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Pre-amp recommendation

  • October 25, 2020
  • 8 replies
  • 488 views
U

Hi, apologies if this is discussed elsewhere already, I did search and look. 
 

Can anyone advise a preamp that I can use to connect a Pioneer PL 12D turntable to my Play 5? Will any preamp work? Or do I need a certain type/specification? Is the preamp all I need, or do i need a stereo amp too? Really hoping it’s just the preamp. 
 

Thanks for your advice. 
Jason

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8 replies

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • October 25, 2020

Any pre-amp would work. Check them out on Amazon.com, and pick one that matches your needs. Sometimes they require matching with the type of needle you have, but usually they don’t, that’s handled in the circuitry in the turntable. 

Bruce
U
U
  • User285226
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • October 25, 2020

Thanks Bruce, and that’s all I need to hook it up?

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • October 25, 2020

Well, the turntable, the pre-amp, and a Sonos device with an analog line in, yes. You haven’t mentioned what Sonos device you have, so it’s hard to give you any cautions at this moment. 

Bruce
Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • October 25, 2020

Ooops. I apparently can’t read. Or maybe comprehend. Yes, the signal from the pre-amp would go in to the PLAY:5’s line in ;)

Bruce
U
  • User285226
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • October 25, 2020

Great, many thanks for the advice Bruce. 

Airgetlam
K
  • Kumar
  • October 26, 2020

 they require matching with the type of needle you have, but usually they don’t, that’s handled in the circuitry in the turntable. 

There isn't the circuitry in a turntable that does not have a built in preamp to handle this, so the picking quoted above is important. There are some pre amps that can deal with both the usually found types of needles though.

U
  • User285226
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • October 29, 2020

Thanks guys. 
 

So I’ve now bought my Pioneer PL 12D turntable, which comes with the original (1970s) Shure cartridge. I also bought a Cambridge Audio 551p preamp. Waiting for it all to arrive, I guess I’ll see if it works when it gets here. 
 

As the cartridge and needle are circa 40 years old I guess I may fall foul of the scenario Kumar mentions. If this is the case, can anyone recommend a modern good quality needle and cartridge that would fit the turntable and can pass a usable signal through the preamp?

 

Thanks for all your thoughts. 
Jason

K
  • Kumar
  • October 30, 2020

“The 551P is a Moving Magnet type (MM) phono stage, which describes the commonly used type of cartridge configuration typically supplied with affordable modern turntables.”

I gave up on vinyl years ago, and it can be a rabbit hole. See the attached as to why:

https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=78808

From a preamp suitability, any MM type cartridge is fine, but you need to research what will physically fit the tone arm of this vintage turntable, and know how to fit and align it.

The obvious thing to do is go with what is installed already and if it sounds fine, let sleeping dogs lie.

 

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