RE: Budget Phono Preamps

Posted by davehg (A) on August 24, 2016 at 20:38:13

In Reply to: Budget Phono Preamps posted by Isaak J. Garvey on August 24, 2016 at 19:30:05:

I just went through this research myself for my recently acquired Project DC (it has the upgraded platter and speed box).

The Graham Slee came up many times in my research, as did the Hagerman Labs and Schiit Mani. However, I chanced upon a review of the iFi IPhone, and I am glad I did. I located a fellow inmate who was selling his used Gen I version at a great price - the newly upgraded Gen II version sells for $499 and is Fremer's choice for a solid under $1k preamp.

Super impressed with this combo. The preamp sounds fantastic, and its many settings make it compatible with a wide range of MM and MC cartridges, and really let you tailor the precise loading - it made a big difference.

Only real complaint is that the RCA jacks are a bit close together, and larger RCA cables like my AZ Reference Silver interconnects are a tight fit, and I need to slide a piece of paper in between otherwise the metal sleeves touch and hum.

The other big difference was upgrading the standard Ortofon Red cartridge that is sold with this table - the Red is a good starter choice, but it smoothest over detail and has a collapsed sound stage. I went with the next model up, the 2M Blue, and it now sounds like I thought the table should sound. Way better bass, and the top end is much clearer (note - I use a Woo Tube headphone amp and Audeze LCD3's, a combo which would welcome the top end of the 2m Blue better than would a brighter sounding combination.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Budget Phono Preamps - Isaak J. Garvey 19:30:05 08/24/16 (26)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - mcgjohn@yahoo.com 09:34:04 08/30/16 (0)

Budget Phono Preamps - Basher52 07:53:18 08/30/16 (1)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - Isaak J. Garvey 11:06:12 08/30/16 (0)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - afro18 16:10:20 08/29/16 (1)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - Isaak J. Garvey 17:02:32 08/29/16 (0)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - s-a-k 16:55:13 08/27/16 (6)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - Isaak J. Garvey 07:27:32 08/28/16 (4)

I bought a Vista and - neobop 08:50:45 08/28/16 (3)

RE: I bought a Vista and - Isaak J. Garvey 12:27:43 08/28/16 (2)

RE: I bought a Vista and - neobop 13:14:36 08/29/16 (1)

RE: I bought a Vista and - Isaak J. Garvey 15:32:34 08/29/16 (0)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - Travis 17:52:55 08/27/16 (0)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - Sturgus 17:14:57 08/26/16 (1)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - Isaak J. Garvey 17:38:33 08/26/16 (0)

definitely Lounge - gkirkos 10:15:04 08/25/16 (0)

Boozhound - texanater 09:57:08 08/25/16 (2)

RE: Boozhound - Isaak J. Garvey 11:31:36 08/25/16 (1)

HA! Fair enough ... nt - texanater 08:18:26 08/26/16 (0)

The Lounge is superb but another great one would be... - popsy 21:12:01 08/24/16 (5)

+1 Lounge (nt) - Vinyl Valet 07:15:54 08/25/16 (0)

RE: The Lounge is superb but another great one would be... - Isaak J. Garvey 07:09:28 08/25/16 (3)

" My friend plans on leaving the system on 24/7 so tubes are a no go." - E-Stat 10:53:40 08/25/16 (2)

RE: " My friend plans on leaving the system on 24/7 so tubes are a no go." - Isaak J. Garvey 11:34:25 08/25/16 (1)

RE: " My friend plans on leaving the system on 24/7 so tubes are a no go." - E-Stat 12:24:16 08/25/16 (0)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - davehg 20:38:13 08/24/16 (1)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - Isaak J. Garvey 07:07:13 08/25/16 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - davehg 20:38:13 08/24/16 (1)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps - Isaak J. Garvey 07:07:13 08/25/16 (0)

RE: Budget Phono Preamps

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