Increase sound level from USB turntable

[puqq]

I have an Akai att05u USB turntable- not a HiFi equipment by any means, but still fun to listen. At the moment I am setting it AUX mode and pluging in my desktop speakers directly to it. However, the output is too quiet. Since I am a bit short on cash at the moment, I am considering inexpensive options (and upgrade to something more decent later):

1. Simple amplifier, such as $40 Toppings NX1 (very good reviews from head fi.) + $50-100 desktop speakers (the old ones are dying). The amp needs to increase sound level by ~100%
2. 1980s lowrange HiFi amp + speakers (I am not in the US, so the prices here a quite higher for such stuff)

 

[MajorFubar]

When you say 'your desktop speakers' I assume they're active/powered speakers? With the switch at the back of the Akai set to 'Line' (not 'Phono') I would have thought the output from the RCA plugs should be high enough to drive a pair of powered desktop speakers without additional pre-amplification because the turntable has a built-in pre-amp.

EDIT: Just checked the manual, the output from the pre-amp is about 220mV which I agree is not exactly the highest in the world...

 

[puqq]

Would you recommend going for a pre-amp, small amp w/o phone (better quality likely), or an old phono amp?

 

[MajorFubar]

A lot depends on how much energy you really intend to throw at playing records. Any cheap second hand amp with a phono input should improve things. You'd have to plug your powered speakers into that amp's Tape Out sockets or use normal speakers.

 

[puqq]

Thanks. The question is- is modern cheap preamp much worse than an old phono amp?