Do I want/need a phono preamp?

apc
apc Posts: 779
edited May 2007 in 2 Channel Audio
Regarding phono usage on a vintage receiver:

Can my sound be improved by using a phono preamp?

Here's the rear of it, do I have all of the necessary connections?

2252Brearjacks.jpg
Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Friend.
Post edited by apc on
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited May 2007
    I'd go with her as built.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited May 2007
    You could but it would cost you. Vintage Marantz are reputed by some to have a very good phono stage.
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited May 2007
    you don't need a phono pre amp.. your Marantz receiver has one built in.. acutally two of em. you can run two turntables if you wanted. nice.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • apc
    apc Posts: 779
    edited May 2007
    Exactly what I needed to know. Thank you.
    Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Friend.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited May 2007
    Just to be completely clear: the Marantz is all set up for a moving magnet (MM) or moving iron (MI, as were, and are the Grados) cartridge with "normal" output levels (i.e., in the vicinity of 2 to 10 mV nominal output). It does NOT offer adequate gain for "low output" (normal) moving coil (MC) cartridges, nor, most likely, enough gain for some of the very low output MM cartridges (e.g., some of today's Grados are available with 0.5 mV nominal output level). The latter might be OK, but you might need to turn things up so high that noise/hiss become objectionable, or you might just not be able to get it as loud as you'd prefer.

    There are "high-output" MC cartridges... I've only heard one model, and I wasn't too impressed.

    Just thought these little tid-bits might be helpful.
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,411
    edited May 2007
    show off :)
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
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    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited May 2007
    Hey Mark, Fernando has your shot on me. (wink)
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited May 2007
    hoosier21 wrote: »
    show off :)

    WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA but he is absolutely correctomundo!!! Just fyi, my preamp has a kickass phono stage with plenty of gain for the ultra low output MM, MI/MC carts, and it hisses at me at around 11:00 on the attenuator dial. However, at this setting my LP playback is LOUD! sometimes depending on the LP too loud. My point is usually when the stylus touches down the hiss is gone. Sometimes it is because of the signal to noise ratio but most of the time with good phono stages, when voltage is applied from the cartridge the hiss becomes the signal.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited May 2007
    The low output **** was too expensive for the 22xx Marantz crowd of the day. At most, you MIGHT need a $20-$30 step up tranny, thats about it.

    Wire the f'er up, and start twistin' knobs. You tell us if your too far into the volume pot or not.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited May 2007
    RuSsMaN wrote: »
    start twistin' knobs. Russ

    Damm, its not even 8:00 in the morning and I am getting wood.

    RT1
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