the brain of Pro-Ject founder Heinz Lichtenegger. I know a lot of vintage tube receivers can be had in this price range, but I do think I'll be connecting to a separate power amp and would like to solely take advantage of a tube preamp section or separate and use solid state for power. You could be able to use it as a preamp through the Aux/out into another amp/receiver. The only bad audio system, is the one you don't enjoy to the fullest. If you’re chasing warmth from the phono stage then look to something tubey like the Fosi X2 or ProJect TubeBox S2, or alternatively the Parks Audio Waxwing or the previous version Puffin (which are phono dsps). I had no idea what preamps do, so I started reading about them and whether getting one for integrated APM makes sense. Thank you! Tube phono preamps that operate on high voltage are tough to make really small because you end up with less room to filter the power and closer physical spacing between the sensitive parts and the noise/hum making parts. This is a Fakespot Reviews Analysis bot. As above I am building an audio system (my first), and have the following components: Pro-ject Automat A1 turntable, built-in preamp turned off Fosi Audio Box X4 Tube MM phono pre-amp with grounding post Edifier S3000 Pro powered speakers with both RCA inputs and XLR inputs I need to figure out the optimal way to connect the speakers to the Pre My setup is: Music Hall mmf-1. Would any AliExpress phono preamp be upgrade for internal preamp? What model would you suggest? Dec 5, 2018 · Upgrade your home audio system with the new-generation phono preamp, the Fosi Audio BOX X2 upgraded version 5725W Tube MM Phono Preamplifier: The BOX X4 phono preamp supports 3. Hello vinyl enthusiast, I'm wondering what phono preamp I should get I'm looking for a budget under $300 to pair with my turntable (Audio Technica LP120xusb) I have a couple of questions regarding this. Feb 5, 2025 · It might not be the most natural-sounding phono preamp (expect a larger than life, but exciting-sounding bass response and little musical coloration for the buffer tube stage, but all things considered, this is a hot buy for anyone on a budget seeking to ditch the often lifeless sound of built-in phono preamps. The difference was amazing. I foolishly bought a little bear t7 to try. Everything works great! i am using x2 tube phono preamp with Pro-ject T1 but i have some dilemma about using gain control. The popularity of tube preamps has been steadily rising for years now. powering both the op-amp and the tube, the amplification of the preamp voltage signal is done by the op-amp, the tube is playing the role of buffering and touching up. I'd like to keep the price around $500 USD, but if necessary, i'd be willing to spend more. Better to get the Planar 1 plus an external Rega Fono Mini or other phono stage preamp. I have one with my RT85 and it sounds great! way better than the phono preamp in my Sony receiver. I couldn’t wait to listen to it, and it Suppose you have a cartridge with 4mV output and a phono preamp with 40dB (100x) gain. With so many options now on the market, we’ve rounded up the best phono preamps currently available to suit a wide range of turntable setups and budgets. CHECK IT OUT I currently have a Sony PS-LX310BT running through a desktop mixer (along with my computer audio) and into a couple JBL Pro Series 3 desktop studio monitors I had from my audio/video editing days. The main change in sound you get from a different phono preamp is a change in capacitance loading (one of the electrical properties of the preamp), which basically changes the EQ on your upper mids and highs. I considered a Rothwell for quite a time but then I listened device powered by tubes and now I want to try a tube preamp with a SS amp combo; but I don’t know preamps that can drive the MP-110. Jun 17, 2025 · We have reviewed the best tube phono preamp on the market and ranked them on our list of favorites for your convenience. The Kenwood probably has quite high capacitance loading, since that seems to be the trend for phono stages built into receivers. Pro-Ject Tube Box S2. The tubes The T2 is a pure tube preamp, which means it has a driver tube for gain, and not a solid state gain portion. Handcrafted in my home country by a talented engineer and finally received today in Toronto. Everything sounds much more articulated. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Perhaps the best proof of this on AK is the massive thread over on the New Gear - Values forum about the little Chinese FX Tube 01 preamp and its various spin-off cousins. Really don't have the funds for a good one and really need to upgrade from this cheap TCC amp I've had for years. But when I use my solid state preamp, there is no noise floor (or very very First piece of the puzzle was choosing a TT. I purchased one to use as a preamp with an Aiyima A07 Pro amp and Polk Audio bookshelf speakers. Which should I go for? I have that exact turntable and I’m using the below cheap tube preamps with upgraded tubes. I also have an external NAD which I use with my AT-Pl120. I've used the Golden lions in other phono stages and that are good quality for the price, but the vintage Brimar is in another class, to my ears at least. Nobsound Little Bear T11 6N2/12AX7 Vacuum&Valve Tube Phono Turntable Preamplifier; MM RIAA LP Vinyl Record Player Preamp; Stereo HiFi Audio Pre-Amplifier But then wondering if I should just get separate phono preamp and tube preamp for less money. A few thoughts: Why do you need an auxiliary input for the preamp when your integrated already has a few line inputs. Subsonic filter, gain adjustment. There are two basic kinds of tube phono preamp circuits. Looking for advice on a good but budget friendly upgrade, say maybe $400-600 AUD (200-400 USD). They’re lit artificially from underneath by LED’s. After some research I was thinking of pairing it with an ArtDJII preamp & Edifier R2000 speakers. No guarantee of quality of build or sound . Passive, where the RIAA EQ is done between the gain stages. While browsing eBay I saw this beautiful tube preamp (oh man, it is so beautiful). 004 * 100 * 10 = 4V. Tubes do sound different, objectively and subjectively. It is mostly about high output impedance, the transformers which can have different FR at different power levels and overload differently or slightly compress peaks. We've compiled this list of the top 10 phono preamps on the market in 2023! I have a Pro-ject Carbon Debut, Fluance RT83, and the Fluance Ai60s. A fantastic tube preamp for pretty cheap - except I put higher end tubes in mine. My favorite combination was a tubed preamp with a solid state amplifier. A preamplifier typically provides source selection and volume control. Tubes get a little trickier. Tube amp designs really haven’t evolved much over the years is a major reason why. If we continue with the turntable example, suppose the amp has 20dB (10x) gain. 45db have more presence, 42db is a little bit… It's not worth the money and I will be purchasing a Fluance RT82. But a tube headphone amp with preamp outs might be a good choice if you could use a headphone amp as part of your 2-channel system - so you can listen at night without disturbing other people, for example - and if you want to add a bit of tube “bloom” to the midrange of your 2-channel system. And, "Rockville PPA20 Preamp Professional 1U Rack Mount Pre-Amplifier w/Crossover+EQ, Black". quick question: is there a difference in sound when using UAD Unison preamp vs direct monitoring through a preamp emulation (eg. Dec 5, 2024 · Right now its on the shelf as I live with the phono stage on my new Rotel RC 1590 Mk2 but I will probably go back to it eventually. I have been doing research and am open to a kit or a peassembled, just looking for actual user recommendations. Doesn’t need to be tube but if there’s actually one worth buying under $100 I’ll consider I’m looking at upgrading soon to a new home theater receiver to have more digital inputs and hdmi and a sub out, none of which my current amp has (pioneer vsx-305). . How are you connecting to the speaker? How do you know the speaker is working correctly? How do you know the Fosi preamp is working correctly? How do you know the tubes in your Fosi preamp are good? Which Pluto preamp do you have 1 or 2. And right out of the box, with the cheap Chinese tubes it came with, it sounds so much better than it has any right to. You can still add a separate phono-stage, even if one is built in, of course, but I wouldn't let that be your deciding factor. I like the tube sound better myself. I have the PHO-701 with a Brimar in it that I got from Upscale Audio. The people in the reviews often reference their system specs so it makes me think it’s a real reviewer rather than a bunch of bots. Always best to have an external preamp. I have an LP120x, been using the onboard preamp and this absolutely blows it away. Schiit Freya plus with sylvania tubes and Schiit vidar speaker amp. At $2,000 it’s also more than twice the cost of the DS3 B ($800). Left the old, right the new version. Search "Active Pre-amp" and "Pre-amp active" on Amazon for others. Looking for a phono pre-amp to match up with a Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo. These are the best models we've reviewed across all budgets and types. I don’t have this particular model but I’ve got a similar phono stage and preamp from Amazon with the upgraded tubes recommended in the Amazon reviews. My budget for the preamp part of the move is about $150. So I decided to go the route of a solid, inexpensive preamp. Fosi Audio Phono Preamp for Turntable Preamplifier MM Phonograph Preamplifier with This is a cheap op-amp-based solid state phono pre with a tube buffer, not a tube pre. 0. I don’t think either of these is a true tube amp, but I’m happy with the sound and it’s in your budget. I mainly listen to vinyl and wanted to upgrade my phono preamp. 5mm AUX input, amplify the low level audio signal from your phone, tablet, PC, MP3 etc. A phono stage (also called a phono preamp) serves one purpose: amplifying the cartridge signal to line level and applying RIAA equalization. I bought the Douk Audio T4 Plus phono preamp twice on Amazon, first a returned one, then a new one to compare, because I suspected some problems with the first unit. Hi all, was looking for some advice on a $500 or cheaper tube phono preamp. I have a lots of noise coming through my system , only when using my handmade tube phono pre. Thanks in advance. I will be running a Rega RP-1 through it. After Dec 1, 2023 · And just days ago, I received a Klimo LAR clone tube phono preamp (MM/MC). If you get an actual tube phono preamp and connect it the same way you have this connected you will have way too much gain, two stages of riaa equalisation, and probably blow up your speakers. (No shade on the Alva Solo - it’s a great phono stage at $200-and-some for MM cartridges, and thanks to CA’s generous 60-day no-questions-asked trial program I could return it for a full refund. IF your upper spending limit is $300- then the Sota Pyxi seems the obvious choice for a new unit. I’d love to know what you’d recommend! : r/turntables TOPICS Go to turntables r/turntables r/turntables We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Reddit's original DIY Audio subreddit to discuss speaker and amplifier projects of all types, share plans and schematics, and link to interesting projects. The tubes alone will run around $40 or more. • audio·phile: a person with love for, affinity towards or obsession with high-quality playback of sound and music. Just tube-rolled a Brimar CV 4003 NOS tube into my Vincent PHO-701 phono preamp, replacing the standard (probably Chinese $10) tube. Anyone recommend a halfway decent phone preamp with tubes for someone with moderate soldering skills and a low budget. Right now Passive is the most popular though active is probably lower distortion and depends less on the tubes being perfectly in spec. " This is not a real tube preamp though. Hi, all - After much deliberation regarding upgrades, I decided to bypass the phono stage in my AVR and to pull the trigger on the Budgie Tube Phono Preamp. I listen We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. I have an old Kenwood Hi-Fi, which doesn't have Bluetooth. Or OP may end up with a receiver or amp with a built in phono stage preamp. It sounds Iike you're running through two preamp stages: the S2 and the built-in preamp inside your receiver. So far this is the best addition to my analog setup. I love it, and it beats out any solid state preamp I've heard thus far, but it's not "inexpensive". Right now im running a Cambridge 551p, which i believe is the older version of the Cambridge solo. But if you can find a tube pre-amp or a tube integrated amp with phono input (at a good price), that's a possibility for you. Currently I have a Denon pra-2000rg that gives me an incredible, tube like smoothness while being totally silent (very good thd, s/N)… Unless the phono preamp is really a cheap preamp with a decorative tube or just all around cheap circuitry I’d probably stick with that phono preamp and run it to line in on your receiver or stereo. That’s 0. Dec 5, 2022 · Your turntable may not sound great without the right phono preamp. I've already started the Tube rolling and ordered a matched set of Genalex Gold Lion 🦁 This little preamp has a lot of options for both MC and MM cartridges. AliExpress phono preamp Hello everyone. In phono pre-amps the dollar goes into component quality, real analog band pass filters (lossless rumble removal) and load / impedance / capacitance adjustments. As mentioned in other posts, I'm aiming to spend the money necessary to get a solid system that's enjoyable out of the box and doesn't need upgrades, unless I descend into hardcore hobbyist Douk Audio Phono T3 Fosi Audio Phono X2 Suca Audio Phono P4 Aiyima Tube-T3 They all appear to be Chinese made, does anyone know if these are the just the same amp being re-branded so it can be sold across more platforms or is there any difference between them? edit: looks like there are multiple amps by these vendors that share housings Nice,ya i was using a Yamaha av reciever with a phono preamp, then a cyrus one ,now a rega phono because my nadv10m2 has no phono built in,to be honest more of a difference in amplifiers than phono preamps,usung a tube intergrated amp with rega now. I absolutely love my EAR834 clone. I'm at a loss here Now that I started playing around with my turntable and paying attention, I suddenly realised a loud hum from the phono pre-amp (most likely 50hz ground noise) on my speakers (when there's no music and I turn the amp up to a level I rarely indulge in). They usually do not give you enough information (cartage maker or preamp maker) to do that accurately. Any help/recommendation is appreciated. So you must be using the phono pre in the turntable itself, otherwise the gain would be too low and you wouldn’t have any riaa equalisation. It beats my recently sold Margules Magenta FZ47DB phono preamp, which only does MM, and is over $800 (and has received nothing but positive reviews). Nov 4, 2021 · T4 PRO tube preamp meets more HiFi needs: MM phono input, converts phono signal to line level signal, with low-noise integrated circuits and high-quality components to ensure clear and clean sound. It gave me a noticeable sound quality boost compared to my Reisong A10 Tube amp (which I consider total trash now). I'm using the phono stage of a vintage conrad-johnson pre-amp as my phono pre-amp for my Pro-ject. I really think they sound noticeably better than the schiit mani. At that budget, you can buy the circuit board and tubes from tubes4hifi. Open to suggestions and Sep 17, 2023 · An overview of the top seven phono preamps for any budget. As far as homebrew, phono pre's are a little math heavy in terms of the filter calculations, but not terrible if you use opamps/transistors (mostly due to the lesser effects of Zin, Zout for these devices). We focus on education, discussion, and sharing of entry and mid level separate & multi component audio systems. 5 Nagaoka MP-110 Marantz Integrated Amplifier PM6006 I was thinking of getting a used Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2 but after reading the reviews I don’t think so. Whether that is for better or worse depends on who you ask. Phono Preamp: The NAD PP 2E is a reputable phono preamp that offers good performance for its price. Tubed power amps are expensive, usually sound dynamically restricted, and have a lot of upkeep costs as you need matched tubes. I can't speak to the sound of the Schiit Mani 2, I know it is well reviewed. Many purists feel this gives you the best sound. both have inputs for your phono preamp and subwoofer outputs. According to Mr Google the TUBE-01 is just a buffer, not a phono preamp. The tubes are NOT involved in actually powering the speakers, and they won’t have enough power running through them to even light up. A genuine tube phono preamp where the tube contributes most of the gain is kinda pricey. This is more of a comment on the Project phono stages than tubes vs solid state. What do you like and or recommend as a match to this TT? I recently got into vinyl and have invested in a pro-ject debut carbon evo with a sumiko moonstone cartridge and would like to invest in a nice tube preamp. By process of elimination, I have traced the noise to be coming from the left channel of my turntable. However, I find the current sound "too warm" and lacking sophistication, despite having bright and resolving B&W speakers. I was looking for something that was small, reasonably priced, and had a phono preamp. I haven't heard any new tube phono pre-amps. It did recover more information from the signal than the PHONO pre-amp built-in to my cheap amp, but it didn't sound at all warm. It's certainly not the best preamp you can get, though. Speakers are elac unifi reference. 99. From my research, I understand that most phono stage preamps apply an RIAA equalization curve to the signal, as this is the standard format for modern stereo vinyl. However the RT82 needs a preamp and I heard the LP60 could benefit from a pre-amp so I purchased two: the Fosi Audio Box X2 and the ART DJPREII. Find out about their specs, features, and which ones we like best! The 1 Plus lacks a switch to ever bypass the built in phono stage preamp. A simple look into measurements for tube amps show a considerable difference vs solid state. I don't want to spend more then $100, and I want to keep the cost closer to $50 than $100 if possible. monitor amp sims while recording DI guitars)? I know the Unison let's you commit to a sound. It cost me about $340 including shipping. But I can definitely hear it sound different after being on for about 30 minutes. Any 11 votes, 21 comments. Is this a "feature" of the tube architecture? Is the Monoprice model 27222 really a "pure" tube integrated amp? Including the phono stage? It seems to have the goods (three 6N3 preamp tubes and four EL84 power tubes). Dec 26, 2023 · I think nobody needs a $79 tube phono preamp - ever. I love the gain buttons and low filter. Any thoughts on the Project Tube Box S2 phono pre amp? I have Uturn audio turntable with built in preamp linked to a Boyuurange A-50 300b tube amp, wondering how much of a difference the Tube Box will make. With a solid state pre amp I would just leave it on and it would engage when needed. This technical paper is also really, really good. Cheap and easy to use the tube as a buffer, gives a tiny bit of gain, possibly a softer, tube-like sound. If you build two boxes (one for power and one for signal), it becomes easier to make them each individually smaller. This fosi audio amp sounds better to my ears than a schiit mani, and the buffer amp helps fill out the mids. It's competitive with other phono preamps in its price range. The Pro-Ject Tube Box DS3 B is a balanced MM/MC pure-tube phono preamp with two turntables inputs and discrete, audiophile-grade dual mono circuitry Oct 10, 2022 · If you're looking for the best phono preamp, then look no further. Just recently got a Technics SL-23. There's no need for an external preamp if you have an integrated one. It's essential to have a quality phono preamp to properly amplify the signal from your turntable's cartridge, especially with a high-quality turntable like the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO. I switched the LP60 from Line to Phono and connected the Fosi. Looking for a phono tube amp to compliment my vintage set up. Our Editors' Choice 2022 Phono Preamplifier options offer great performance for the money. Mar 30, 2025 · The Pro-Ject Audio Tube Box S2 Phono PreAmplifier is widely praised by Reddit users for its warm sound and excellent value, making it a top choice for vinyl enthusiasts. 5MM AUX and MM turntable input, converting phono signals to Line Level with low-frequency noise removal using high-quality components and low-noise integrated circuits. Currently all Marantz with a 6300 turntable (Denon DL-110 cart), 1060 as preamp (which has a solid phono stage already), and a 140 driving Sansui SPX-9000 speakers Fosi doesn't provide any relevant specs for the X2 (the gain ratio, load capacitance, load impedance, and deviation from RIAA are all a mystery), plus it has those stupid decorative tubes that aren't actually providing any gain, so scratch that one off the list from the start. I run a DIY tube (NOS Sylvania 6922 tubes) phono preamp, but I paid ~$800 actual dollars for it, then I had to build it. I came across the Pro-Ject Phono Box RS2, which allows toggling between RIAA and Decca EQ. Loving the experience from vinyl. Added a Fosi Phono Box X2 to the setup with Riverstone Audio tested GE 5654W tubes… sounds great and is well worth the $100 IMO. The power amp sensitivity might be well over 1V, maybe even 2V. Worst sounding phono preamp I’d heard; pure junk. I have an Audio-Technica At-Lp120xusb and Edifier XM82 2. Does anyone have any advice which could improve this setup in a similar price bracket? Thanks in advance! Looking for a new phono pre amp for my system and want to hear peoples suggestions. Sep 1, 2024 · Expecting to buy a great/usable without repair tube pre-amp with a phono stage AND a power amp for under $1000 is something you might get lucky once in a lifetime and stumble across at an estate sale where the people don't know what they have. Made in Europe, of course, and ready for me to dive right into testing — so here I go! Features & Specs You can add bluetooth with add-ons, and I always recommend a separate phono-stage, as this gives you more control over the elements in the setup. Imported JAN5654 tubes Replaced my Cambridge Audio Alva Solo solid state phono preamp for a Vincent PHO-701 tube-based phono stage. Hey all, I'm buying my first TT and fairly sure I have settled on a fluance RT82. It sounded OK with the stock Chinese tube, but it sounds incredible with the NOS Brimar. Tube Phono Stage. I found a few good options. I like the aesthetics of tubes and kinda want to get a tube preamp. reducing noise from tube phono preamp Hello, and thanks for your time. I’m running it with a cd player, phono, aux to dongle for iPhone, and headphone This is neither a preamp or phono preamp (there’s a difference). zdo gmeiu nvaif ofu ovdrvjoc yseclp raxvgca wjv nxns aufh