Budget Phono pre
Simplyrandom
Posts: 119
in Electronics
I just ordered an integrated tube amp from Silk Audio and now I am going to need a phono pre. I had been using my Onkyo receiver for my turntable however the new unit will not have a phono input. I am not looking for anything high end as after dropping the cash on the tube amp I am short of liquid funds. I was looking at the Rolls VP-29 for the time being but I know there are others in the same price range. This is something temporary as I am thinking of investing in a tube pre in the future but I have not made my mind up. I am concerned the addition of another tube piece will complicate the tube rolling process. I would appreciate any input you guys may have. I know its kind of a beer budget thing and might not be as interesting as some of the other high end gear talked about here but we all had to start somewhere.
Comments
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http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/165370/pro-ject-phono-box-dc-in-black#latest
This would work...The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
^^^^^
agree this is a great starting phono amp, I can understand the idea of not going all tubes instantly.2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge
HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD -
As far as I am concerned, and for what it's worth, the best bang for the buck, if you don't mind slinging a little solder, is indubitably Jim Hagerman's Bugle 2. A fine sounding little preamp and, like its predecessor (the unsuffixed Bugle) a true bargain. Hagerman's vacuum tube phonostage, the Cornet 2, is better still, but 'spensiver.
DSC_9813 by mhardy6647, on Flickr
This one belongs to Polk Forum member Mrbiron... it's currently being held hostage in an undisclosed location in Northern New England... sort of like that garden gnome in the early days of teh internets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelling_gnome_prank -
I love the movie "Amelie" and what she did.
Jim Hagerman's Bugle 2 has always held my attention. but my Graham Slee works pretty good that I'm keeping for awhile, but someday a DIY protect may be in the future... I like the bottlehead Phono kits idea though I havent heard one.2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge
HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD -
I have a very, very early Seduction -- I like many Bottlehead products and own several... but the Seduction is pretty bland-sounding. It doesn't help that it's a bit short on gain. For the record, I have some fairly snooty Amperex 7308s in it, so it's been given a pretty fair shot to be all that it can be.
For the record (heh...), I am working with geologic slowness on assembling a pastiche of (fairly) high-resolution digital audio captures of 'reference' LP tracks as rendered through different phono preamps. Someday, I may have a level matched sampler to share. Someday...
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I had read some good things about the Bugle 2 and getting another positive note on it from here I think I might just suffer with no phono for a couple of weeks and pick up that kit. I just tortured my son with a BYOC reverb peddle kit for xmas so we even have the equipment already set up. Now if I could only convince him to help me put new bulbs in my Onkyo.....Decisions, decisions
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I also did some reading up on the Little Bear T10 however it seems like it needs a lot more tinkering to get going than I am willing to do at this point. I think i was reading a fairly long thread over at AK which people seemed to have missed success with it.
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The Bugle 2 is great phono preamp. I have used mine with both mm and low output mc. Very easy to build and very quiet with the stock wallwart. Very little money for very smart design and sound.Main system: Lyngdorf TDAI 2170 w/ Pioneer 42" plazma-> Polk LSiM 703 w/Tivo, Marantz tuner, BRPTT: Nothingham Spacedeck-> Pioneer PL L1000 linear arm-> Soundsmith DL 103R-> SUT->Bottlehead ErosDigital: I3 PC w/ Jriver playing flac -> Sonore Ultrarendu -> Twisted Pair Audio ESS 9028 w/ Mercury IVY Vinyl rips: ESI Juli@24/192-> i3 PC server
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which tube amp did you order?Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156 -
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My baby is a celebrity!!
Mr Hardy, maybe I should send you my reduction next to burn in/test drive.
SR, I'd wait for the bugle. Its a simple afternoon build and sounded better than my stock reduction at 1/2 the cost. The kit was super easy to build. Sound wise...well I can't do a side by side at this juncture but these other guys have far better ears than I do. All I know is I was extremely happy with the bugle.Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!! -
Yes, because I have a mammothly guilty conscience :-P
It do sound good, though; it do, it do.
I ripped a handful of our great classic holiday albums with it over... well... the holidays.
I should - ahem - probably pack it up and send it home again soon.
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I'm just glad to see it being used.
Did you ever swap out the resistors and try any more demanding carts?
Are there mods for the bugle...never even thought to look for any.Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!! -
No and no respectively -- I should absolutely try some of the other cartridges/tts lurking about at the ol' ranch.
I told you I was a lazy m-o-f-o...
The only mods of which I was aware (at least for the original, unsuffixed Bugle) was rolling op-amp chips. In fact, I have a Bugle "1" around here (bought that one, used, off someone at AK, along with the Hagerman "Piccolo" MC head-amp) with several (two or three) different sets of chips to roll through it. Never did, though -
Heard good things about Pro-Ject phono boxes, probably the safest bet for price and easy of use. A ton of much better out there but you specifically wanted low entry price. Good luck with your choice.
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For some reason, I ant PM you. But I have a phono pre you can have. PM me so that we can set something up.2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
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I have a Schiit Mani phono preamp that I keep as a backup. I think it sounds great for the price. Check it out, if you are on a budget.Living Room
Parasound Model 2250v2 amplifier
Parasound P5 preamp
Turntable 1 - Technics SL-1210Mk2 turntable with Shure V-15 Type III cartridge
Turntable 2 - Dual 1229 turntable, Dual AS-12 45 RPM stacker, Shure V-15 Type III cartridge
Schiit Mani Phono Preamp for Turntable 2
Oppo UDP-205 CD/SACD USB and FLAC duties
Technics RS-1500US reel to reel
Polk SDA SRS (2nd Gen) fully modded -
Thanks. I will have to add that to the list.I have a Schiit Mani phono preamp that I keep as a backup. I think it sounds great for the price. Check it out, if you are on a budget.
