Need a pre-amp for my stereo turntable

[rxtech]

So, I just bought a new turntable and my receiver doesn’t have phono jacks. It has other jacks for CD, video, satellite, but not phono. I have it plugged into one of those and the sound does come out but it is not very loud even with the volume maxed out. I’m wondering what is a good (but cheap) preamp that I can put in between, and is this what I need?

 

[W.L.Weller]

Option 1: buy a phono preamp.

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-nNlA3uEyQRC/g_50500/Phono-Preamps.html

(Obviously there are more choices, and probably cheaper ones also, but as I don't have a personal experience with a standalone unit, at least I know Crutchfield will stand behind what they sell)

Option 2: buy an amp with a phono stage.

I got a second NAD integrated amp from Craigslist a few years ago for $50. Works as well as the one I bought new 20 years ago for $300.

 

[Chunkocaster]

I would buy a matching old school stereo receiver.
Something big and brushed silver with walnut trim.

 

[rxtech]

Would something like this work?


Dilvpoetry TUBE-01 Preamp 6J1 Vacuum Tube Amplifier Buffer Mini HiFi Preamplifier DC12V2A (Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07545WKJR/?tag=tdpri-20

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hm. I wouldn't expect a receiver to have phono jacks or CD jacks.

A good integrated amp would have jacks for everything. But it sounds like your tuner doubles as an amp.

So, as you suspected, the phono preamp that W.L. is mentioning is probably the cheapest and easiest fix. I'd follow W.L.'s lead and contact Crutchfield to ask them to tell you more. It's a pretty reliable outfit.

And yes, there are plenty of used integrated amps around. Never hurts to have a good one. Having separate stereo components means that when one component goes wrong, you still have all the rest. My CD player, turntable, tuner, and cassette deck all run off one integrated amp. Makes life easier.

 

[W.L.Weller]

Would something like this work?

From that listing:

<<This is an preamplifier, not a power amplifier or phono, it can not be used for turntables or passive speakers, .It can't be used with headphones.>>

So, no. As you have already noticed, your turntable's cartridge puts out an extremely quiet signal. A phono preamp does a lot of amplification (and also EQ correction, you can look up the RIAA curve if you're bored). This $20 Chinese thing is a $20 box that has tubes that light up, and apparently makes audio signals 1.5x as loud as they were to start with. You need a few more orders of magnitude to get a phono cartridge up to "line" level.

If you want cheap, buy a used amp with a built-in phono input.

 

[LutherBurger]

Would something like this work?


Dilvpoetry TUBE-01 Preamp 6J1 Vacuum Tube Amplifier Buffer Mini HiFi Preamplifier DC12V2A (Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07545WKJR/?tag=tdpri-20

No, you need a "phono" preamp that applies the RIAA curve to the signal.

 

[clydethecat]

(link removed)

https://www.schiit.com/products/mani

 

[W.L.Weller]

Ah, speaking of orders of magnitude, here's a phono stage that's an order of magnitude cheaper than the rest of the fit-for-purpose devices listed so far:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HJ1TTQ/?tag=tdpri-20

 

[rxtech]

Ah, speaking of orders of magnitude, here's a phono stage that's an order of magnitude cheaper than the rest of the fit-for-purpose devices listed so far:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HJ1TTQ/?tag=tdpri-20

Thanks! That’s a good price, too!

 

[TheGoodTexan]

Behringer makes one that a lot of people swear by. Never used it myself.


https://www.parts-express.com/behringer-ufo202-usb-audio-interface-with-phono-preamp--248-6506

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Option 4:

I did not see which make/model turntable you purchased, but the last one I bought (2007-ish) had a preamp built in that was disabled by default, but if you opened up the chassis there was a switch to enable it so it would drive a receiver that didn’t have a phono input. So, and I know this sounds cliche (hopefully not condescending), but check the owners manual.

 

[rxtech]

Option 4:

I did not see which make/model turntable you purchased, but the last one I bought (2007-ish) had a preamp built in that was disabled by default, but if you opened up the chassis there was a switch to enable it so it would drive a receiver that didn’t have a phono input. So, and I know this sounds cliche (hopefully not condescending), but check the owners manual.

No worries , I’ll look, thanks!

 

[aging_rocker]

Ah, speaking of orders of magnitude, here's a phono stage that's an order of magnitude cheaper than the rest of the fit-for-purpose devices listed so far:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HJ1TTQ/?tag=tdpri-20

Yep, that phono preamp (or something similar) is exactly what you need. You could pay as much as you like if you want to go down the "whacky world of hi-fi" rabbit hole, but unless you have money to burn you won't need to spend a lot. It's only a couple of op-amps and some other bits.

A decent external power supply, decent quality cables and keeping the pre as close to your turntable as you can may add benefits.

Disclosure: I worked in the "whacky world of hi-fi" for many years. The law of diminishing returns applies in that world with a vengeance...

 

[rxtech]

Here’s the turntable on top of my receiver.

 

[DougM]

The Pro-ject Phono Box MM at Crutchfield at $79.99 is, IMO, going to probably have a lot better sound quality than some of the other inexpensive phono preamps that have been suggested, because Pro-ject is one of the premier makers of entry level turntables in the high end audio world. The Rolls VP29 phono preamp at Parts Express for $49 has also been very favorably reviewed in audio circles.
And, FWIW, putting your turntable on top of the receiver is a bad idea, as it blocks the cooling vents on the top of the receiver, and it could overheat, and the heat emitted by the receiver isn't good for the turntable or your records.

 

[rxtech]

Good idea, thanks! I’ll have to change that when I play my albums or fix it altogether.

 

[Artslap]

I can highly recommend the NAD PP2 e

These things are extrodinary for the money. $150 USD

I've had mine switched on for about 8 years or so, and it hasn't missed a beat.

Sound quality is equal to some units 10 times the price.

CP.

 

[Boil]

Well seeing as you are a guitar guy and a Fender guy to boot you had better go tube, maybe something like this:

https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649501780-allnic-l10000-preamplifier/

Yeah that would probably work.

 

[aging_rocker]

So, your turntable was probably built in the Hanpin factory (kinda like the 'Cort factory' of the turntable world) - there are only a handful of manufacturers of these kind of turntables in China, and most of the 'badge-engineered' ones, like yours, will come from one of them.

Personally, I wouldn't spend more than $50 on a phono stage to go with it. Spend the money on vinyl