Help choosing a budget preamp

[nhoca]

Hi everybody:

I recently bought my first tt (a techics 1200 mk2 I got on craigslist) and I'm on the market for a preamp.
With the new acquisition and a few refurbishment it needs, an overall clean and tuning and replace the god damn pop up lamp (how are those small things so expensive to replace?!) I'm not swimming on money so I'm looking at a preamp on the $50 range.

I've been googling it and reading these forums and opinions seems to go towards a DJ Pre II, a Microphono PP400, a Rolls VP29 and a TCC TC-750LC. These are all around the same price and all have good reviews.

So my question is, between these is there a better choice regarding sound quality? Is there one you guys recommend comparing to the others, or can I choose based on features such as a 3.5mm exit, control for gain trim etc, giving sound quality is pretty much the same?

Additionally, would it make a big difference if I skip a few nights out with friends and spent a few dollars more?

Thanks for all the help you can provide me navigating in this great new world and sorry for the noob questions.
Cheers

 

[Luis.correia]

I have the ART DJ, and I can recommend it. It's very good for the price.

 

[ConradH]

What's on the other end for amp and speakers, or 'phones?

 

[Balifly]

Hi everybody:

I'm not swimming on money so I'm looking at a preamp on the $50 range.

Additionally, would it make a big difference if I skip a few nights out with friends and spent a few dollars more?

Thanks for all the help you can provide me navigating in this great new world and sorry for the noob questions.
Cheers

Welcome to the AK turn table forum.

High end gear cost more.
One strategy for those of us without a lot of money is to spend the most you can afford within your budget once.

 

[J English]

The Rolls and the Art are pretty comparable, in my view. Good starter ones and then you can go up the chain later. Some of the vintage receivers, Marantz, Yamaha, HKs, have very good phono pre's.

 

[nhoca]

Welcome to the AK turn table forum.

High end gear cost more.
One strategy for those of us without a lot of money is to spend the most you can afford within your budget once.

Haha I known that's why I'm asking for an experienced opinion

 

[nhoca]

O

What's on the other end for amp and speakers, or 'phones?

On the other end I have a pair of old bose speakers that I will upgrade somewhere in the future. Sorry for not pointing that out, I didn't know that would make a difference.

 

[nhoca]

The Rolls and the Art are pretty comparable, in my view. Good starter ones and then you can go up the chain later. Some of the vintage receivers, Marantz, Yamaha, HKs, have very good phono pre's.

Cool thanks for the reply. I have been keeping an eye on Craigslist to see if something pops up and I will keep those names in check.

 

[sqlsavior]

Additionally, would it make a big difference if I skip a few nights out with friends and spent a few dollars more?

Yes.

The phono preamp is the most important piece of electronics in a vinyl system.

IMO, a good ratio of expenditure is 1/3 turntable, 1/3 cartridge, 1/3 phono preamp.

 

[justjed2]

I'm a fan of the Parasound Zphono-USB. In my system it was definitely worth the extra bucks. Yes, it costs more, but it has a number of features that you don't get with a lot of the cheaper options. Features like MM/MC compatability, mono switch, rumble filter, and of course the A/D converter, and extra line inputs for recording to computer. It's also available as just the Zphono, a MM/MC pre without the extras, if that's how you roll. For cheap, I like the TC-750 with a regulated power supply.

 

[malden]

Hi everybody:

I recently bought my first tt (a techics 1200 mk2 I got on craigslist) and I'm on the market for a preamp.
With the new acquisition and a few refurbishment it needs, an overall clean and tuning and replace the god damn pop up lamp (how are those small things so expensive to replace?!) I'm not swimming on money so I'm looking at a preamp on the $50 range.

I've been googling it and reading these forums and opinions seems to go towards a DJ Pre II, a Microphono PP400, a Rolls VP29 and a TCC TC-750LC. These are all around the same price and all have good reviews.

So my question is, between these is there a better choice regarding sound quality? Is there one you guys recommend comparing to the others, or can I choose based on features such as a 3.5mm exit, control for gain trim etc, giving sound quality is pretty much the same?

Additionally, would it make a big difference if I skip a few nights out with friends and spent a few dollars more?

Thanks for all the help you can provide me navigating in this great new world and sorry for the noob questions.
Cheers

The Technics 1200 is a great turntable. Which cartridge is mounted in it?

Also, what are the rest of the components? Bose made quite a few speakers, which model do you have? Please be specific.

 

[grottyash]

Most budget prezmp are crap, and below the one in your amplifier/receiver. The minimum is one of the Rega models, followed by the Clearaudio and upwards. If you must buy a cheapy, the Behringer is as good as any and cheaper.,

 

[nhoca]

I'm a fan of the Parasound Zphono-USB. In my system it was definitely worth the extra bucks. Yes, it costs more, but it has a number of features that you don't get with a lot of the cheaper options. Features like MM/MC compatability, mono switch, rumble filter, and of course the A/D converter, and extra line inputs for recording to computer. It's also available as just the Zphono, a MM/MC pre without the extras, if that's how you roll. For cheap, I like the TC-750 with a regulated power supply.

The Parasound is a little out of my reach tbh. Do you have any experience on the U-Turn Pluto? It's around $90 and I have heard good things online and from audiophile friends.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[justjed2]

I have no personal experience with the Pluto. However, a friend is a distributor for U-turn, and speaks well of the Pluto, with the caveat "for the money". In your first post, you asked if you'd be better served to skip a few nights out with friends and spend a little more. In my opinion, yes. Most sub-$100 phono-pre's will sound more similar than different. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a thing. Any noticeable differences in overall sound quality will be fairly minor. If you can swing $150, and don't mind a silver faceplate, the regular Parasound Zphono is available from Audio Advisor. It has MM/HOMC/LOMC capability, if you think you might want to experiment with different cartridges in the future.

You didn't mention what cartridge you'll be using, I just assume it will be a MM of some sort. These are the most popular, and generally the cheapest. Any of the units you've been looking at will work, don't get me wrong. And they all have their fans, and for good reason. But, if you think your foray into vinyl will be a lifetime commitment, I personally think you'd be better off spending a little more up front. I have other hobbies besides audio, and find myself spending a little(or a lot, relatively) more for higher quality that will last, rather than buying several cheaper items that aren't as pleasing, in the same amount of time. I just paid $400 for a pair of boots that will last me 6-8 years, instead of 8 pairs of $50 tennis shoes in the same 6-8 years. Your money, your choice.

 

[nhoca]

The Technics 1200 is a great turntable. Which cartridge is mounted in it?

Also, what are the rest of the components? Bose made quite a few speakers, which model do you have? Please be specific.

Thanks. I bought it for $220. I checked the clearances with my hand and everything looked very solid despite the use I am sure it has had, it plays records perfectly and everything works. I will spend around $160 for someone to do a complete clean, lubing and tuning, polish the arm and weight mechanism, replacing RCA's and fixing the pop-up light, so it will be around $380 in the end, a little more than what I was hoping to spend but I think I will end up with a good TT that will last a long time. It's perhaps within the range where I could get a really good new TT as well, but there's something about having a classic TT made in the 70's, and probably the most iconic TT model ever made that really appeals to me TBH. It's a gorgeous machine.

The cartridge it came with is a Sure M44-7 (imagine what the TT was used for!). I will definitely upgrade down the line, and get something like a Shure M97xE (any feedback?). But I will stick to it for a while.

The speakers are a powered 2.1 set. I don't know the model and I'm not home to check it out, but they look like a Bose Companion set, that right now I am connecting to the TT through a DJ mixer I am borrowing from a friend, that's why I'm looking for a preamp.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[Rentz]

for not much more you can get a u-turn pluto , pretty happy with mine.

 

[nhoca]

I have no personal experience with the Pluto. However, a friend is a distributor for U-turn, and speaks well of the Pluto, with the caveat "for the money". In your first post, you asked if you'd be better served to skip a few nights out with friends and spend a little more. In my opinion, yes. Most sub-$100 phono-pre's will sound more similar than different. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a thing. Any noticeable differences in overall sound quality will be fairly minor. If you can swing $150, and don't mind a silver faceplate, the regular Parasound Zphono is available from Audio Advisor. It has MM/HOMC/LOMC capability, if you think you might want to experiment with different cartridges in the future.

You didn't mention what cartridge you'll be using, I just assume it will be a MM of some sort. These are the most popular, and generally the cheapest. Any of the units you've been looking at will work, don't get me wrong. And they all have their fans, and for good reason. But, if you think your foray into vinyl will be a lifetime commitment, I personally think you'd be better off spending a little more up front. I have other hobbies besides audio, and find myself spending a little(or a lot, relatively) more for higher quality that will last, rather than buying several cheaper items that aren't as pleasing, in the same amount of time. I just paid $400 for a pair of boots that will last me 6-8 years, instead of 8 pairs of $50 tennis shoes in the same 6-8 years. Your money, your choice.

Sorry for not pointing the cartridge. It's a Sure M44-7.
I understand your point, but you also need to have $400 in the first place I guess from your suggestion what I might do is get something on the cheaper side, for $40 or something, and along the line buy something better, instead of buying a 'mid range' like the U-Turn.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[nhoca]

for not much more you can get a u-turn orbit, pretty happy with mine.

I imagine you meant U-Turn Pluto Yeah I have heard good things about them. I will consider it.

 

[Rentz]

I imagine you meant U-Turn Pluto Yeah I have heard good things about them. I will consider it.

Hah yes, Pluto sorry

I've also got the m44-7 cart
I might have been just as happy with the art dj but read some great things about the Pluto so I gave it a whirl

 

[justjed2]

For $53 on Amazon, the TC-750 with regulated power supply was quite a decent performer with the rest of my gear. Unfortunately, no one can say how any particular piece will sound in your room with your gear. You're just going to have to try it and see what you like. There's a lot to be said for experience, and you only get that by trying different things.