Vote

First let's all agree that these short clip tests are useful and fun but must be taken as "for entertainment purposes only."

For those joining late, we twice asked the question "Should You Buy a MM-Only Phono Preamp If You Own a MM Cartridge"?, each time offering "blind listening" and voting. The first time was way back in May of 2017 where you could listen and vote for one of eight phono preamps, some MM-only and some MM/MC running in MM.

The results indicated a strong preference for the most expensive in the test, the Lehmann Silver Cube ($4500) running in MM mode and the MM-only Graham Slee Era Gold V ($999). But to complete the experiment we needed to run more tests using a combination of the same MM/MC phono preamps in MC mode and the MM-only devices with a voltage boost provided by either a "head amp" or a "step-up transformer" (SUT) to find out if buying a MM-only phono preamp made sense for someone eventually planning on using an MC cartridge. Thus we had a second vote using different music and one new phono preamp that will get a full review shortly (the CIAudio PEQ-1) and minus the Jasmine Audio LP 2.5DU. There were a total of 9 files because we ran one MM-only phono preamp twice, once with the "head amp" and once with the SUT.

The results shown at the top indicate a strong preference for File #7, which just about doubled the votes of the next most popular, which was File #3, which received 18%. Here are the identities of the files:

File 1 is the "Swiss Army Knife" Music Hall PA 2.2
File 2 is the Ciaudio PEQ-1
File 3 is the AVM P 1.2
File 4 is the Lejonklou Giao+ Bob's Devices Cinemag 1131
File 5 is the Musical Fidelity MX-VYNL
File 6 is the iPhono2
File 7 is the Lejonklou Giao+ Hagerman Piccolo "head amp"
File 8 is the Lehmann Silver Cube
File 9 is the Graham Slee + Bob's Devices 1131

So the winner by far here is the Lejonklou Gaio, Hagerman Piccolo combination, which comes in at around $1000 for the two pieces. Incidentally the cable used to connect the two was a Hosa Technology RCA to RCA cable that cost around $12.00.

Coming in 2nd was the AVM P1.2 ($999), which didn't do as well in the first round. 3rd was the least expensive, most versatile Music Hall PA 2.2. 4th was the Lejenklou+Bob's combo with the Ciaudio and iPhono2 getting 6 votes each and the rest getting just a few votes each.

This is hardly a scientific exercise. So yes, the Graham Slee should have been used twice, once with each step up device and some of the preferences do mystify me but there you have it! However, I believe these two sets of files does answer the question "Should you buy a MM-only phono preamp if you're using a MM cartridge?" And the answer is "yes". I didn't know that going in, but I had a pretty strong idea the answer was yes because I think both the Graham Slee Era Gold V and the Lejonklou Giao are two of the best sounding MM phono preamps I've yet heard. So you could buy either one optimized for your MM cartridge and then instead of trading it in when you go MC, just add either a transformer or a head amp. While the original Piccolo is no longer available the replacement Piccolo 2 ($279) appears to be the same basic circuit with a few improvements though it doesn't offer battery power as an option, which the original did. Incidentally the Piccolo has both gain and loading options and it was run with 26dB of gain and at 100 ohms. I think the Bob's Devices SUT is best suited to a super low output, low internal impedance cartridge and it was probably at a sonic disadvantage here.

However, ultimately the winning combo makes a strong case for buying the best MM phono preamplifier you can afford and not worrying about "down the road" because you can always add either a step up transformer or a "head amp" and come out "on top" as did the Lejonklou Gaio + Hagerman PIccolo2 combo here.