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Phono Preamplifiers

Phono Preamplifiers

If you have a turntable – especially with a moving coil or moving magnet cartridge – you’ll need a phono preamplifier. The reason is that the output from a cartridge is much lower than that from line level sources like a CD or tape, and requires an extra stage of amplification. Also, the recording process used to create records also adds equalisation which must be removed during playback to restore proper tonal balance. Long story short, if you’ve got a turntable, you need a phono preamp.

Sure, you can buy a turntable with a built-in preamp, and in some cases this will work, but for the best sound or digital copies from your records, you’ll want to have a separate phono preamp. Combo products generally give you the bare minimum of everything they’re composed of, so getting yourself a dedicated preamp will make a world of difference in your sound.

An important job of a phono preamp is RIAA equalisation, which restores the music’s original tonal balance during playback, and differentiates a phono preamp from those used for microphones or musical instruments. All phono preamps do this, although some models do it better than others.

How do you know which phono preamplifier to choose? Budget is usually (and obviously) one of the first considerations. The best preamps produce the most honest sound, and you’ll usually get what you pay for here. Also look at whether you need any of the extra features (like adjusting the loading) that some models offer, and whether you need MM or MC inputs.

We carry excellent phono preamps from Clearaudio, Plinius, Pro-Ject, Rega, and Thorens, and stand behind every piece we sell, knowing that they’ve been proven by critics and audiophiles alike. What Hi Fi calls the Clearaudo Nano “the one to buy”, and absolutely raves about the Plinius Koru, saying that “vinyl has rarely sounded this good.” And Audiophilia highly recommends the Rega Aria, calling it a “superbly built, finely tuned phono stage that has engineering found in much more expensive models”. You can’t go wrong with any choice, but if you need help finding just the right match for you, give us a call and we’ll help you narrow down your choices.

Toll-free: 1300 308 711
Email: sales@theaudiotailor.com.au