watchnerd
Grand Contributor
On the surface, a phono stage would seem to have three pretty straight forward jobs:
1. Implement the RIAA curve
2. Apply gain to amplify the mV signal of the cartridge up to line level of 2V
3. SNR ratio greater than the LP itself, say >70dB
All, of course, while having very low distortion and introducing no sound of its own, AKA straight wire with gain.
I would think this would be a solved problem by now, capable of being implemented by simple op-amps or even perhaps an IC (if anyone could be bothered to make one), with "known good" topologies that would be in the public domain and rampantly copied.
And, yet, we have phono stages costing thousands of dollars, with big toroidal power supplies that reek of engineering overkill for such small signals, and claims of new innovative topologies for a circuit that should have been solved 30+ years ago.
Why?
Can one of you EE or other electronics types explain why all this is needed?
It just seems like complete BS to me.
1. Implement the RIAA curve
2. Apply gain to amplify the mV signal of the cartridge up to line level of 2V
3. SNR ratio greater than the LP itself, say >70dB
All, of course, while having very low distortion and introducing no sound of its own, AKA straight wire with gain.
I would think this would be a solved problem by now, capable of being implemented by simple op-amps or even perhaps an IC (if anyone could be bothered to make one), with "known good" topologies that would be in the public domain and rampantly copied.
And, yet, we have phono stages costing thousands of dollars, with big toroidal power supplies that reek of engineering overkill for such small signals, and claims of new innovative topologies for a circuit that should have been solved 30+ years ago.
Why?
Can one of you EE or other electronics types explain why all this is needed?
It just seems like complete BS to me.