MM Phono stage (kit?) for tube newbie

theskintman · 28th February 2007, 05:28 PM

Hello all,

I've recently purchased my first tube amp - it's integrated but without a phono stage. I really intend to get into tube DIY in the future, and thought a nice place to start would be a phono stage for my new amp.

I could stretch to building my own, but feel it would probably be more sensible to get a (preferably cheap) kit as my first project, because I have no real-world building experience yet.

Any simple budget kit suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

SY · 28th February 2007, 05:35 PM

I would certainly opt for a kit, and as complete a kit as you can find. Good phono stage design is extraordinarily difficult, and it's extraordinarily sensitive to layout, wiring, and grounding. It's the last thing I'd do from scratch or from a published schematic if I were just getting started.

chrisb · 28th February 2007, 05:36 PM

2 words:

Bottlehead Seduction

http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobesp.../seduction.htm

Cobra2 · 28th February 2007, 08:41 PM

Sarah ?
http://www.curcioaudio.com/sades_3.htm

Arne K

BHD · 28th February 2007, 09:48 PM

Thorsten Loesch, formerly a regular contributor to this forum posted a relatively simple tube MM phono pre. Here's the circuit:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/attac...amp=1077837811

Here's the thread where Kofi Annan, DIY Audio's own comic relief, builds the phono pre:

Kofi Annan in: "B+... PLUS!!!"

People that have built it say it sounds very good, indeed.

Frank DeGrove also posted a line and phono stage in this thread, people say it sounds pretty good as well.

Frank's Ultimate Tube Preamp.

BHD · 28th February 2007, 11:38 PM

Ooops... you only wanted kits. Sorry.

Here's one that hasn't been suggested:

http://www.kandkaudio.com/phonostage.html

FastEddy · 28th February 2007, 11:44 PM

chrisb: "Bottlehead Seduction > http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobesp.../seduction.htm ... "

I ordered mine yesterday = great reviews, cool design, very decent price for a quality kit ...

theskintman · 1st March 2007, 10:07 AM

Thanks for the links - I had also read good things about the Seduction, and I think I'll be going with that. I really think a kit's got to be the way to go for a first-timer like myself.

At that price, who can argue? All the other kits seem good, but are waaay out of my price range.

Vuokko · 25th March 2007, 11:04 PM

Doesn't UK have 230V mains? If you take Seduction, you need also transformer which changes 230 to 115V for your amplifier.

So are there any 230V inexpensive kits for phonostage?

FastEddy · 25th March 2007, 11:25 PM

Call 'em, email 'em. ask 'em about substituting the UK transformer ... I believe they stock these for Euro power kits and ou just have to ask for it. ask docb at bottlehead dot com ...(he responded to my inquiries right away ...)

28th February 2007, 05:28 PM	#1
theskintman diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Suffolk, UK	MM Phono stage (kit?) for tube newbie Hello all, I've recently purchased my first tube amp - it's integrated but without a phono stage. I really intend to get into tube DIY in the future, and thought a nice place to start would be a phono stage for my new amp. I could stretch to building my own, but feel it would probably be more sensible to get a (preferably cheap) kit as my first project, because I have no real-world building experience yet. Any simple budget kit suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

28th February 2007, 05:35 PM	#2
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Austin, TX Blog Entries: 1	I would certainly opt for a kit, and as complete a kit as you can find. Good phono stage design is extraordinarily difficult, and it's extraordinarily sensitive to layout, wiring, and grounding. It's the last thing I'd do from scratch or from a published schematic if I were just getting started. __________________ “Listening to records is like ****ing a picture of Brigitte Bardot.” - Sergiu Celibidache

28th February 2007, 05:36 PM	#3
chrisb diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: victoria BC	without sounding like a shill 2 words: Bottlehead Seduction http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobesp.../seduction.htm

28th February 2007, 08:41 PM	#4
Cobra2 DIY ! diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Stavanger, Norway	Sarah ? http://www.curcioaudio.com/sades_3.htm Arne K __________________ Ars longa, vita brevis

28th February 2007, 09:48 PM	#5
BHD diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Brooklyn Park, MN	Thorsten Loesch, formerly a regular contributor to this forum posted a relatively simple tube MM phono pre. Here's the circuit: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/attac...amp=1077837811 Here's the thread where Kofi Annan, DIY Audio's own comic relief, builds the phono pre: Kofi Annan in: "B+... PLUS!!!" People that have built it say it sounds very good, indeed. Frank DeGrove also posted a line and phono stage in this thread, people say it sounds pretty good as well. Frank's Ultimate Tube Preamp. __________________ My religion is the golden rule. The only time it's forsaken me is when I've forsaken it first.

28th February 2007, 11:38 PM	#6
BHD diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Brooklyn Park, MN	Ooops... you only wanted kits. Sorry. Here's one that hasn't been suggested: http://www.kandkaudio.com/phonostage.html __________________ My religion is the golden rule. The only time it's forsaken me is when I've forsaken it first.

28th February 2007, 11:44 PM	#7
FastEddy diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: North Californie	chrisb: "Bottlehead Seduction > http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobesp.../seduction.htm ... " I ordered mine yesterday = great reviews, cool design, very decent price for a quality kit ... __________________ Over compression is a problem with modern CD recordings

1st March 2007, 10:07 AM	#8
theskintman diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Suffolk, UK	I'm seduced Thanks for the links - I had also read good things about the Seduction, and I think I'll be going with that. I really think a kit's got to be the way to go for a first-timer like myself. At that price, who can argue? All the other kits seem good, but are waaay out of my price range.

25th March 2007, 11:04 PM	#9
Vuokko diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Northern Finland	Doesn't UK have 230V mains? If you take Seduction, you need also transformer which changes 230 to 115V for your amplifier. So are there any 230V inexpensive kits for phonostage?

25th March 2007, 11:25 PM	#10
FastEddy diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: North Californie	Call 'em, email 'em. ask 'em about substituting the UK transformer ... I believe they stock these for Euro power kits and ou just have to ask for it. ask docb at bottlehead dot com ...(he responded to my inquiries right away ...) __________________ Over compression is a problem with modern CD recordings

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