So I finally have space for my TT, and I have my Denon DL-103 all set up, but I have no phono pre! If there's a really really good option for $500 that kills everything under I'll go over budget, but otherwise I'd rather not. Any suggestions?

Splurge a little and go for the RSA XR-10B. It's probably a great value

Check out the Channel Islands phono. You can get them used for around $300 or $350. It's a decent phono stage.

Has anyone tried the monolithic sound ps2? If I were to buy it would be between either the ci audio and monolithic ones for obvious reasons

i've tried a few phono stages (cambridge 640p, an ec proto, and a friend's homemade tube phono). i purchased the monolithic ps-1 and hc-1b used off audiogon for $370 delivered. i've been happy with it and can't complain much considering the price. from what i've read the ps-2 isn't that substantially different, though, it does i believe offer higher gain so it is better suited for low output carts--also it starts off at a higher gain as well. i am using the DL-110, which tests in at around 2.1 mV and have the gain set at medium.

Well I bought a Monolithic PS-1 and HC-1 off agon, hopefully there's enough gain. Thanks guys.

I bought a McAlister Audio phono pre. I like it, I haven't had anything to compare it to, but it seems to work well, and I thought the price to be reasonable.

Well I bought a Monolithic PS-1 and HC-1 off agon, hopefully there's enough gain. Thanks guys.

looks like I'm too late, but if the ps-1 doesn't work out for you, consider a cinemag step up transformer into a regular MM phono. Cinemags have great synergy with the DL-103. This guy builds them for $300. I bought mine from him, he's a good dude. Then into the Bottlehead Seduction I bought from thrice for $200 (admittedly a very very good deal) and I have a great DL-103 phono setup for $500.

Well I bought a Monolithic PS-1 and HC-1 off agon, hopefully there's enough gain. Thanks guys.

congrats! i don't think you'll be disappointed. The highest gain setting should work fine with the 103. And the four gain settings (26 dB, 35 dB, 44 dB and 53 dB) provide ample flexibility, but if you need more gain Postjack's step-up transformer suggestion is a good solution.

i decided against stacking them and keep it plugged in and on all the time as there is no on/off switch.

I bought a McAlister Audio phono pre. I like it, I haven't had anything to compare it to, but it seems to work well, and I thought the price to be reasonable.

congrats! any pics?

Well I bought a Monolithic PS-1 and HC-1 off agon, hopefully there's enough gain. Thanks guys.

Probably not very useful, but you can see a tiny little bit of it... lol

I'll try to get a better pic sometime soon

i've tried a few phono stages (cambridge 640p, an ec proto, and a friend's homemade tube phono). i purchased the monolithic ps-1 and hc-1b used off audiogon for $370 delivered. i've been happy with it and can't complain much considering the price. from what i've read the ps-2 isn't that substantially different, though, it does i believe offer higher gain so it is better suited for low output carts--also it starts off at a higher gain as well. i am using the DL-110, which tests in at around 2.1 mV and have the gain set at medium.

I'm using the same while I just got the monolithic PS1 + HC-1b myself. May I ask other than the gain what other setting do you end up using? Do you have subsonic on? I assume it's 47K but what capacitance you use (does it matter for MC)?

Just FYI, I don't think it has quite enough gain for the Dl-103. I've been borrowing postjacks Cinemag SUT and it sounds way better, just a lot more body to the sound.

I'm using the same while I just got the monolithic PS1 + HC-1b myself. May I ask other than the gain what other setting do you end up using? Do you have subsonic on? I assume it's 47K but what capacitance you use (does it matter for MC)?

gain on med with L3000s (headphones) and med/high with speakers (cicadas) -- subsonic off -- capacitance does matter for MC (not for MM) the DL110 is ideal at 1K.

please use the subsonic filter. It's there for the safety of your system.

gain on med with L3000s (headphones) and med/high with speakers (cicadas) -- subsonic off -- capacitance does matter for MC (not for MM) the DL110 is ideal at 1K.

By 1K I guess you mean the Loading Resistance ? So you use that rather than 47K or 10K on DL110 (HOMC as if it's MM)?

By capacitance I mean the options they have in the jumper : 100 pf, 270 pf and 370 pf

please use the subsonic filter. It's there for the safety of your system.

what if the system doesn't have a sub?

By 1K I guess you mean the Loading Resistance ? So you use that rather than 47K or 10K on DL110 (HOMC as if it's MM)?

yes, the load. yup, based on my research 1K is near ideal and much better than the others you mentioned. this fleshes out with my ear too. I treat the DL100 as a MC.

By capacitance I mean the options they have in the jumper :100 pf, 270 pf and 370 pf

moving coil cartridges are said to be less susceptible to capacitive so i am currently not using it.

what if the system doesn't have a sub?

then you don't understand what it's used for

you mean sub sonic isn't "turn on the sub's sonics?"

kidding

you mean sub sonic isn't "turn on the sub's sonics?"

kidding

then you don't understand what it's used for

enlighten me since you are the expert.

enlighten me since you are the expert.

it is a high pass filter that is used to protect your drivers from subsonic frequencies or so called "woofer pumping". Since your drivers cannot reproduce frequencies under a certain value, this filter protects them by enabling them to operate in their intended frequency range.

By 1K I guess you mean the Loading Resistance ? So you use that rather than 47K or 10K on DL110 (HOMC as if it's MM)?

By capacitance I mean the options they have in the jumper : 100 pf, 270 pf and 370 pf

even with moving coil you should consider using a small amount of capacitance if your preamp doesn't already include it. Again, this acts as an input filter than enables the preamp to operate more efficiently.

Probably not very useful, but you can see a tiny little bit of it... lol

I'll try to get a better pic sometime soon

Hey soloz, What are the spikes on your stand? Are those he infamous #1 philips bits?

909:

just to further the point, this weekend I did some driver break-in and pumped 20 Hz to a set of tweeters at low levels ...

Also, I have done some spice simulation of a MM cartridge and often times, you're better altering the R and not the C loading. For example, the cartridge I'm looking at is a MM cart with 45mH inductance. The best loading seems to be 100pF (including cables) and 22K input impedance. I need to measure the capacitance of the cables, but I'm guessing they are not much lower than 100pF, so just a small amount of capacitance is needed.