Seeking recommendation for budget turntable stages through speakers (for Fluance RT82)

[Breezy]

I am setting up a relatively easy-to-use budget-friendly record player arrangement for my stepfather, who has shelves of old records.

Finally got a Fluance RT82 but debating what to do after that. Seems like my paths diverge to
- phono preamp + powered speakers
- phono preamp + amp + passive speakers
- receiver with built-in phono preamp + passive speakers

Examples I'm looking at are Art DJPre II for phono preamp for $66 on Amazon. Or a $150 Sony STRDH190 2-channel receiver with a built-in phono preamp, which seems useful for having built-in radio that my step dad might appreciate. I don't know how bad that receiver is, or if it's decent enough to then get decent passive bookshelf speakers (maybe 5-6") and call it a day. Something around $300 total budget for amplification + speakers.

I'd really love some suggestions, if anyone doesn't mind sharing them!! Thank you.

​

 

[staticV3]

Something around $300 total budget for amplification + speakers.

Does that include the Phono pre?

 

[Breezy]

Does that include the Phono pre?

Correct. The couple of options I listed are phono preamps/include one.

 

[staticV3]

Here are the bookshelf speakers that I'd base the setup on:

Active:
Used JBL 306P MKII
https://www.proaudiostar.com/2x-jbl-306p-mkii-customer-return1.html
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/JBL/2023-306P-MKII-PAIR-Powered-Monitor.gc

Passive:
Neumi Silk 4: https://www.amazon.com/Compact-Bookshelf-Speakers-Surround-Waveguide/dp/B0B2Z6SJQG

Polk XT20: https://www.accessories4less.com/ma...xt20-pair-6.5-bookshelf-speakers-black/1.html

Pioneer SP-BS22-LR:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/325919408963
https://www.mercari.com/us/item/m57108222898

Reviews are here:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/jbl-306p-mk-ii-review-studio-monitor.18505/
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/neumi_silk4/
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/polk_xt20/
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...er-sp-bs22-lr-bookshelf-speaker-review.11303/

The Pioneer is awesome in that there's a kit for it that turns it into an incredible performer. Would be a fun DIY project sometime down the line:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/affordable-accuracy-monitor-review.13624/

Here's the estimated in-room response for all of them:


And a size comparison:
https://comparesizes.com/comparison...R-vs-Polk-XT20-vs-JBL-306P-MKII/1709892629249

I'd personally go with either the JBL or the Pioneer (with mods).

 

[thewas]

I'd personally go with either the JBL or the Pioneer (with mods).

Great recommendations, just an addition (when it becomes available again), the Swissonic A-306.

 

[staticV3]

Great recommendations, just an addition (when it becomes available again), the Swissonic A-306.

Shipping the A306 to the US costs $120, which doesn't make any sense with $300 total budget.

 

[thewas]

Shipping the A306 to the US costs $120, which doesn't make any sense with $300 total budget.

Yes, I didn't see his location and meant as it also a generally for other interested readers.

 

[JeremyFife]

Sony seems like a reasonable choice given your budget: https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/sony-str-dh190-stereo-receiver-reviewed.9478/
Pair of passive speakers from the recommendations above and you have a user-friendly and decent system

Alternatives get a little more messy;
phono stage (ART is fine): 66$
Ayima A07 Amp (or equivalent): 80$
Polk XT20 (just as an example): $170
Slightly above budget (still need some basic cables and there may be shipping) ... also fine

I'd lean towards the Sony: it'll look nicer (imo) and there's more functionality

 

[Breezy]

Thank you all so much, going to parse through these now. Got a full on headache from spending yesterday in full research mode until really late.

@JeremyFife Thank you for that list! I'm just a little worried about the receiver smoking out after a few months. It seems to overall have pretty good user reviews, and yeah it's incredibly budget with a lot of cut corners. But maybe it's just fine for basic use.

@staticV3 For your speaker suggestions! Since you focused on just the speakers, I'd go with a phono preamp and/or receiver with phono preamp and then a set of those active speakers--do you have any particular recommendations? Otherwise I'm still looking into the stages between speakers and the turntable (which does not include a phono preamp on the RT82 model).

 

[staticV3]

Since you focused on just the speakers, I'd go with a phono preamp and/or receiver with phono preamp and then a set of those active speakers--do you have any particular recommendations?

I'm a bit confused. Recommendations for what exactly?
My speaker recommendations are above.

A receiver wouldn't make any sense if you choose active speakers, since they have their own Amp inside.

My recommendation for an active speaker is a pair of 2nd hand 306P MKII.

 

[Breezy]

P.S.: now I'm realizing that there's no EQ stage for the speakers if I just go with record player -> phono preamp (Art DJPre II) -> powered speakers (JBL 306P). I wonder if that'll be okay for Italian opera records, or if some DSP would be very useful here. I do see there's a bit of an EQ option on the back of those speakers, could be sufficient maybe.

 

[staticV3]

P.S.: now I'm realizing that there's no EQ stage for the speakers if I just go with record player -> phono preamp (Art DJPre II) -> powered speakers (JBL 306P). I wonder if that'll be okay for Italian opera records, or if some DSP would be very useful here. I do see there's a bit of an EQ option on the back of those speakers, could be sufficient maybe.

EQ is always useful, but not realistic with a $300 total budget I think.

Some good ways of EQing a turntable would be the miniDSP 2x4 HD or WiiM Pro/Pro Plus/WiiM Amp, but those would take up more than half of your total budget.

 

[JeremyFife]

P.S.: now I'm realizing that there's no EQ stage for the speakers if I just go with record player -> phono preamp (Art DJPre II) -> powered speakers (JBL 306P). I wonder if that'll be okay for Italian opera records, or if some DSP would be very useful here. I do see there's a bit of an EQ option on the back of those speakers, could be sufficient maybe.

Careful about this: you won't have any volume control in the chain, as far as I can see. Not sure if the ART's "gain trim" will be enough.

Typically, you'll want your Phono stage (ART) => Pre-amp => Active speakers
Something simple like the Schiit SYS (passive preamp) would be ok.

 

[Breezy]

I'm confused, ART DJ Pre II is listed a phono preamp. Do I need another preamp on top of this preamp?

Should I just go with a basic receiver in this case then, for volume control and some EQ/DSP? Like the Sony. It includes the preamp and seems to simplify a lot.u

P.S.: that JBL 306P MKII used pair from Guitar Center turned out to be a mislabeled pair of 305P.

 

[staticV3]

I'm confused, ART DJ Pre II is listed a phono preamp. Do I need another preamp on top of this preamp?

Should I just go with a basic receiver in this case then, for volume control and some EQ/DSP? Like the Sony. It includes the preamp and seems to simplify a lot.

The ART's gain trim should work as the main volume control.

So Fluance->RCA->ART->RCA->JBL for example should work just fine.

You may want to experiment with both the ART's and the JBL's volume knob and set them up so that the ART works comfortably as the only volume control during regular use.

 

[Breezy]

I'm a bit confused. Recommendations for what exactly?
My speaker recommendations are above.

A receiver wouldn't make any sense if you choose active speakers, since they have their own Amp inside.

My recommendation for an active speaker is a pair of 2nd hand 306P MKII.

I meant that my record player does not have a phono preamp built-in, so I'd need a phono preamp then active speakers OR phono preamp + amp/receiver + passive speakers. I was asking for the parts recommendations between the speakers and the turntable for those scenarios. If getting a receiver makes more sense for having better volume control and more EQ options, I'd probably stretch the budget a bit and try to fit that in with passive speakers.

 

[JeremyFife]

The ART's gain trim should work as the main volume control.

So Fluance->RCA->ART->RCA->JBL for example should work just fine.

You may want to experiment with both the ART's and the JBL's volume knob and set them up so that the ART works comfortably as the only volume control during regular use.

Minimalist, neat, also sounds like a nice approach.

 

[staticV3]

I meant that my record player does not have a phono preamp built-in, so I'd need a phono preamp then active speakers OR phono preamp + amp/receiver + passive speakers. I was asking for the parts recommendations between the speakers and the turntable for those scenarios. If getting a receiver makes more sense for having better volume control and more EQ options, I'd probably stretch the budget a bit and try to fit that in with passive speakers.

Understood.

For a setup with passive speakers, I'd choose the Aiyima A07, A07 Max, or Fosi V3 as amplifier.

The advantage over the JBL would be that your stepfather would have a much bigger and nicer volume knob to control volume with, instead of the ART's tiny knob.

 

[Breezy]

Sound-wise in a medium room with a bunch of _stuff_ (bookshelves at walls, work desk, lots of stuff piled around)--probably rather haphazard environment in terms of being non-ideal acoustically. Would studio monitor speakers even work for this kind of set up with various angle / position listening within the room, rather than being near-field symmetrically placed on a desk?

In this scenario, would you rather go with:

- Polk XT20 + Fosi V3 w/48V adapter (I guess I probably want the upgraded adapter over the stock 32V) + ART DJ Pre II ?
or
- JBL 306P MK II + ART DJ Pre II?

I'm also considering getting that basic Sony STRDH190 receiver for Option 1 in place of [Fosi V3/48V + ART DJ Pre II] as a point of a future upgrade. E.g. if will work for now and then we can decide what better and more suitable receiver to insert later on. As there's also the idea of adding a wireless transmitter to Speaker B set to be able to listen to turntable music in the living room some distance away, with extra powered speakers and wireless receiver placed there. My stepdad mentioned it a few times that it'd be nice to have the option to play the music in the living room too. (I'm not sure, something of this sort for wireless transmission/receiving to extra set of stereo speakers: https://www.amazon.com/YMOO-Wireless-Transmitter-Subwoofer-Projector/dp/B0B64V521N/)

 

[Breezy]

UPDATE: Thanks all!

I've ordered the manufacturer refurbed pair of Polk XT20s for $180 shipped (after tax). Seemed like my best option for being friendlier to off-axis listening. Ended up getting an open box deal on a Yamaha R-N303BL stereo receiver, which has phono stage built-in. Has a bluetooth connection option which might in theory allow for a remote speaker, will experiment with powered bluetooth speakers (like by Edifier) for the other room in the future.