Do I need a Phono PreAmp for this set-up?

[Amiko03]

Dear All,I have looked over the internet for the answer to my following question unsuccessfully and came across this forum so I thought I'd give it a shot.I recently inherited a Technics SL-10 with the original 310MC cartridge. I was also given by a friend a Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Integrated amp. Having hooked everything up I noticed that the sound is very poor and empty (little base, etc) coming from the TT. I used the same set up (amp and speakers) and hooked up my computer, which played fine. So the TT might be the issue. As the amp does not have a dedicated "Phono" Section I read that a Phono Preamp may be needed. Would this be the case? And if so, I had a look at the Cambridge Audio 640P MM/MC, would you recommend this one for my set-up?Any comments are welcome and greatly appreciated.Thank you in advance for your help!

Dear All,

I have looked over the internet for the answer to my following question unsuccessfully and came across this forum so I thought I'd give it a shot.
I recently inherited a Technics SL-10 with the original 310MC cartridge. I was also given by a friend a Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Integrated amp. Having hooked everything up I noticed that the sound is very poor and empty (little base, etc) coming from the TT. I used the same set up (amp and speakers) and hooked up my computer, which played fine. So the TT might be the issue. As the amp does not have a dedicated "Phono" Section I read that a Phono Preamp may be needed. Would this be the case? And if so, I had a look at the Cambridge Audio 640P MM/MC, would you recommend this one for my set-up?

Any comments are welcome and greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[Anonymous]

Yes you need a phono pre-amp.

Yes the CA 640P is about the best at this price point.

 

[John Duncan]

You do need a phono amp, yes, because the 540a doesn't have one. The 640P is fantastic but my initial thought that was a bit OTT - however, I note that it's an MC cartridge on your deck, so you will probably need to get a slightly better phono stage than you might have had to, since fewer of the lower-end phono stages will do MC.

Have a look around to see if there's anything else available that does MC (especially second hand on the 'bay), but if not, and you can afford it, you can't go wrong with the Cambridge.

 

[John Duncan]

(jinx, kind of...)

 

[ifor]

Inspire Hi-Fi's Black Magic?

 

[John Duncan]

No idea what it sounds like, but too dear to go with the 540a IMO. The 640P's too dear to go with the 540a, IMO, but it may be the only sensible choice (the Pro-ject Phono Box is only a tenner cheaper and I'd take the Cambridge).

 

[Anonymous]

No idea what it sounds like, but too dear to go with the 540a IMO. The 640P's too dear to go with the 540a, IMO, but it may be the only sensible choice (the Pro-ject Phono Box is only a tenner cheaper and I'd take the Cambridge).

I had a Phono Box and dynamics were pretty compressed, I'd go with the Cambridge as well.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

What are your plans as regards future upgrades? In the SL10/EPC310MC cartridge you have one of the top combinations of its day (and still sought after now), up there with the best LP12s , Michells etc, so to get the best out of it you're looking at a phono stage around the £500 mark and upwards. That also means a better amp and decent speakers, although you don't mention what you have.

If you don't have much vinyl and can't see yourself getting into it, I'd look at holding onto the SL10 for a bit, as they are appreciating and yours is highly desirable, then selling once the price reaches a decent level. As it stands an SL -10 in good nick should go for the £200 mark, plus a bit more if it has the EPC310 and original manual.

 

[acalex]

Good morning, apologise to the OP for the intrusion. I just wanted to know, how do we need to choose a good phono pre-amp accordingly to the TT? And how much in terms of price ratio would be a good match between preamp and TT?

Thanks a lot

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Difficult question! If you bought a turntable costing £1000 mark today and a cartridge at about £400, my rule of thumb would be to spend on the preamp what I'd spent on the cartridge. But, and it's a big one, if the rest of the system is strictly budget there's no point splashing out that much unless you mean to upgrade.

The more expensive preamps also let you play around with cartridge loading. Not sure what this does exactly, but a couple of my mates used to stuff around with this and swore it made a difference. You change the resistance, I think, and somehow that can improve the sound.

 

[acalex]

Difficult question! If you bought a turntable costing £1000 mark today and a cartridge at about £400, my rule of thumb would be to spend on the preamp what I'd spent on the cartridge. But, and it's a big one, if the rest of the system is strictly budget there's no point splashing out that much unless you mean to upgrade.

The more expensive preamps also let you play around with cartridge loading. Not sure what this does exactly, but a couple of my mates used to stuff around with this and swore it made a difference. You change the resistance, I think, and somehow that can improve the sound.

Not sure how cartridge works...worth opening a new post in order not to fill this one which is for a different topic! Go and open right now