Vinyl

[BadFish]

I have a hifi question. I plan to upgrade the hifi system. I know little about the subject, so need some help. I plan to buy an amplifier, i.e. not an integrated amp. Am I correct in thinking I will only need a preamp for the turntable? And the CD has a sufficiently big enough signal to go straight into the amp? Reason I ask is that this is my understanding, but some preamps are called preamps, whilst others are called phone preamps…why is there this distinction?

I am not sure about the distinction but it depend on your turntable. My previous one, that I had had for years needed a pre amp. The one I bought to replace it has a built in preamp.

But yeah you only need a pre amp for the turntable. I recently bought a Yamaha amp that I can connect to via blue tooth. Handy when listening to spotify.

 

[Originunknown]

You'll need a phono stage for a turntable. It needs to suit the type of cartridge, MM moving magnet or MC moving coil.

Some amplifiers have a phono stage built in. The phono stage takes the mV low level signal
from the cartridge and sends a line level input to the amp.

You can get some very good integrated amplifiers these days. Depending on your budget, see Naim supernait 3.

eBay is your friend, pair a supernait with some Spendor or Linn speakers and you'll be laughing. If you're in Germany you may prefer other non UK brands and they may indeed be better value.

If you're on a tighter budget check out Rega Planar 3 and a Rega Brio. This amp has a MM phono stage built in.

 

[zefarelly]

As above. Rega make a very good phono stage preamp for sensible money

I've been looking at amps as well, many of the better ones don't have phono integrated any more, equally they don't have any tone controls . . .

Says me with a Cyrus 2 and PSX still for my turntable set up ( sneaked a graphic equaliser in there!) primarily because old and new music is so differently mastered.


ebay can be great for bargain hunting. but it does help if you have a tame service engineer or can test stuff first.

have bought and sold several amps and sets of speakers in the last 18 months.

recently bought a copy of this. great quality vinyl. a lot of the Decca stuff has been reissued nicely, which is good given the astronomical prices of some of the original stuff!


https://acidjazz.bigcartel.com/prod...-ultimate-fleur-de-lys-double-vinyl-pre-order

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Thank you, most helpful. FYI the turntable I have settled on is a Clearaudio Concept. And the amp is a Cambridge Audio CXA81.

 

[zefarelly]

NIce

What speakers ?

 

[Nitram]

Thank you, most helpful. FYI the turntable I have settled on is a Clearaudio Concept. And the amp is a Cambridge Audio CXA81.

I’ve been think of that amp myself, I’ve had the 60 version for quite a few years. Do you need a pre amp with that setup?

 

[Curious Orange]

I'm well out of the loop on this stuff these days. I have a Rotel RA-931 from the turn of the century and married a Pro-Ject Debut III to it about 8 or 9 years ago. Does the job.

 

[Albion Dan]

Thank you, most helpful. FYI the turntable I have settled on is a Clearaudio Concept. And the amp is a Cambridge Audio CXA81.

I got myself CXA81 in January. Awesome amp you’ll be really pleased. Paired mine up with some wharfedale evo 4.4s. It sounds sublime.

 

[Albion Dan]

I’ve been think of that amp myself, I’ve had the 60 version for quite a few years. Do you need a pre amp with that setup?

Yes needs a vinyl pre amp. I just use the rega one that’s about £100 and does the job fine.