Phono preamps

qwiktune
qwiktune Posts: 37
edited January 2012 in Electronics
My current receiver (Yamaha RX-V867) doesnt have Phono, so i'm looking for a cheap phono preamp that'll do the trick. I just hopped on ebay and there is a cheap Pyle PP999 (like below). Would this do the trick for my turntable? I wont be using it to often. I just would like the option to listen to my vinyls.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pyle-Phono-Turntable-Pre-Amp-Unit-DEvice-PP999-/350514170783?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item519c45cb9f
Post edited by qwiktune on
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited December 2011
    i don't know anything about that brand.... but here is one that is not expensive.. I use one of these and I only occasionally listen to albums too

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Creek-OBH-8-Phono-Pre-Amp-/150715676809?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23175ab889#ht_500wt_1202
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
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  • qwiktune
    qwiktune Posts: 37
    edited December 2011
    Thanks, i've heard of Pyle myself (they make cheaper stuff as they are a known off brand). I've only really seen their stuff as car electronics like amps and stuff which weren't very good, but they worked. I guess my overall question is will I get better sound quality to the point it would matter by going more expensive, or as long as it provides power, I should be ok?
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  • ViperZ
    ViperZ Posts: 2,046
    edited December 2011
    NAD and Cambridge Audio make very good preamps for very little money. CA 540P comes to mind right away.
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  • qwiktune
    qwiktune Posts: 37
    edited December 2011
    Anyone ever hear or have experience with Behringer? The reviews for it on Amazon.com seemed pretty good...
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Behringer-PP400-Ultra-Compact-Phono-Preamplifier-/360413628930?pt=DJ_Gear_Lighting&hash=item53ea538a02
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited December 2011
    What the most you are looking to spend and are you open to used?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited December 2011
    I have a good little one in the FM that I'm selling for 40 bucks plus shipping if your interested.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,967
    edited December 2011
    This one looks neat

    http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preaphon&1328848298&/Bellari-VP130
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited December 2011
    FWIW and in my hardly humble opinions:

    best bang for buck MM phono preamp is Jim Hagerman's Bugle www.hagtech.com
    best bang for buck MM vacuum tube phono preamp is Doc Bottlehead's Seduction www.bottlehead.com

    I've actually retired my Seduction for a Bugle a few months back (as I needed a bit of extra gain) as my daily driver. I use it with a DIY SUT and a Denon DL-103 (currently ensconced in a vintage and fairly pedestrian Technics DD tt).

    Break out the soldering iron.
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  • qwiktune
    qwiktune Posts: 37
    edited December 2011
    Tour2ma, I'm open to used, doesn't matter as long as it works. I was hoping of not spending more than $50, wanted to keep it around $20 or $30 though if possible.

    cstmar01, what do you got? I'm def interested, you can PM me with the info if you'd like.

    tonyb, thats def a little more than I was looking to spend, tho it certainly looks neat haha

    mhardy6647, im sure those are gonna be a little out of my price point.


    Bottom line is im just looking for something that works. Something that give me the option to listen to my vinyls on my turntable. I don't need all the bells and whistles, or expensive tubes preamps. Something that will work without the worry of static or fuss coming through. I mean those reviews on that $20 Behringer seemed great (4.4 outta 5) so I was leaning toward that unless someone knows why I shouldn't be?
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited December 2011
    qwiktune wrote: »
    mhardy6647, im sure those are gonna be a little out of my price point.

    oh, sorry :-(
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited December 2011
    qwiktune wrote: »
    Tour2ma, I'm open to used, doesn't matter as long as it works. I was hoping of not spending more than $50, wanted to keep it around $20 or $30 though if possible.

    cstmar01, what do you got? I'm def interested, you can PM me with the info if you'd like.

    tonyb, thats def a little more than I was looking to spend, tho it certainly looks neat haha

    mhardy6647, im sure those are gonna be a little out of my price point.


    Bottom line is im just looking for something that works. Something that give me the option to listen to my vinyls on my turntable. I don't need all the bells and whistles, or expensive tubes preamps. Something that will work without the worry of static or fuss coming through. I mean those reviews on that $20 Behringer seemed great (4.4 outta 5) so I was leaning toward that unless someone knows why I shouldn't be?

    For $20 - where's the risk? Just get it.

    If you don't like it, there are so many other rabbit holes to go down to improve your rig. :cheesygrin:

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • qwiktune
    qwiktune Posts: 37
    edited December 2011
    Erik Tracy wrote: »
    For $20 - where's the risk? Just get it.
    If you don't like it, there are so many other rabbit holes to go down to improve your rig. :cheesygrin:

    Touche!
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited December 2011
    the other cheap (even free!) way to get a decent phono preamp is to 'acquire' a 1970s (or even late 1960s) vintage, castoff receiver or integrated amp. The power amp section needn't even be functional - just connect turntable to the phono inputs and take the preamplified, EQ'd, line level signal from the TAPE OUT jacks!

    I am sure I can round up an utterly surplus one in the rubble downstairs - the OP doesn't happen to be in New England by any chance?

    Just a thought... :-)
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited December 2011
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    .....a decent phono preamp....Just a thought... :-)

    Don't let the AUDIOPHILES catch you doing this.:mrgreen:
    >
    >
    >This message has been scanned by the NSA and found to be free of harmful intent.<
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,967
    edited December 2011
    Isn't there a phono pre in the FM for 50 bucks ?
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • qwiktune
    qwiktune Posts: 37
    edited December 2011
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    I am sure I can round up an utterly surplus one in the rubble downstairs - the OP doesn't happen to be in New England by any chance?

    I'm over in the USA, but thanks for the suggestion. I think i have an old receiver laying around with phono on it, however I dont want to have to have another receiver on my entertainment center when i'd just be using the phono on it. (which is what I assumed in a nutshell you were suggesting). To be quite honest, I having check here (new to the forums so i'm still used to checking ebay and craigslist). I was thinking about cstmar01's one he's selling for $50, but even still I was hoping for something around $20 for the low amount i'd be using it. I'm thinking of just going with that Behringer, do a review on it because I had someone on another forum ask me to do one if I got it. Again the reviews aren't bad.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited December 2011
    I thought New England was in the USA... :cheesygrin:

    qt,
    In your price range not much I can suggest in addition to option mentioned above. There used to be some vintage Shure pre's on ebay in your range, but now it looks like the prices have jumped considerably.

    As mhardy suggested for a quick fix you can use your old Receiver's phono pre and route its Tape Out jacks to your Yammie's Tape In. Nothing says it has to be on/ in your entertainment center; a couple of long RCA IC's should get it out of sight. Hell, you can even cover it since it will only be idling and there are no heat concerns. If you can live with this until your budget can rise to around $100, I think you'll be better off. A lot more options around that price point.

    One to keep your eye out for is Audio Alchemy's Vac-in-the-Box (VITB). This one sold recently on ebay for $50...
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Alchemy-VAC-in-the-Box-/330653540436?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cfc7ca054
    I swear by them and can't believe they are going that low... had to be BIN price from someone who did not know what he had.

    That said, the Beringer's an option. And, of course, you can always keep hunting on the cheap. As posted above by others, anything decent in your range will likely be resalable at no loss to you.

    Good luck...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • qwiktune
    qwiktune Posts: 37
    edited December 2011
    Tour2ma wrote: »
    I thought New England was in the USA... :cheesygrin:

    Lol, oh yeah...i saw England, must have missed the "New." I'm in PA so although i'm not up that high, I'm near the area. I'll keep my eye on that suggestion of the Vac-in-a-box. Maybe i will try the old receiver idea until I can move the budget higher. Right now its not a necessity being that I only listen to records every so often. I'll just wait till I can find a good deal on something relatively decent either here or ebay.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited December 2011
    I have two cheap old add-on MM phono preamps* (dump finds). I shall try 'em out over the holidays. If both work, one can be yours for the cost of shipping if you want it. Further details as events warrant.

    * FYI and FWIW - Here's the type of thing I am talking about:
    see page 50 of http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalogs/1978/
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  • qwiktune
    qwiktune Posts: 37
    edited December 2011
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    I have two cheap old add-on MM phono preamps* (dump finds). I shall try 'em out over the holidays. If both work, one can be yours for the cost of shipping if you want it. Further details as events warrant.
    [/url]

    Hey if you test em and they work for a turntable I'd def like to check it out. Like i said i'm just looking for something that works. I'm not sure how heavy/big it might be, but if the shipping doesnt cost to be almost the amount of something better off ebay or something then yeah, I'd be willing to shoot you out the shipping cost. After you test em out and figure out what shipping would be, just send it over in a PM so that I get a email about it. My zip code is 15146.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited January 2012
    believe it or not, I haven't forgotten this :-P
    The preamp I have, branded "Herald", needs to have the two sets of RCA jacks replaced (both broken beyond the chance for sturdy repair). Gotta source a pair of two-jack panels that'll fit (I don't have any "in stock", astonishingly)... further details as events warrant.

    PM me if you're still interested.
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  • qwiktune
    qwiktune Posts: 37
    edited January 2012
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    believe it or not, I haven't forgotten this :-P
    The preamp I have, branded "Herald", needs to have the two sets of RCA jacks replaced (both broken beyond the chance for sturdy repair). Gotta source a pair of two-jack panels that'll fit (I don't have any "in stock", astonishingly)... further details as events warrant.

    PM me if you're still interested.

    Hey i'm still interested yes. I cannot PM you due to the fact that your inbox is full and it's telling me you gotta delete some of your messages in order for mine to go through.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited January 2012
    Yeah, so I just saw :-P Sorry about that.
    Clear now.
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