Hi everyone, I just finished my K-12 amplifier build, and while it sounds beautiful, the output is unfortunately relatively low with my turntable. With my iPod, the amplifier pumps out excellent sound, and when turned up, can easily fill a room with sound. With the turntable, even with the volume maxed out, the sound is relatively low, loud enough if nothing else is going on, but definitely not as loud as I would like. I bought this amplifier with the primary goal of using it with my turntable since the specifications listed it as having an included preamplifier, so I am unsure as to what the issue. Will i need to install an additional preamplifier to be able to use the turntable at a decent volume? Are there any tweaks I can do to increase the volume with the turntable? Thanks for your help.
hey - I'd go with a fully built up unit - your local rat shack should have one for under a 20 spot.
In the meantime, if you are so inclined go looking for tube riaa preamp designs to build. Our own SY has a fabulous build in his design "His Masters Noise" although its a bit tweaked out for my liking (code for "if it doesn't work its my fault as a builder, not the designers problem!").
Also check out the Bugle and Cornet from Hagtech .. Bugle is solid state, Cornet is hollowware and comes in two flavours - octal and B9A
In the meantime, if you are so inclined go looking for tube riaa preamp designs to build. Our own SY has a fabulous build in his design "His Masters Noise" although its a bit tweaked out for my liking (code for "if it doesn't work its my fault as a builder, not the designers problem!").
Also check out the Bugle and Cornet from Hagtech .. Bugle is solid state, Cornet is hollowware and comes in two flavours - octal and B9A
Hmm, I just looked up the bugle..$150 for the kit is a little out of my price range after just building this amp. I think I might just pick up an inexpensive preamplifier locally and then build a nice tube preamplifier at some point down the road. When it comes to ultra budget preamps, what's the best sound I can get for the cheapest price?
Truly competent phono preamps don't come cheap. Hagerman's "Bugle" is a decent value. You could follow in Jeff Yourison's footsteps and scratch build a tweaked RCA phono preamp. Look 
Hello All,
I am with Eli. The Bugle is an excellent choice.
I use the Bugle as the reference RIAA pre amplifier to compare anything else to. I used NE5532 Op-Amps small external gelcell 12 volt batteries for a power supply and put it in a surplus A B printer box. There is a download article http://www.audioxpress.com/reviews/media/403hansen2090.pdf at audioXpress that compares the Bugle and other entry / kit RIAA amplifiers.
DT
All Just for fun!
well, Im a bit confused here
sounds to me like you already do have some kind of riia/phono, somewhere
maybe its just a bit low on gain
a very simple preamp/buffer with gain would do
unless you are using old player with ceramic pickup
or someone gave you a low output MC
No - you NEED an RIAA pre-amp to mate your turntable to the K-12. Besides being low in volume, you will find that the output sounds "tinny". Thats because the signal needs to be re-equalised to match the RIAA vinyl curves.
I agree with your proposed solution Max - fast and dirty rat shack unit for the moment, then collect the bits to build your own tube item.
I agree with your proposed solution Max - fast and dirty rat shack unit for the moment, then collect the bits to build your own tube item.
real tube kits will cost a bit more
Tetra phono preamp
just to make it clear, your line inputs will still be purely passive and not connected to phono pre
for those you would need a line pre with lower gain or a buffer
and if you want to use MC pickup you would need yet another preamp stage, usually called MC stepup
gets quite complicated, and noisy
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