Hybrid phono preamp

Using Opamp @ input is not a good idea because jfet-input 627\134 has approx 5 nV/√Hz or more input noise voltage density and 5534 has bipolar input with too much noise current (for MM cartridge inductance up to 1 H). Much better for phono input is LSK389 or JFE2140 dual jfets (with less than 1 nV/√Hz).
What do you mean by too much noise? If I can't hear it it doesn't exist! Vinyl surface noise is exceeding ne5534 total input noise by 5 db... Actually there are far too many jfet preamps that sound worse than cheap bipolar preamps...and there's an explanation for it!
 
What do you mean by too much noise? If I can't hear it it doesn't exist! Vinyl surface noise is exceeding ne5534 total input noise by 5 db... Actually there are far too many jfet preamps that sound worse than cheap bipolar preamps...and there's an explanation for it!
The noise spectrum of a mute vinyl groove and the noise spectrum of a phono stage are very different. The record makes noise in the lower part of the spectrum and clicks a little (both of them are decreased by IEC/ITU weghting noise filters), and the phono stage "hisses" in the high frequency.
 
I know there are much better phono stages. My goal was to build a stage were you can roll opamps and tubes. So you can finetune the sound you prefer. For me it is all about the sound and less important are the specs. Taking about specs, below my range in importancy.

  • No humm
  • No notacible distorsion
  • No phase shift
  • No hiss
  • Straight frequency respons
  • Good channel separation
 
The noise spectrum of a mute vinyl groove and the noise spectrum of a phono stage are very different. The record makes noise in the lower part of the spectrum and clicks a little (both of them are decreased by IEC/ITU weghting noise filters), and the phono stage "hisses" in the high frequency.
Yes but the SNR of signal reproduced from vinyl also goes up with frequency too...you can't hear the phono preamp noise once the music kicks in.My everlasting argument is that SNR doesn't matter in typical phono circuits unless you live in Africa or the North Pole and you aren't able to find any low noise transistor...
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnthonyA