Tube Phono Preamp Under $200

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User] Posts: 0
in Electronics
I have a newly acquired Audio-technica Lp120. The built in preamp is no bueno, and I'm going to take it out of there and rewire it. Which leaves me trying to find a preamp; preferably a tube. With a budget of $200, does a good to decent phono preamp exists under that price? If so any suggestions?
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited October 2015
    Can you solder?
    http://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/products/bugle2

    The Hagerman Bugle 2 is no-kidding-around good sounding.
    No tubes, but nothing I've heard with tubes will touch it within an order of magnitude of price.

    Indeed, running a single-ended 2A3 power amplifier and vacuum tube preamplifier, I could be qualified as a "tube guy"... but I use a solid state phono preamp (Allen Wright-designed "Just Listen to It" [JLTI])... because it sounds better than any vacuum tube preamp I can afford (and the JLTI isn't inexpensive). Just to give some context to my comment above.

    And, yeah, I still owe mrbiron a review of his Reduction ;- )

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    xcapri79 wrote: »
    For a tube phono preamp, I would suggest the Yaqin MS-23B or the Bellari VP130.

    For a non-tube preamp, I would suggest the Music Hall PA 1.2.


    The MS-23B is one that I've come across before in some searches. Definitely something I'll be considering. Thanks guys.
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  • PolkieMan
    PolkieMan Posts: 2,446
    a suggestion http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silk-Audio-MS23SE-Tube-Phono-Preamplifier-Factory-upgraded-by-Yaqin-/221916306134
    POLK SDA 2.3 TLS BOUGHT NEW IN 1990, Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-198
    POLK CSI-A6 POLK MONITOR 70'S ONKYO TX NR-808 SONY CDP-333ES
    PIONEER PL-510A SONY BDP S5100
    POLK SDA 1C BOUGHT USED 2011,Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-194
    ONKYO HT RC-360 SONY BDP S590 TECHNICS SL BD-1
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Can you solder?
    http://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/products/bugle2

    The Hagerman Bugle 2 is no-kidding-around good sounding.
    No tubes, but nothing I've heard with tubes will touch it within an order of magnitude of price.

    This^^^
    Super easy little DIY build that might have taken me all of 2 hours to do, which included setup.

    MRH....Review? What's that? :p
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    hey, I reviewed the B2, sort of!

    And I did listen to the Reduction a bit last week ;- )
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  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,083
    I've been using a Chinese tube pre called a Little Bear T10.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/HN-Little-Bear-T10-Pro-6N2-valve-Phono-Turntable-RIAA-Preamp-preamplifier-Ver2-5-/301507723592

    (no affiliation)

    Quite reasonable out of the box as is & there are several threads on other sites regarding tweaking it.
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    edited October 2015
    If you don't do the DIY "The Hagerman Bugle 2" then there is the Parasound Zphono for $199 and it is excellent phono preamp but was to big for my setup. btw Skip had one on the dinning room table this weekend.
    48mzakvpq6gy.jpg

    Or for $299 (i know it above the $$) is the Vincent PHO-8 which I currently use
    fil0780jhuin.jpg
    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
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,023
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Can you solder?
    http://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/products/bugle2
    The Hagerman Bugle 2 is no-kidding-around good sounding.
    No tubes, but nothing I've heard with tubes will touch it within an order of magnitude of price.
    wow. great reviews of that little unit at first glance.

    I disabled signatures.
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    ^^ I can second the Vincent Pho-8 that Voltz uses, he talked me into... I mean I have one too. LOL! Very solidly built unit, sounds great! ^^
    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

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    Soundcraftsmen PCR800
    Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
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    Pho-700 Phono Pre
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  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 10,009
    I can second the Parasound z-phono, great bang for the buck
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited October 2015
    tonyp063 wrote: »
    I've been using a Chinese tube pre called a Little Bear T10.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/HN-Little-Bear-T10-Pro-6N2-valve-Phono-Turntable-RIAA-Preamp-preamplifier-Ver2-5-/301507723592

    (no affiliation)

    Quite reasonable out of the box as is & there are several threads on other sites regarding tweaking it.

    That's actually what I ended up buying on Amazon, good reviews and it was a bit cheaper. Seems like a decent amp. If not Christmas bonus season is coming up...
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,023
    tonyp063 wrote: »
    I've been using a Chinese tube pre called a Little Bear T10.
    man, that's actually pretty cool. I've always been intrigued by these little Chinese amps, preamps, and headphone amps.
    ER308L wrote: »
    That's actually what I ended up buying on Amazon, good reviews and it was a bit cheaper. Seems like a decent amp. If not Christmas bonus season is coming up...
    when are you supposed to get it, and how are you going to work it with the AT? Are you just going to flip the switch, or disconnect the preamp in the AT altogether?

    I disabled signatures.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    h37ek36ikzo9.jpg

    So what I've done is pull the preamp completely. Installed two female rca jacks and one post for the ground. Still needs to be soldered though.

    I should get it here in a week or week and a half.
    msg wrote: »
    tonyp063 wrote: »
    I've been using a Chinese tube pre called a Little Bear T10.
    man, that's actually pretty cool. I've always been intrigued by these little Chinese amps, preamps, and headphone amps.
    ER308L wrote: »
    That's actually what I ended up buying on Amazon, good reviews and it was a bit cheaper. Seems like a decent amp. If not Christmas bonus season is coming up...
    when are you supposed to get it, and how are you going to work it with the AT? Are you just going to flip the switch, or disconnect the preamp in the AT altogether?

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  • StevieB
    StevieB Posts: 256
    msg wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Can you solder?
    http://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/products/bugle2
    The Hagerman Bugle 2 is no-kidding-around good sounding.
    No tubes, but nothing I've heard with tubes will touch it within an order of magnitude of price.
    wow. great reviews of that little unit at first glance.

    It also comes already assembled for the technically challenged. 60db version sounds great.
    McCormack DNA-1 Amp, Parasound Halo P5 Pre Amp, Denon DVD 2900 CD player, Adcom GDA 700 DAC, VPI Traveler TT with Denon 103R cartridge, Lounge Audio MKiii phono pre and Copla SUT, Polk SDA SRS 3.1 TL speakers, Tributaries series 8 IC's and speaker cable.
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