• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Art DJ Pre II phono preamp

G

gip111

Well-Known Member
So I decided to dump 40 bucks (after much skepticism) on a budget phono preamp after reading some of the reviews on Amazon on the Art DJ Pre II.
Small but solidly built, metal casing and lots of lights. The wall wart P/S looked just a bit bigger than Im used to for items this size and to my surprise its a 1 amp supply. Right off the box the sound is very good, neutral, tight bass and mellow highs, not harsh. No on and off switch and it has a gain control trim pot which I like, gives you the flexibility to give a little extra gain when needed, Im fine at the +2 setting for most albums, raising the gain compresses the sound and I can see some folks liking that, sort of the sound I used to get when playing back a loud tape recording. After a couple of days listening either its opened up just a bit or Im getting used to its sound but I have to say Im very happy with my purchase.
Equipment used its nothing out of this world...sl-1500/Shure M97xe, Nikko NR 1015 and ADS L1290.
Lots of caps inside, HK Jun Fu mostly 220uf 6.3v which Im thinking of replacing with some kind of audio grade type.
Would love to hear other experiences with this gadget and input on recapping or other mods.
 
Register to hide this ad
I'm using one of these guys. I don't have a ton of experience with other preamps but if I had to describe it I would use very similar adjectives as you did. So far it has been working out great. My only complaint is that it only does up to 16bit 44.1khz on the digital. I'm only using it as a preamp so doesn't matter though.

Currently listening to Warren Zevon Excitable Boy 180g edition.
 
Awesome Pre

The little ART DJ Pre II is really amazing.

For about 20 years.... starting in the early 70's my system consisted of a Thorens Turtable with Shure V15 III cartidge into a Dayton Wright SPS Mk III studio preamp, Crown D150 power amp and JBL L300 Summit loudspeakers. This was a high end system for the time period and the phono preamps on the Dayton Wright were probably as good as anything available at the time.

I just came back to vinyl again about a year ago after going through the "Home Theater" craze :-)

I still have about 300 albums and visit the local thrift shop to pickup a few albums once a week.

I'm actually transferring the vinyl to digital at 24/96 for playback through a Squeezebox Touch (with all software mods) to a Grant Fidelity DAC-09 tube DAC (also a real steal for the price) to an Arcam A85 amplifier then to EPOS M5 speakers with MK Sub-woofer.

My transfer equipment consists of a Thorens TD166 Mk II - (various preamp methods) with Grado Prestige Gold cartridge into an Apogee Duet digital interface.

For preamp, I've tried.
- My old Dayton Wright which still sounds good but is getting flaky.
- A Carbridge Audio 640p which I still have
- Direct into the Apogee Instrument Pre and using software RIAA
- The ART DJ Pre II which is my current favorite

Anyway all this to say I've tried several methods for handling the phono pre section the ART is truely amazing. I'm still in denial over the Cambridge 640p and will be keeping to for a while longer just because it is so highly rated, but I find it has too much bass (at least with my Grado Prestige Gold Cartidge). I'm a bass player and really pay attention to drums and bass. I find the Cambridge seems to muffle the drums too much.... "toms". With the ART I hear that beautiful resonance in the drum kit and the bass is slightly leaner and sounds more accurate. I find sound stage on both to be similar although the Cambridge seems more distant and lacking the presence that I find the ART has. I suppose this is preference but to me the 640p sound a little veiled by huge warmth.

Moral...... ART should mount this circuit in a bigger box and label it it "Audiophile Pre"..... then I would have to explain things to myself :-)
 
Last edited:
Wow! Now, I'm really wondering if I might still prefer the ART over the Musical Fidelity V-LPS I recently ordered. I've read the V-LPS sounds a lot like the Cambridge 640P. I have preferred the ART over several other phono stages I've tried

I may never know... Status is still "shipping soon" on Amazon. I'll post comparison rips of the two if they ever actually send it... lol.
 
Can something like this handle a High output MC cartridge? Such as the SAE 1000LT NOS that's been talked about.
Considering moving up from the AT120e into a. HO MC cart or something in a ML.
 
Blue J said:
I find the Cambridge seems to muffle the drums too much.... "toms". With the ART I hear that beautiful resonance in the drum kit and the bass is slightly leaner and sounds more accurate. I find sound stage on both to be similar although the Cambridge seems more distant and lacking the presence that I find the ART has. I suppose this is preference but to me the 640p sound a little veiled by huge warmth.
Click to expand...

I find these comments interesting...

As you'll note in my previous comments, I found the ART to have a flatter soundstage than my Rega Fono Mini. I particularly like a deep soundstage - what I think you describe as "distant" - and so it may be that what I disliked about the ART, you liked!

I also found that the ART to have more emphasis on the bass end of the spectrum (not surprising for something aimed at DJs) vs. the Rega, which has slightly leaner bass and more top end sparkle. I've never heard the 640p, but if it has deeper bass than the ART, it must be pretty dark.

As far as comparing the ART to other inexpensive preamps, the ART @ $40 is definitely a huge step over the $20 Behringer PP400. I was using the Behringer in my living room system, ie: a non-critical listening environment, with an AR-XA/Shure M91ED through an old Carver MXR-150 receiver (with damaged phono stage inputs) and a pair of ADS L9e speakers. The Behringer didn't sound bad per se - it had plenty of output and ran quietly - but I noticed a definite jump in performance once I swapped in the ART. It sounds a lot more open and detailed than the Behringer.
 
Last edited:
beatcomer, yes you are exactly right, to me the 640p has a fairly dark sound and has more depth than the ART. The ART is a little flatter. The 640p seems to start at the plain of the speakers and extend back.

After a 3:00AM listening session last night and more this morning a higher volume :-) I still find it hard to decide but I'm seeing a nice solid feature to the 640p's sound which I'm beginning to like.......... I'm guessing maybe the discrete transistor, class "A" design in the 640p is a bit cleaner and laid back sounding.

I guess I should change my conclusion to; if you can't afford $150+ the ART is a no brainer but there is some other very good stuff in the $150-$250.

Wish I could hear a Rega. I like your description of the sound. I may watch to see if I can snag one used for comparison. For now I'm going to proceed with my vinyl transfers leaning a little more toward the 640p. These transfers take so much time that I don't want to have to repeat them again and I think the more I listen and adapt to the 640p's sound (try to listen into it) the more I will like it. Also, I'm a technology junkie and feel there has to be a benefit to the Cambridge's discrete design :-)

RoyPhil345, I've read good things about the Musical Fidelity V-LPS and I'm sure you will like it. You could always pick up an ART to try and then sell it but I'm pretty sure (although I've not heard one) that Music Fidelity will be a little more polished sounding.
 
Last edited:
ART Preamp

Homerx said:
Can something like this handle a High output MC cartridge? Such as the SAE 1000LT NOS that's been talked about.
Considering moving up from the AT120e into a. HO MC cart or something in a ML.
Click to expand...

Yes , I have been using this phono preamp with a Denon DL110 and it sounds very good.
 
BeatComber, thanks for the link, I've downloaded your clips.

One thing I should mention is that my playback amp is an Arcam A85 which is generally considered to be on the layed back, polite side. So I guess It's not the best match for a dark, layed back sounding pre. I think that's why the more up front sound of the ART amp was initially impressive.
 
Blue J said:
RoyPhil345, I've read good things about the Musical Fidelity V-LPS and I'm sure you will like it. You could always pick up an ART to try and then sell it but I'm pretty sure (although I've not heard one) that Music Fidelity will be a little more polished sounding.
Click to expand...
RoyPhil345 already has TWO ART phono preamps; a DJ Pre II and a USB PhonoPlus v2! It will be very interesting to hear the comparisons with the V-LPS! :yes:
 
BeatComber, very nice sound on those clips!! Good choice.... great sounding, solid bass and precussion!! I've played bass since high school and have listened to many live drum kits "up close" .... I a little some hearing loss in my right ear to prove it :-)
 
Last edited:
Blue J said:
BeatComber, very nice sound on those clips!! Good choice.... great sounding, solid bass and precussion!! I've played bass since high school and have listened to many live drum kits "up close" .... I a little some hearing loss in my right ear to prove it :-)
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm a musician too, and sadly at age 47 I have noticed some hearing loss as well. I now use earplugs when playing with the band.
 
You know

royphil345 said:
Wow! Now, I'm really wondering if I might still prefer the ART over the Musical Fidelity V-LPS I recently ordered. I've read the V-LPS sounds a lot like the Cambridge 640P. I have preferred the ART over several other phono stages I've tried

I may never know... Status is still "shipping soon" on Amazon. I'll post comparison rips of the two if they ever actually send it... lol.
Click to expand...

If it hasn't shipped, its easy to cancel.

The Cambridge 640P is supposed to be good BUT it seems to require a mod to get clarity...

I said it in another thread, it may not be the HIGHEST end phono stage, but I would vote it best deal of the year and I don't mean price..I mean what you GET for the price..
 
arcorob said:
If it hasn't shipped, its easy to cancel.

The Cambridge 640P is supposed to be good BUT it seems to require a mod to get clarity...

I said it in another thread, it may not be the HIGHEST end phono stage, but I would vote it best deal of the year and I don't mean price..I mean what you GET for the price..
Click to expand...

This was an old post. I did try the V-LPS and sent it back. Call me crazy, but I preferred the ART over that. I still haven't tried the Cambridge and I'd love to try the Bugle or the new Bugle 2. Somebody did a digital transfer with a Bugle and Denon DL-110 I really liked awhile back. I like how the new Bugle 2 comes as a complete kit. I'll definitely try that eventually, but I'm broke right now.
 
arcorob said:
MM only...but if you have a SUT (step up transformer) you can feed it to the ART (I have) and it sounds awesome..
Click to expand...

I think that depends on your MC - I'm running the Denon DL-110, a HOMC, through the ART and it works just fine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom