Chinese phono pre-amps?

[knubbze]

I've been looking at some of the Chinese offerings; and made a shortlist (in price descending order):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002984443474.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004639586655.html <--- I'm leaning towards this one, per the couple of reviews

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1000004344588.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32827398794.html

Could anyone give me any input or suggestions, please?

Many thanks!

 

[knubbze]

What kind of cart do you use? MM or MC? What turntable?

Technics SL-1200mk6; Ortofon Concorde Club II (MM).

 

[fpitas]

I'll be the t*rd in the punchbowl, since we're on ASR, and remind you that subjective reviews are worth what you pay for them. If you can send it to Amir, you can get a meaningful review.

 

[mhardy6647]

One of these Duo's would work well

If the OP opted for two of these Duos -- would he/she/they have four phono preamps?
Just askin' -- for a friend.

 

[Chrispy]

Have you reviewed the ASR tested phono stages?

 

[drewdawg999]

Those Chinese offerings seem pretty dicey to me. Total crapshoot, you might luck out and land a winner but who knows. I would go with a nice Darlington Labs MM unit, go as high up the line as you can afford.

 

[Chrispy]

I'd like to see one of those Darlington Labs MP-7 pass by Amir. The MM-5 review he did didn't paint a rosy picture.

Of course the new Schiit Skoll and Parks Waxwing are on the horizon and would like to see those tested also.

All you need do is buy one and send it in....

 

[Chrispy]

You could buy them for me and then I'll forward them to Amir

Just sayin' just wishing without doing doesn't mean a lot. I have no need for another phono stage, little use for the several I have.

 

[radix]

I've been looking at some of the Chinese offerings; and made a shortlist (in price descending order):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002984443474.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004639586655.html <--- I'm leaning towards this one, per the couple of reviews

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1000004344588.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32827398794.html

Could anyone give me any input or suggestions, please?

Many thanks!

What is the rest of the system? What line-level preamp do you use?

 

[LTig]

I've been looking at some of the Chinese offerings; and made a shortlist (in price descending order):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002984443474.html

Too expensive - go for the trusted and very good measured Cambridge Audio Duo.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004639586655.html <--- I'm leaning towards this one, per the couple of reviews

Nope. The AD712 I see in the pics is much too noisy for a phono preamp even for MM, and especially for MC. For the latter you need at least two gain stages but there is only one so distortion is too high as well (not enough loop gain).

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1000004344588.html

"Sorry, the page you requested can not be found"

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32827398794.html

No specs - no buy. Can't detect the type of opamp.

 

[Chrispy]

And we care because?

I don't and obviously you don't much either

 

[Chrispy]

But ya had to let everyone know .....

You were the one wishing for reviews you didn't participate in....not about me. There's not a lot involved in one, get something decent and be done with it.

 

[drewdawg999]

I'd like to see one of those Darlington Labs MP-7 pass by Amir. The MM-5 review he did didn't paint a rosy picture.

Of course the new Schiit Skoll and Parks Waxwing are on the horizon and would like to see those tested also.

Well I would like to see Amir review the MP-7 as well but doubt it'll happen. In the MM-5 review thread the owner Keith acquits himself quite well, explaining that the 2nd order harmonic that dominates the distortion level is likely inaudible (may even be a euphonic distortion). That's the main reason it wasn't recommended by Amir, but I see SINAD as unimportant wrt phono preamps. It's all limited by surface noise, only 60dB SNR.

The new Schiit Skoll looks killer. Balanced in and out. Overload characteristics look nice too, though that's where Darlington units excel.

 

[ban25]

I've been looking at some of the Chinese offerings; and made a shortlist (in price descending order):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002984443474.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004639586655.html <--- I'm leaning towards this one, per the couple of reviews

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1000004344588.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32827398794.html

Could anyone give me any input or suggestions, please?

Many thanks!

For the pricepoint you are looking at, and with consideration of your other gear, you should avoid ChiFi.

Consider:

Schiit Mani - $150 - Best value, MM/MC support

Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California

www.schiit.com

Cambridge ALVA Solo - $230 - MM-only, fine for your use-case

Cambridge Audio ALVA Solo Moving Magnet Phono Preamplifier

Enjoy every last detail from your vinyl collection with our highest quality moving magnet phono stage, the Solo Phono Preamplifier."A finely honed phono pre-amp. Highly recommended."- STEREO, July 2018

www.cambridgeaudio.com

Cambridge ALVA Duo - $350 - MM/MC support

Cambridge Audio ALVA Duo Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp

Squeeze every inch of detail from your record collection with our highest quality moving magnet and moving coil phono stage, with integrated headphone amp; the Duo Phono Preamplifier.

www.cambridgeaudio.com

Schiit Skoll - $400 - MM/MC + Balanced XLR in/out

Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California

www.schiit.com

I recommend the Mani, but any of those options are solid, just matters what you want to spend.

 

[ban25]

FYI, the refurb Cambridge Duo can be had for about $200 direct from Cambridge on eBay. I bought one a while back and it was like a new unit.

Good tip!

 

[computer-audiophile]

Probably one of the cheapest with solid performance:

ART DJ Pre II

ART DJ Pre II, Phono Preamp mit RIAA EQ, schaltbarer low cut filter, Regler für Eingangsverstärkung und Signal/clip LED, Ausgänge mit niedriger Impedanz für die Verwendung nahezu jeder Soundkarte, Ein- und Ausgänge: Cinch, Frequenzbereich: 10Hz -...

www.thomann.de

Otherwise I would recommend the entry-level models from Pro-Ject, Cambridge Audio, Schiit and such.

 

[mike70]

For the pricepoint you are looking at, and with consideration of your other gear, you should avoid ChiFi.

Consider:

Schiit Mani - $150 - Best value, MM/MC support

Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California

www.schiit.com

Cambridge ALVA Solo - $230 - MM-only, fine for your use-case

Cambridge Audio ALVA Solo Moving Magnet Phono Preamplifier

Enjoy every last detail from your vinyl collection with our highest quality moving magnet phono stage, the Solo Phono Preamplifier."A finely honed phono pre-amp. Highly recommended."- STEREO, July 2018

www.cambridgeaudio.com

Cambridge ALVA Duo - $350 - MM/MC support

Cambridge Audio ALVA Duo Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp

Squeeze every inch of detail from your record collection with our highest quality moving magnet and moving coil phono stage, with integrated headphone amp; the Duo Phono Preamplifier.

www.cambridgeaudio.com

Schiit Skoll - $400 - MM/MC + Balanced XLR in/out

Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California

www.schiit.com

I recommend the Mani, but any of those options are solid, just matters what you want to spend.

You can add the ifi zen phono to that list, also with balanced output.

 

[ban25]

You can add the ifi zen phono to that list, also with balanced output.

They say "Balanced Circuit Design" on their website, but there are NO XLR OUTPUTS on the Zen Phono. I own own, FWIW. So it has no balanced output.

I'm wrong, there is a 4.4mm output on there. Weird connector, but it is an option if you need it!

 

[knubbze]

One of these Duo's would work well

Cambridge Audio Alva Duo Moving Coil & Moving Magnet Phono Preamp - Refurbished | eBay

WHY CHOOSE A DEDICATED PHONO PREAMPLIFIER?. The Duo phono preamplifier is green at heart with less than half a watt standby power consumption and auto power down feature if the unit isn't used after a 20 minute period.

www.ebay.com

And Amir gave it props

Cambridge Audio Duo Phono Stage Review (Updated)

This is an updated review of the Cambridge Audio Duo phono preamplifier. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $349. The Duo has a solid build and is attractive to boot for its price. Back panel shows independent sets of inputs for moving magnet and coil cartridges: I like the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Thanks - bought one of those!

 

[antcollinet]

And we care because?

Because you asked him to buy another.