Phono amplifiers

Phono preamplifiers are audio components whose task is to amplify the signal coming from the turntable, and strictly from the phono cartridge, whose signal is very weak. They are necessary to raise the value of this signal to a level that accepts the line input of an amplifier that is not equipped with a phonstage input, i.e. with a built-in phono preamplifier. High-end audio equipment usually consists of individual high-quality components. In systems where one of the sound sources is a turntable and music is played from a vinyl record, a phono preamplifier connected between the turntable and a power amplifier, for example a tube one, is a necessary component.

Types of phono preamplifiers

The phono preamplifier, also known as the phono stage, can come in two variants internal and external. The internal phono stages are integrated into other devices, such as some stereo integrated amplifiers. They are a good choice if you want to achieve good sound quality at a budget price.

By far the more expensive options are external phono preamplifiers. The best ones usually have a separate power supply to reduce interference. In addition, they give you more options for selecting the preamplifier's operating parameters to match the characteristics of the phono cartridge. They are also considerably more expensive than internal models, so if you are looking for a Hi-End preamplifier, you should just opt for the external one. Another distinction of phono preamplifiers relates to types of the cartridge they are used for - products dedicated to MM (moving magnet) cartridges, MC (moving coil) cartridges or universal. MM cartridges have a slightly stronger signal, while MCs are characterized by a very low output signal, which must initially be amplified to a level that an MM phono preamplifier can handle. This can be achieved with a dedicated MC preamplifier or a step-up transformer. A universal phono preamplifier solves the problem of amplification in a single device, in which the operating parameters are selected based on the data of the phono cartridge.

Another distinction of phono preamplifiers relates to types of the cartridge they are used for - products dedicated to MM (moving magnet) cartridges, MC (moving coil) cartridges or universal. MM cartridges have a slightly stronger signal, while MCs are characterized by a very low output signal, which must initially be amplified to a level that an MM phono preamplifier can handle. This can be achieved with a dedicated MC preamplifier or a step-up transformer. A universal phono preamplifier solves the problem of amplification in a single device, in which the operating parameters are selected based on the data of the phono cartridge.