What is the best DIY phono preamp projectY

[Justinasia]

I would like to make a phono preamp. I did electronics at school up to 16 years old. That's it though. So, I can use a soldering iron! Anyhow, I am wanting to make a good phono preamp, as my amp has no phono input. I expect to be using MM cartridge. I hope that I can build something that would be better in performance than lets say a US$300 commercial product. Is that a fair wish? And I would like it to be not too hard to make! I am not an expert at this, though, I am careful with my hands.

So, does anyone know how I can do this? Is there a project I can buy, or online instructions I can follow or something? Which do you recommend? Plus, I am in Japan, so, if you have any special thoughts about that too, such as shoud I buy parts here, or get them sent from the States or somewhere?

Thank you very much
Justin

[lineup]

hi

the most advanced diy phono riaa amps are for MC
MM is a bit easier to build as requires less gain

Some would say a transistor discrete riaa amplifier is the way to get less noise and good result.
But still, the majority of MM RIAA amps use very high quality op-amps.
You can use 1 high quality op-amp with very good result,
but most circuits use 2 op-amps
and sometimes even 3-4 per channel.


Phono like Microphone amplifiers, with their fairly high gain,
are sensitive to power supply quality - ripple, hum and noise,
so there are a number of projects using BATTERY Supply.
But most use of course Mains Transformer Voltage Supply
but with very good filtered and regulated voltage.

--------------

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/search.php
If you search this Analogue Forum at www.diyaudio.com
where we are now
you will find plenty of good MM RIAA Phono amplifiers topics

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Another good place, for anything regarding all sorts of DIY amplifiers
is ESP website - Rod Elliott
He has hot several hundred of good quality diy amplifier projects
- Power, Pre, RIAA, Hifi, Single End .... etc etc

Rod Elliots ESP sound.westhost.com - pre amplifier projects list, including several RIAA Phono

DIY Audio Preamplifiers - ESP Projects pages

lineup

[peranders]

I have two projects, one of them is totally discrete with a massive amount of parts and the second one is insprired from the LT1115 datasheet.
RIAA amp 1 and RIAA amp 2

[Justinasia]

Thanks very much for the reply! But, are there any specific projects you recommend? I get overwhelmed from huge websites and all that. As it is all totally new to me, could you possibly recommend whet you think is best for my needs? It seems I will have to build the power supply too right? That should be okay then. I don't like the sound of batteries (I don't mean musically!) because I wouldn't want them to run out half way through some music!
So, specific recommendations would be very greatly appreciated!
Thank you so much
Justin

[steenoe]

This one answers your questions:
http://www.passdiy.com/projects/pearlono1.htm
You should be able to source the components out there. The building-manual is wonderful and so is the sound of the Pearl.
Having been listening to the Pearl for a couple of years, I am very happy with the sound. Its truly Highend sound at an affordable price. Take a look in the Marketplace, I believe Promitheus had some pcb's made, or if you want to etch your own, take a look here:
Pearl layout - how to organise things to avoid noise
Also in the marketplace Ruach is selling some of the J-fets right now.
Good luck and happy building

Steen

[lineup]

.

I am sorry.
There is no one I can specifically recommend
but I am sure you will get other answers, like from peranders
that can point to good alternatives, that will be fit for you.

As you have not too much diyaudio experience, yet,
it might be good to try a not too complicated or even a simple project.


There is a member here,
rjm Profile: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/membe...o&userid=14880
He has started several popular phono preamp projects.

He also has got several documented DIY phono amplifiers building options at his DIY website:
RJM Audio with DIY Projects
http://www.geocities.com/rjm003.geo/rjmaudio/index.html

I am sure he will reply here, when he comes online.
He runs for example this TOPIC, with more than 200 post!
DIY phono preamp - cheap and simple!


lineup

[Justinasia]

Originally posted by steenoe
This one answers your questions:
http://www.passdiy.com/projects/pearlono1.htm
You should be able to source the components out there. The building-manual is wonderful and so is the sound of the Pearl.
Having been listening to the Pearl for a couple of years, I am very happy with the sound. Its truly Highend sound at an affordable price. Take a look in the Marketplace, I believe Promitheus had some pcb's made, or if you want to etch your own, take a look here:
Pearl layout - how to organise things to avoid noise
Also in the marketplace Ruach is selling some of the J-fets right now.
Good luck and happy building

Steen

How does that and Rod Elliott's Phono (RIAA) Preamp (project number 6) compare? Is one regarded to be better than the other?
Thank you all
Justin

[peranders]

Rodd's stuff is easy to get working and is not so expensive. Can you tell us the need you have?

Is it a cheap amp, few parts or "money is no issue" amp? Do you want to build becuase it's fun or for saving money?

[analog_sa]

Originally posted by peranders
Rodd's stuff is easy to get working and is not so expensive. Can you tell us the need you have?

Is it a cheap amp, few parts or "money is no issue" amp? Do you want to build becuase it's fun or for saving money?

The very first post mentions a $300 commercial product as a goal. Plus it's MM only. We're talking single opamp circuits or a Pearl or Ono MM parts.

I guess an Aleph Ono would likely beat anything bellow $300 and it's cheap and easy to build. And sounds better than practically any opamp based circuits.

[steenoe]

How does that and Rod Elliott's Phono (RIAA) Preamp (project number 6) compare? Is one regarded to be better than the other?

Yep, the Pearl is much higher regarded, but I didnt exactly build Rod's, so I cant comment on the sound of it, but I made a few RIAA preamps, very much like it. The Pearl is by far the better sounding. It outperforms most phono-preamps that I have heard,even with a pricetag over 1000$ or more. The Pearl is great and easy to build following the instructions. That or the Aleph ONO (the Pearl is a scaled down version of the ONO) as Analog suggests; which might sound a tad better, but I never heard it myself so I wont comment on the sound The Aleph ONO does not come with the nice building instructions though. So all in all, considering your skills, I dont hesitate, recommending the Pearl

Steen