I'm going to buy a record player................... (1 Viewer)

Yeah I get you. I have a pre-amp worth about 400 quid (Pro-Ject Tube Box DS) and a pre-amp worth about 15 quid and the only noticeable difference is you can easily earth the expensive one and remove a specific non-earthed buzz. In your case i'd say don't get that one above, spend a little more than that, but no more than 150-200.

I imagine if you're into proper hi-fi worth thousands and you're talking genuine tube pre-amps it's a whole different ball game but it's unlikely i'll ever be rich enough to find out.
I still think “Proper hi-fi” is a fiction when it comes to vinyl but there is definitely a sweet spot where the hardware doesn’t add more noise to the signal.
 
Basically I’m looking to ditch my regular amp (which has a phono setting along with the usual tape, CD, radio settings) as it’s big and ugly and I only use the phono setting. I run that into a Sonos Connect to connect to my wireless speakers throughout the house. So I just need something that will bring the phono signal to a regular line out level. I don’t mind if it has pre in the name or not (all preamps are amps, Shirley?).

Like is this sort of thing any good or am I just getting what I pay for in this instance?

Seems a little cheap alright. A bad phono amp will take all the life out of the sound so worth checking out the reviews- these ones look cheap and decent. e.g. Pro-Ject Phono Box MM
or
 
Seems a little cheap alright. A bad phono amp will take all the life out of the sound so worth checking out the reviews- these ones look cheap and decent. e.g. Pro-Ject Phono Box MM
or
That’s the business. Will look into reviews later. Thanks gang.
 
I would give the tracking weight a go to see if it works, even 0.5 grams will make a significant difference. In my own experience heavier set-ups don't affect the records in the long run that much (or I have not noticed any change in the record sound quality). Different styli will have different recommended weights too obviously. so just check you have the right setting and maybe go for the upper limit if they have a range..
Thanks for that. I upped it from the recommended 1.5 to 2g. It improved but still not right. Upped it another .25g, better again. I guess that's it. I wonder whether a newer tonearm would actually not have this problem and still be able to function with less weight?
 
Thanks for that. I upped it from the recommended 1.5 to 2g. It improved but still not right. Upped it another .25g, better again. I guess that's it. I wonder whether a newer tonearm would actually not have this problem and still be able to function with less weight?

Hmmm might do although my guess is that the vertical tracking force is the ultimate issue. Some turntables do have difficulty with loud bassy pressings so it might be that you just set it up with 2-2.5g and hope for the best!
 
Basically I’m looking to ditch my regular amp (which has a phono setting along with the usual tape, CD, radio settings) as it’s big and ugly and I only use the phono setting. I run that into a Sonos Connect to connect to my wireless speakers throughout the house. So I just need something that will bring the phono signal to a regular line out level. I don’t mind if it has pre in the name or not (all preamps are amps, Shirley?).

I'm not sure if that would work out depends perhaps on how much the Sonos can be used as an amp ? But surely a preamp is intended to connect to some sort of amp I don't use one myself the inbuilt one in my amp is not to bad so...
 
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Yeah I get you. I have a pre-amp worth about 400 quid (Pro-Ject Tube Box DS) and a pre-amp worth about 15 quid and the only noticeable difference is you can easily earth the expensive one and remove a specific non-earthed buzz. In your case i'd say don't get that one above, spend a little more than that, but no more than 150-200.

I imagine if you're into proper hi-fi worth thousands and you're talking genuine tube pre-amps it's a whole different ball game but it's unlikely i'll ever be rich enough to find out.

The thing about tubes also is that they need to be replaced so every so often you'd have to fork out new ones which would put me off. I'd say decent headphones and some sort of dap or walkman even a smartphone is probably a cheap way to get good quality audio certainly cheeper than a stereo for a room.
 
I don’t see the point of phono amps unless you have some sort of 90s amp with no phono inputs, as built-in phono amps will do the same job. What matters is the quality of your main amp.

Having said that, I once had a make-do $7 Chinese phono pre-amp go through $20 Chinese 20 watt amp with one aux input and it sounded good!
 
In fairness if you can spend a few 100 and get something that does sound stunning
and you can spend a few 1000 and get something that sounds entirely transparent and lush and rubs your neck.

and you move one chair, one piece of furniture, add a few cushions, get new curtains, even your extant furniture is acoustic material, even one fucking more stupid person in the room (people are more absorbent than some of the best acoustic treatments) - TLDR it is very unlikely unless you've built a room from scratch that you are going to not just need to move a chair or open the curtains during daytime and make huge changes in how the sound acts. There is a difference between 50eu and 500eu, but that is not an equal gap from 500 to 5000 unless you start looking at the environment.
 
I don’t see the point of phono amps unless you have some sort of 90s amp with no phono inputs, as built-in phono amps will do the same job. What matters is the quality of your main amp.

Having said that, I once had a make-do $7 Chinese phono pre-amp go through $20 Chinese 20 watt amp with one aux input and it sounded good!
I see little point either. I had to check it all out to find that out though. I kinda like having the ability to upgrade separate parts if i feel the need.

Up next, I'll get a separate DAC for my cd player and marvel at the "improved" sound.
 
How do you get dust off the stylus? I'm pretty sure there's dust wrapped around it causing slight distortion but with my old eyes and my glasses and another pair of glasses to use as a magnifying glass I can only see one little strand of dusty stuff there must be more wrapped around the needle holding it on because I can't blow it off and it's too small for me to pull it off. I'm at my wits end.
 
The thing about tubes also is that they need to be replaced so every so often you'd have to fork out new ones which would put me off. I'd say decent headphones and some sort of dap or walkman even a smartphone is probably a cheap way to get good quality audio certainly cheeper than a stereo for a room.

Preamp tubes shouldn't have to be replaced. Like I'm using 50 year old preamp valves in my gigging amps. Unless another part fails and takes one out I'll be using them forever.
 

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