Balanced phono preamp under 300 euros.

[AGL]

Hello everyone,

I'm moving everything around my studio and my turntable will be a bit too far from the RME I use as a monitor controller, so I'm thinking that is a good opportunity to improve the sound quality of the integrated preamp with an external phono stage that balance my signal so It can travel a few more meters safely.

I use that turntable for checking test pressings so I need something as transparent as possible and not too expensive (under 300/400 euros maybe), more is non sense for me as I'm doing that kind of work 3 or 4 times a year.

Any suggestions?
I have seen the Cambridge audio, the Shiit Mani and many others, but cannot find a decent one with balanced outputs.

 

[AaronJ]

Try to find a used Parasound Zphono XRM.

 

[Paul Ebert]

Maybe a pair of E1DA Cosmos APUs? MM or MC?

 

[TimW]

I have had the same problem for many of my systems, not for professional work but for the convenience of placing the turntable near my listening position. The first phono stage I bought with balanced output was the Hafler PH50. It was a very solidly built unit (made by radial engineering) with low noise but the frequency response and capacitance specs were not great so I decided to upgrade. Radial also makes the J33 phono preamp with Mic level xlr outputs. My current phono stage is the Musical Fidelity MX-VYNL which is a little noisy but otherwise a very good performer. I really like its appearance and easy adjustability for my various cartridges. I also considered the Parasound Zphono XRM but did not like its input or adjustability style as much. Pro-Ject makes the PHono Box S3 B which has basically all of the features of my MX-VYNL for a lower price but I have found mixed results with their products. I owned a Pro-Ject Optical Box E Phono which didn't have the greatest performance but worked reliably and had the very useful toslink output. This output allowed for a long physical connection or even a wireless streaming solution to the amplifier. I also tried a Pro-Ject Phono Box DS which perfectly picked up and transmitted the digital noises from my wifi router, audible from the listening position.

 

[robwpdx]

You can add a quality passive (transformer) or active line amp between the preamp and your balanced inputs quite a distance away.

How many signal feet between your turntable and your DAC? You may not need balanced.

 

[DVDdoug]

You just want balanced output, right?

I'm thinking that is a good opportunity to improve the sound quality

Is there actually something wrong now? You can run unbalanced line-level connections many meters with no problems, unless you have ground loop hum.

The connection between the cartridge and preamp should be short (balanced or not) to avoid excessive capacitive loading on the cartridge.

 

[AGL]

You just want balanced output, right?

Is there actually something wrong now? You can run unbalanced line-level connections many meters with no problems, unless you have ground loop hum.

The connection between the cartridge and preamp should be short (balanced or not) to avoid excessive capacitive loading on the cartridge.

Nothing wrong but the integrated preamp on the Audio technica turntable is quite basic, just trying to improve, Cable run would be around 5-6 meters.

You can add a quality passive (transformer) or active line amp between the preamp and your balanced inputs quite a distance away.

How many signal feet between your turntable and your DAC? You may not need balanced.

5-6 meters but with a lot of equipment/transformers around.

 

[Martin]

Can't help you at 300 euros. I searched several years ago and found I needed to spend more for a fully balanced phono preamp.

Avoid the PS Audio GCPH (about $450 used) like the plague. I doubt it does better than 30dB SINAD. I could clearly and loudly hear harmonics when playing a 1kHz tone on the Stereophile test record.

I replaced it with a Pro-Ject Phono Box RS I picked up used for $650 a couple of years ago. I only hear the 1kHz tone when playing the same test track using the same turntable, tonearm, cartridge, and cables I used with the PS Audio unit.

Martin

 

[robwpdx]

Nothing wrong but the integrated preamp on the Audio technica turntable is quite basic, just trying to improve, Cable run would be around 5-6 meters.

5-6 meters but with a lot of equipment/transformers around.

Maybe try it unbalanced with a good quality shielded cable. Run your unbalanced cable from the turntable location with just a say 200-600 ohm resistor on the turntable end and then into your line amp and listen, or if it is a an A to D converter, feed it into REW or some kind of sensitive analyzer software. You will be able to see the noise floor and any line frequency noise.

If you have problems try Sescom SES-AUD-RCA-XLR or Jensen Transformers PO-XX. Depending on the input impedance of your destination device, you might want a terminating resistor.

Or for active, a Radial Engineering J+4. Active, any tech should be able to modify your preamp if the power supplies match to run a balanced line driver chip in this list: https://www.google.com/search?q=balanced+output+audio+line+driver

​

 

[JeremyFife]

IFI Zen Phono? Measures well enough and has balanced output (via a 4.4mm Pentaconn so you might have to make up your own cable for that length).
Simple, works well, and cheap.

 

[AGL]

Maybe try it unbalanced with a good quality shielded cable. Run your unbalanced cable from the turntable location with just a say 200-600 ohm resistor on the turntable end and then into your line amp and listen, or if it is a an A to D converter, feed it into REW or some kind of sensitive analyzer software. You will be able to see the noise floor and any line frequency noise.

If you have problems try Sescom SES-AUD-RCA-XLR or Jensen Transformers PO-XX. Depending on the input impedance of your destination device, you might want a terminating resistor.

Or for active, a Radial Engineering J+4. Active, any tech should be able to modify your preamp if the power supplies match to run a balanced line driver chip in this list: https://www.google.com/search?q=balanced+output+audio+line+driver

​

If I go down to make something I could make my own with the E1DA pcbs or something similar and adding the balancing driver chip, Texas Instruments or THAT, but would prefer something already available.

IFI Zen Phono? Measures well enough and has balanced output (via a 4.4mm Pentaconn so you might have to make up your own cable for that length).
Simple, works well, and cheap.

It is an option, ugly as hell heheheh but a good option non the less