External Phono Preamp?

[Squishman]

I have no problems with the preamp inside my RZ50. But if a guy had money to burn and a receiver with a phono input, is there any reason to get an external phono preamp?

 

[TLS Guy]

I have no problems with the preamp inside my RZ50. But if a guy had money to burn and a receiver with a phono input, is there any reason to get an external phono preamp?

Only if the designer of the AVR was a bigger clown than the average. RIAA equalization is a very simple circuit and hard to muck up. I bet it has happened, but I have not seen it. Getting an external RIAA preamp is money down the drain and better spent elsewhere.

 

[Squishman]

Only if the designer of the AVR was a bigger clown than the average. RIAA equalization is a very simple circuit and hard to muck up. I bet it has happened, but I have not seen it. Getting an external RIAA preamp is money down the drain and better spent elsewhere.

That's the answer I was hoping for.

 

[m. zillch]

They can differ in build quality, appearance, displays, price, and features including sometimes:
- rumble filter
- mono/stereo switch (rare. Never seen one in person.]
- MM vs MC
- variable output levels
- power switch vs no power switch (the only way to power down is to unplug it)
- different cartridge loading or EQ settings (which can alter the tone a bit)

But other than sometimes fairly innocuous differences that don't matter looking at the big picture, I agree: competent ones (even just built-in ones in name brand receivers) usually all sound about the same despite the hi-end reviewers' over active imaginations (and susceptibility to marketing) claiming otherwise.

Occasionally people with cartridges with unusually high output levels can overwhelm/distort some phono preamps not expecting such a hot signal, but I don't get the impression that happens much in modern times.

A common journey phono hobbyists explore is when they discover that with the stylus cued up and not touching the record that different phono pre-amps exhibit subtle differences in noise, hiss. But then when one lowers the stylus into the groove to hear the actual music the noise level skyrockets—from the cartridge hearing the noise of the recording, the disc, the turntable, and the room—and the smart people realize that those faint differences they heard before actual play don't matter because they are almost always obscured, masked, in actual music playback use.

 

[lovinthehd]

I wouldn't worry about it for your typical MM cartridge. An external pre-amp may have features to help digitize the audio, too along with the other reasons listed.

 

[Squishman]

I wouldn't worry about it for your typical MM cartridge. An external pre-amp may have features to help digitize the audio, too along with the other reasons listed.

I wasn't worrying about it. If you notice, I said I'm happy with the photo input on my Onkyo rz50. But I don't have a typical mm cartridge. I have the cat's a$s of mm cartridges

 

[TLS Guy]

I wasn't worrying about it. If you notice, I said I'm happy with the photo input on my Onkyo rz50. But I don't have a typical mm cartridge. I have the cat's a$s of mm cartridges

You certainly do, and I can attest that it sounds very good.

 

[lovinthehd]

I wasn't worrying about it. If you notice, I said I'm happy with the photo input on my Onkyo rz50. But I don't have a typical mm cartridge. I have the cat's a$s of mm cartridges

It's okay. But who want's cat's ass?

 

[m. zillch]

But who want's cat's ass?

This came to mind.

 

[lovinthehd]

This came to mind.
View attachment 80146

LOL prefer Halle Berry myself.

 

[Mikado463]

I have no problems with the preamp inside my RZ50. But if a guy had money to burn and a receiver with a phono input, is there any reason to get an external phono preamp?

others have pretty much covered all that's important but with regards to 'your question' ........ it depends, for if one is utilizing a low output MC cartridge there's a good chance most phono stages inside most receivers do not have enough gain. An SUT is another option.

 

[TLS Guy]

others have pretty much covered all that's important but with regards to 'your question' ........ it depends, for if one is utilizing a low output MC cartridge there's a good chance most phono stages inside most receivers do not have enough gain. An SUT is another option.

His cartridge is a moving magnet Ortofon Black and his receiver's RIAA input is fine. If he had a moving coil cartridge then he would have virtually no sound unless he had a transformer between his turntable and receiver. There is a continuing debate about whether it is best to use a transformer or MC preamp. I think MC cartridges are not worth the trouble. You can't change the stylus without sending the cartridge away to be rebuilt. The moving mass is higher, plus you have the mechanical resistance of the wires from the coils. All this tends to add up to poorer compliance and probably increased record ware. There is a major overdose of Audiophoolery on this topic.

 

[Mikado463]

His cartridge is a moving magnet Ortofon Black and his receiver's RIAA input is fine. If he had a moving coil cartridge then he would have virtually no sound unless he had a transformer between his turntable and receiver. There is a continuing debate about whether it is best to use a transformer or MC preamp. I think MC cartridges are not worth the trouble. You can't change the stylus without sending the cartridge away to be rebuilt. The moving mass is higher, plus you have the mechanical resistance of the wires from the coils. All this tends to add up to poorer compliance and probably increased record ware. There is a major overdose of Audiophoolery on this topic.

Mark, get a grip, I know what he has, re-read his initial post and then perhaps you'll understand my response !