Hi Again,

Does anyone have a phono preamp they are not using? Would love to borrow one for a short while. I am switching from my Onkyo 5.1 receiver to a Pioneer Elite 7.1 receiver, but it has no phono stage. is the Magnetic Phono Preamp at Radio Shack really junk, or will it be ok to use? $29.99, only one in the area.

Have a Denon AVR-3802 7.1, 85-watts channel that I can use, but thinking about using the Pioneer Elite VSX-54TX 7.1, 110-watts channel, since it is a little more power, has on screen display (tv), and the calibration speaker set up mic, with parametric eq to fine tune yoru sound. Both I think is a little better than my 2002 Onkyo 5.1 I was using. Any suggestions, comments?

Thanks,

Frank

Hi Again,

Is the Magnetic Phono Preamp at Radio Shack really junk, or will it be ok to use? $29.99, only one in the area.



I haven't heard it, but any vintage 70s receiver phono section is bound to be better. An old 70s receiver with a preout could be hooked up as a phono stage to your AV receivers and could probably be had for about the same or less money than the Rat Shack phono pre. Post a WTB reciever ad to the SMAC email list (or send it to me and I'll forward it) and see what turns up.

Jeff

Yep, Jeff's on the money.

I keep a NAD 3020e around here as a backup phono stage; it even does MC respectably.

Even if that old receiver you score doesn't have pre outs, you can run a Tape Out to a line level in and use that too. Or you could go after a whole preamp too; the Yamahas and some Kenwoods are quite nice. I'd recommend a Kenwood Basic C2 as that's what I used for years before I went tubular.

I'm sure one of the SMAC'ers has something that would get you going :yes:

Thanks, decided to stay with the Denon AVr-3802 over the Pioneer Elite VSX-54TX. The Pioneer started to sound a little shrill on the high end when really cranking it up (0dB and above). The Denon has a phono stage.