Phono Preamplifiers

Most modern amplifiers do not have provision for a phono cartridge, so a separate phono preamplifier is necessary. And the phono preamps included in many older integrated amplifiers are fairly basic. You can achieve a worthwhile improvement in sound quality with a separate phono preamp.

When you consider that the signal that the phono cartridge extracts from the groove has to be amplified many thousands of times before it gets to the speakers any improvement in the signal at the front end will be magnified greatly.

Why do you need a phono preamplifier? (answer courtesy of Graham Slee)
Bass takes space. Vinyl is a mechanical medium. The groove contains the wavelength and velocity information for all the musical frequencies contained in it. The signal's wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency. Using the equation:-    wavelength (?) = velocity (V) / frequency (f)

We find a bass frequency of 50Hz has a wavelength ( groove wiggle) of 0.1cm (1mm) at the peak recorded velocity of a vinyl LP (5cm/sec). With 50:50 spacing, you'd only get 40 revolutions, and at 33? RPM that's just 1 minute and 12 seconds!

At 1kHz (middle of the band) the wiggle is 0.05mm - enough for 24 minutes, but at 10kHz, the wiggle is so small it would be swamped by the noise of the vinyl's polymorphic structure.

The cure is to turn the bass down and the treble up while cutting the record master. This is done using a precise formula (RIAA). So when you play a record you need a clever bit of electronics to change it back. That's the job of the Phono Stage.

The more accurate in frequency and phase performance the phono stage is - the better the sound. Not forgetting that the phono stage must not add to the background noise already on the record.

The best phono stages are: Fast (wide bandwidth); Quiet (low noise) and distortion should be inaudible. And that is not an easy task!



Audiophile Archival MM Phono Preamp MkII

REK-O-KUT

Audiophile Archival MM Phono Preamp MkII

$198.00 RKAAP2

De-Hisser

REK-O-KUT

De-Hisser

$550.00 RKDH

15% OFF RRP $650.00
MC TX transformer

ICON AUDIO

MC TX transformer

$1,050.00 MCTX

PHO-701 Tube Phono Preamplifier

VINCENT

PHO-701 Tube Phono Preamplifier

Separate preamp and power supply units

$980.00 VPHO701

7% OFF RRP $1,049.00
Phono Box DS2 phono stage (black)

PRO-JECT AUDIO

Phono Box DS2 phono stage (black)

$479.00 PJPBDS2

20% OFF RRP $599.00
Phono Box DS3 B phono stage (black)

PRO-JECT AUDIO

Phono Box DS3 B phono stage (black)

Balanced connections

$1,099.00 PJPBDS3BB

Phono Box DS3 B phono stage (silver)

PRO-JECT AUDIO

Phono Box DS3 B phono stage (silver)

Balanced connections

$1,099.00 PJPBDS3BS

Phono Box E

PRO-JECT AUDIO

Phono Box E

$139.00 PJPBE

Phono Box E BT5 phono preamplifier

PRO-JECT AUDIO

Phono Box E BT5 phono preamplifier

Bluetooth included

$269.00 PJPBEBT5

Phono Box S3 B phono stage (black)

PRO-JECT AUDIO

Phono Box S3 B phono stage (black)

Balanced connections

$699.00 PJPBS3B

Phono Box S3 B phono stage (silver)

PRO-JECT AUDIO

Phono Box S3 B phono stage (silver)

Balanced connections

$699.00 PJPBS3W

PhonoBox

PRO-JECT AUDIO

PhonoBox

From $169.00 PJPB

See Options
PhonoBox S2 phono stage

PRO-JECT AUDIO

PhonoBox S2 phono stage

Available in Black or Silver

$299.00 PJPBS2B

PRO-JECT Tube Box DS2 (black)

PRO-JECT AUDIO

PRO-JECT Tube Box DS2 (black)

$1,499.00 PJTBDS2B

PRO-JECT Tube Box DS2 (silver)

PRO-JECT AUDIO

PRO-JECT Tube Box DS2 (silver)

$1,449.00 PJTBDS2S

Professional MM Phono Preamp MkIV

REK-O-KUT

Professional MM Phono Preamp MkIV

$148.50 RKMMP4

PS1 MkII phono preamplifer MM/MC

ICON AUDIO

PS1 MkII phono preamplifer MM/MC

$3,500.00 PS12MC

PS2 phono preamplifier

ICON AUDIO

PS2 phono preamplifier

$1,650.00 PS2

13% OFF RRP $1,890.00
PS3 phono preamplifier MM/MC

ICON AUDIO

PS3 phono preamplifier MM/MC

$5,600.00 PS3MC

PS3 phono preamplifier MM/MC Signature Edition

ICON AUDIO

PS3 phono preamplifier MM/MC Signature Edition

Premium valves & Mundorf cap upgrades

$5,950.00 PS3MCS

5% OFF RRP $6,250.00
Re-Equalizer MkII

REK-O-KUT

Re-Equalizer MkII

$715.00 RKRE2

Re-Equalizer MkIII

REK-O-KUT

Re-Equalizer MkIII

$825.00 RKRE3

Surface Noise Reducer

ESOTERIC SOUND

Surface Noise Reducer

$770.00 ESSNR

V90-LPS Phono Pre-amp

MUSICAL FIDELITY

V90-LPS Phono Pre-amp

$533.00 V90LPS

3% OFF RRP $550.00