S5 K-12 Kit sounds excellent with iPod, but relatively low volume with turntable?

[Maxwell Smart]

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.

[aardvarkash10]

nope - you will still need an RIAA compliant pre-amp BETWEEN the turntable and the K-12

Plenty of cheap options in solid state, and in the meantime you can start building a hollow state one!

[Maxwell Smart]

Ah, damn, I must have read incorrectly. Are there any inexpensive tube pre-amp kits out there? What are the best sold state setups for the least cost? Thanks for the help.

[Ian444]

Bestest cheapest solid state RIAA preamp? Would have to be a Jaycar kit KC5159. US$10. You need a +/- 10 to 15V supply to run it.

Very pretty amp you built, love that cedar case with brass plate, very nice.

[aardvarkash10]

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

[Eli Duttman]

FWIW, I say build Hagerman's "Bugle". It's modest in cost, more than good enough sonicly to mate with a K-12, and, of particular importance, can be configured for different amounts of net gain. I suspect that 50 dB. of net gain is what the situation calls for.

[Maxwell Smart]

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?

[Eli Duttman]

$30 buys "Rat Shack" Catalog # 42-172. However, that unit is, at best, MIDFI. 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 here.

[Soonerorlater]

Congrats on a successful build,


Give it a week or so and the valves will have burnt in and sound even sweeter

Brgds Bill

[DualTriode]

Originally Posted by Eli Duttman

FWIW, I say build Hagerman's "Bugle". It's modest in cost, more than good enough sonicly to mate with a K-12, and, of particular importance, can be configured for different amounts of net gain. I suspect that 50 dB. of net gain is what the situation calls for.

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/m...hansen2090.pdf at audioXpress that compares the Bugle and other entry / kit RIAA amplifiers.
DT
All Just for fun!