Phono Preamp Reviews

Sort By: Post DateTitle Publish Date
Phono Preamp Reviews
Pro-Ject Tube Box DS3 B Phono Preamp
Ken Micallef  |  Dec 02, 2024

Into the hi-fi audio fray strides the dual-mono Pro-Ject Tube Box DS3 B tube phono preamp — yet another high-value, smartly priced product from the brain of Pro-Ject founder Heinz Lichtenegger. Read Ken Micallef’s review to see if the DS3 B punches above its weight class. . .

Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Pro-Ject's Tube Box S2 MM/MC Phono Preamp Beats the Built In
Caleb Attaway  |  Mar 13, 2020
Pro-Ject Audio Systems is undoubtedly the king of budget friendly, entry-level, high performance analog components. A definite go-to for sub $1000 turntables and bang for your buck phono preamps. Founded in 1991 by Heinz Lichtenegger during the evil reign of the CD, they fought their way to vinyl success and made it!
Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Pro-Ject's Versatile DS2 USB MM/MC Phono Pre Sounds Good And Digitizes Too
Michael Fremer  |  Apr 24, 2019
Pro-Ject’s DS2 USB combines in one chassis a versatile MM/MC phono preamplifier and a high resolution A/D converter capable of digitizing at up to 192/24 bit PCM or 128 DSD (A/K/A “double DSD”). It’s a feature-packed unit that includes 2 independently adjustable phono inputs and a line input and both USB and optical TOSlink digital outputs as well as an analog output. An outboard 18V “Wall Wart” powers it.

Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Pro-Ject’s MM/MC Phono Box RS Is A Chronic Overachiever
Michael Fremer  |  Mar 23, 2016
You might be skeptical about electronics products from a company best known for its mechanical ones but Pro-Ject’s extensive Box-Design electronics series has gotten rave reviews over the past few years. The company has assembled a skilled electronics team to design and build a full electronics line in both the analog and digital domains.

Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
PS Audio's NuWave DSD/PCM Phono Converter Reviewed
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 29, 2013
This is a review of the NuWave Phono Converter's phono preamp section only. A review of the double DSD based A/D converter will follow soon.

Multipurpose products like PS Audio’s snazzy new NuWave Phono Converter offer a mix of great possibilities and possible compromises. In one sleek box you have a capable and versatile MM/MC phono preamplifier and an analog to digital converter through which you can conveniently digitize your vinyl—as well as any analog input you feed it— at up to double DSD resolution. All for $1895.

Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
pure audio "vinyl" Phono Preamplifier From New Zealand
Michael Fremer  |  Jan 28, 2016
New Zealand-based pure audio is a partnership between former Plinius Audio co-owner and chief electronics designer Gary Morrison and industrial designer Ross Stevens.

Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp ReviewsVinyl Digitizing Tips
Pure Vinyl LP recording & editing software
Michael Fremer  |  Aug 19, 2010
As long as you're spinning an LP for your listening pleasure, and if digitizing it at a resolution of 24-bit/192kHz is transparent to the analog source, why not record and store the LP on your computer at that high sampling rate for future convenient playback via iTunes or for iPod use, or for burning to CD-R? And, while you're at it, why not record the LP unequalized and apply the RIAA curve in the digital domain, where you're not dependent on capacitors and resistors that are imprecise to begin with, and can drift over time? With no drift of phase or value, the virtual filter's results should be better than with any analog filter. And in the digital domain, you can program in any curve known, and select it at the click of a mouse. Aside from the sweat equity invested in programming it in the first place, it wouldn't add a penny to the program's cost.
Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
QHW Audio’s Surprising “The Vinyl” MM/MC Phono Preamp
Michael Fremer  |  Apr 12, 2021
What’s “surprising” about QHW Audio’s “The Vinyl” phono preamplifier? More than a few things, starting with its Made In Spain origin. Perhaps I’m just ignorant but other than the highest tech WADAX brand of digital electronics, an older piece of which I reviewed for Stereophile, I’m not aware of a burgeoning Spanish audio manufacturing scene. Perhaps I’m mistaken. If so, I’d be happy to stand corrected.

Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Rega's Aria MM/MC Phono Stage Mirrors the Company's Turntable Sound
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2013
Rega’s versatile $1500 Aria phono stage combines high build quality, flexibility and dynamic capabilities more commonly found in more expensive phono preamplifiers.
Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Reite Audio PS-1 MC Phono Preamplifier and PSU-1 Power Supply
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 30, 2014
Reite Audio is a relatively new company created by electronics designer Bob Reite and musician Ed Sheftel. Sheftel first imported to America and distributed the Welsh-made Tom Evans Audio Design line of electronics. One of its products, The Groove phono preamp had, at the turn of the century, what could fairly be described as a “cult following”.
Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Schiit's Mani 2 MM/MC Phono Preamp Goes to the Head of the Budget Phono Preamp Class
Michael Fremer  |  May 14, 2022
If the audio industry handed out awards, the winner for “The most improved analog product of the decade” would be Schiit’s Mani 2 MM/MC phono preamplifier. Okay, that’s “click bait” so how about “Schiit’s Mani 2 might be the winner”? Yes, let’s stick with that.

Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Second P.S. Audio NuWave Phono Converter Brings Some Sonic Relief
Michael Fremer  |  Jan 18, 2014
A second NuWave Phono Converter sample arrived the other day and after swapping the two back and forth a few things became sonically obvious. One is that the second sample was not as hard, bright and mechanical-sounding as the first one. And the other was that like the first sample, the second NuWave's lower midrange and bass were less than fully fleshed out.
Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Seta Model L phono preamplifier
Michael Fremer  |  Aug 19, 2010
The minuscule electrical output of an analog signal from a moving-coil cartridge needs to be boosted before it can be converted to digital and equalized in the digital domain. Of course, you could use your current phono preamplifier and record an equalized signal to hard disk, but then you wouldn't get to experience Pure Vinyl's digital RIAA correction—nor would you be able to avail yourself of all the equalization curves provide by Pure Vinyl, of which there are almost too many to count.
Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp Reviews
Seta Nano phono preamplifier
Michael Fremer  |  Aug 19, 2010
The minuscule electrical output of an analog signal from a moving-coil cartridge needs to be boosted before it can be converted to digital and equalized in the digital domain. Of course, you could use your current phono preamplifier and record an equalized signal to hard disk, but then you wouldn't get to experience Pure Vinyl's digital RIAA correction—nor would you be able to avail yourself of all the equalization curves provide by Pure Vinyl, of which there are almost too many to count.
Continue Reading »
Phono Preamp ReviewsVote
Should You Buy a MM-Only Phono Preamp If You Are Using a MM Cartridge?
Michael Fremer  |  May 04, 2017
Many vinyl fans using a moving magnet phono cartridge invest in a MM/MC phono preamplifier figuring they'll eventually get a moving coil cartridge. But is that a wise decision?

Or does it make more sense to buy a dedicated MM phono preamplifier now and maximize performance for the dollars spent and later add a "head amp" or a step-up transformer to use with a moving coil cartridge?

So here is the same excerpt of "Cool Struttin'" from the great 1986 Black Saint album Voodoo (120 109 1) performed by The Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet, which was Wayne Horvitz, John Zorn, Ray Drummond and Bobby Previte.

I chose this because A) it sounds awesome, B) it has excellent dynamics C) it is a good test of "rhythm'n'pacing", D) it has really taut bass, and E) the music is outstanding (someone should reissue this AAA recording along with many other Black Saint/Soul Note records).

The same excerpt has been recorded through eight different phono preamplifiers, a few MM-only and the rest MM/MC using the superb sounding Audio-Technica AT150ANV MM cartridge mounted on a Rega Planar 3.

The phono preamplifiers (in no particular order) are the:

Music Hall pa 2.2
AVM P 1.2
Lejonklou Gaio
Lehmann Silver Cube
Graham Slee Era Gold V
ifi phono2
Musical Fidelity MX-VYNL
Jasmine 2.5DU

Please download the 96/24 files and listen. Then vote in the order in which you like the sound. Also please post comments about which you preferred and why.

The prices range from $399 to $4500. The files are not listed to match the above order! In another story to be posted shortly, you'll find a description of each unit's features but not the editor's sonic assessment, which will only be posted after the close of voting in a few weeks (giving you plenty of time). At a later date, we will repeat the vote with the MC inputs of the units that are MM/MC and with both a Bob's Devices step-up transformer and a Hagerman Audio battery powered "head amp".

Here are the files:

File "1"

File "2"

File "3"

File "4"

File "5"

File "6"

File "7"

File "8"

Should You Buy a MM-Only Phono Preamp If You Are Using a MM Cartridge?
Continue Reading »

Pages

X