Phono Preamp Reviews

... here's an opportunity for him to show off his soldering skills.
Spend about $3 for an LM4562 op-amp to replace the NE5532 and determine if there is any improvement in sound quality.

As far as I can tell, reviewers at analogplanet are real humans too, although I'm not always sure... ;-)
You always use the same text format, throw in the typical audiophile vernacular (soundstage, image, top end, the lows ...), a (pseudo-human) anecdote, a sceptical section, an elusive, eclectic playlist, and finally a conclusion in which the aparatus is plugged...
Anyone with basic code writing skills can create a program/bot that will create endless product reviews and generate a monthly income to live off...

I'm joking, of course...

Someone named Ivan? In Belgium?
Clearly a Russian bot, intent on exploiting the digital vs. analog divide to further confuse American audiophiles. уходить, vile demon!

Malachi: For this review your set-up was a $19 phonostage, a $49 cartridge, and a $599 mat. I agree that the Pyle stuff is a lot of fun and sounds surprisingly good, but I am curious how much the mat contributed to your positive reaction to the overall sound. If you're recommending this for those on a "tight budget," I think this is important.

Thanks.

One of my students bought this because it was definitely in his budget. Hooked up his newly-bought Audio-Technica ATLP120 and before you know it was hooked on listening to the albums he inherited from his family.

The pre-amp I use is a €34 China made aparatus with the name 'IAMNOBODY' - no joke. It is amazing...
Today I was listening to some vinyl records (U2, Songs of Experience). By chance, a light beam fell upon the vinyl and was reflected upon the wooden wall behind the turntable. The result was an enlarged image of the imperfect rotation of the vinyl record, and I found it quite spectacular. The miracle is, of course, that the sound that the turntable produces, is unaffected. (In this case, a newly acquired Pro-Ject Essential III, George Harrison special edition with a standard Ortofon OM10 needle).
This 'old' technology is at the top of its game, really, and even this entry level audiophile turntable easily works around substantial torque, push and pull, as can be seen in the video:
https://flic.kr/p/SPmdZo

In the 70s and early 80s, in audio and especially video, most moderately-priced options were dreadful by today’s standards. But if you paid $50K (in 1980 $s) for a Barco projector, a few tho more for a line doubler and only watched Laserdiscs (and later, Japanese Muse), you could get an image that rivaled today’s offerings. Technological progress, along with developing-world manufacture changed all that. Today a $1K projector playing Bluray will have a better image with more light.

The same goes, perhaps more so, for a phono preamp. $19 will of course get you something decent. $100 should get something perfect. $5,000 will get the Emperor’s new clothes. With a $19 preamp inside. Because there is really no new technology to cost that much.

We've tried two of these for customers of ours (We're a dealer), and they have both failed. And try to talk to the company itself! The first customer simply went out and purchased a turntable with a built in phono preamp, but the second one gave us fits. We had to actually send back this phono preamp to the manufacturer, so they could "test" it. After a month, we called them and asked if they had fixed it, or if they were going to send us a replacement. Talking about rude! We told them to just keep it, and we ended up selling our customer one from BBE, available at Guitar Center. This was recommended by the people at Pro-Ject. It worked fantastic...

I can afford something better than the Pyle, though I may get one for my girlfriend's home. I read the positive review of the Cambridge Audio Duo on this website, and have seen other websites applaud the MoFi StudioPhono. I don't have anyway to listen before purchasing. The mono feature is intriguing on the MoFi, but if I have to buy blind, I'd go with Michael's opinion of the Duo. I would appreciate opinions based on actual experience. Thanks

... do you presently have?
Any plans to get a low-output moving-coil type cartridge?
Do you need a headphone output on the phono preamp?

The ART DJPRE II or ART USB Phono Plus also sounds surprisingly good, way better than the built-in on my AT-LP120. The USB version also allows line level input-to-USB conversion.

When I read a review like this, it reminds me that even those who can't spend thousands on high end can still have a great listening experience.

The ART DJ PRE II is miraculously good for the money (currently $49 with free shipping from the usual sites; occasionally it goes on sale for $39). I've installed several of these for customers and haven't had any problems yet. The switchable rumble filter is an especially good feature for people with inexpensive or old turntables, which tend to have more rumble than high-end turntables. AFAIK the Pyle doesn't have a rumble filter. The only complaint I've ever had has been about the blue LED light. This was easily fixed by careful use of a black Sharpie marker. :)

I found an AudioScienceReview.com review with measurements of this Pyle PP444 preamp. Their measurements show bass response down -3.4dB at 20Hz, and -2dB at 100Hz. That would most definitely be audible. Did anyone notice a lack of bass, or overly bright presentation?
Also, the little wallwart SMPS power supply is really noisy. Was that noticeable? Just curious...