I need a phono preamp for my Benz Micro ACE!

[Gary]

Just buy a Naim 555, your CD's will sound just as good as your LP's....

My CDP sounds better than my vinyl rig! Anyway.... I think I should revisit my set up.

I have a .4MV Benz Micro Ace but I need a MC phono preamp. I don't like my EAR phono pre. Not a good match (I guess) but it also has LOTS of hiss to it. Probably because I already have tubes in my preamp. Too many tubes? Dunno. But anyway...

Are the Tom Evans phono pre's any good? I know they are $$$.

Any other suggestions?

[Ian Lascell]

Gary, I will be watching this thread closely. Our setups are nearly identical (MX-110 and MC240) and you have vintage Tannoys and I have modern Tannoys. I want to eventually get a decent solid state phono preamp, but for now I am going to have to get by with the MX-110 internal phono preamp, which as you mentioned, just feels like too many tubes by the time the signal gets to the speakers. I think if I had a decent external phono preamp, I would try bypassing the MX-110 altogether and feed directly into the 240.

[Vinyl-Addict]

I don't like my EAR phono pre. Not a good match (I guess) but it also has LOTS of hiss to it. Probably because I already have tubes in my preamp. Too many tubes? Dunno.


Whatever you do, don't dump your EAR phono until you get something better. I never experienced noise in mine, in fact it was extremely quiet. I assume you've tried different tubes? Check the tubes in your linestage or preamp. The EAR is a great little unit, IMO. ;)
Oh, OH, Do you have the MM only EAR? If so, all you need is a step up transformer.

[Tony Plachy]

Gary, Something is very wrong in your set up. In my system my vinyl is always the best, with the right SACD's they are very close to the vinyl. CD's always finish a distant third. One could argue that I do not have a state-of-the-art CD player. I am using the Benz-Micro M2 with 0.8 mV output. With my all tube amplification chain (see my profile) I have zero hiss or hum at any sensible output level. I have to turn up the volume to very high levels to hear hiss and hum in the silent grooves. Maybe all you need is a higher output MC cartridge.

[macster]

My CDP sounds better than my vinyl rig! Anyway.... I think I should revisit my set up.

I have a .4MV Benz Micro Ace but I need a MC phono preamp. I don't like my EAR phono pre. Not a good match (I guess) but it also has LOTS of hiss to it. Probably because I already have tubes in my preamp. Too many tubes? Dunno. But anyway...

Are the Tom Evans phono pre's any good? I know they are $$$.

Any other suggestions?


Try a K&K step-up transformer into your Mac, using a pair of Audioquest Diamond backs (1/2M) from the K&K to your phono input on your Mac. The K&K is amazingly good for the money. I get no tube noise and I have lots and lots of tubes when I run my all tube set-up.

m~

[dogpile]

I have a .4MV Benz Micro Ace but I need a MC phono preamp. I don't like my EAR phono pre. Not a good match (I guess) but it also has LOTS of hiss to it. Probably because I already have tubes in my preamp. Too many tubes? Dunno. But anyway...

Are the Tom Evans phono pre's any good? I know they are $$$.

Any other suggestions?

Hey Gary, hope things are well with you!

My last "great" phono experience was with a CAT SL-1 Mk III pre amp. Wonderful phono section with this full function all tube pre. I used a Shelter 501 MkII (0.45mV) and ZYX Airy (0.48mV) with no volume issues.

The only issue that I experienced was finding quiet tubes which took a while but was worth it in the end.

Good luck with your search :wave:

[Bigerik]

Gary, no such things as too many tubes! :)

Looking into this exact thing right now meself. We should get together and compare notes at some point.

[MMM]

Maybe try different tubes until you get it right, instead of a different pre?

[aviserated]

I am sure Needle Doctor will recommend a phono preamp and let you demo it. You may need a better matched cartridge.

[Gary]

The EAR is a great little unit, IMO. ;)
Oh, OH, Do you have the MM only EAR? If so, all you need is a step up transformer.

Yes, it's a great unit! I have the two position EAR (MM and MC) but no volume control.

Gary, Something is very wrong in your set up. ..... my all tube amplification chain.... Maybe all you need is a higher output MC cartridge.

I've tried different tubes... but I still get too much hiss for my liking. The EAR is great but I have a feeling that it does not match the cartridge.

Right now I have a Shure V15 type V cartridge which is great - but no where as good (yummy? ;) ) as the Benz Micro. So I plan to mount it on my vintage RD11 with the Shure tone arm which should be an excellent match. Now I have to do something with my Oracle / Wilson Benesch set up (thus this thread).

Hey Gary, hope things are well with you!

:wave:

________________________________________ ______________

I have consulted with a local store (well, it's a store within an easy drive) and they said:

(It could be that) ....the EAR is likely set too high at 470 ohms.
________________________________________ ______
If the hiss is related to the loading - that is, it occurs on vocals
with 's' and other sibilants and there is too much stridency. If the
hissing is constant, then that is tube related in all likelihood. ....Also,
let me know whether your Ace is a Series 3 or not as the recommended
loading changed with Series 3.

But I don't have any sibilant problems so I don't think it's the loading.

The store has two Blue Circle phono preamps and another store recommended the Tom Evans. Decisions, decisions...

I may simply take some time off and travel with my EAR to these places and see what they think. And hear it in another system.

[Barry Wom]

My CDP sounds better than my vinyl rig! Anyway.... I think I should revisit my set up.

I have a .4MV Benz Micro Ace but I need a MC phono preamp. I don't like my EAR phono pre. Not a good match (I guess) but it also has LOTS of hiss to it. Probably because I already have tubes in my preamp. Too many tubes? Dunno. But anyway...

Are the Tom Evans phono pre's any good? I know they are $$$.

Any other suggestions?

Over this side of the "pond" at the moment many people are raving about the Cambridge 640 phono stage for £60! Naim users are saying it beats their internal phono stage and apparantly it's a bit of a giant killer.

[Gary]

£60! Incredible!

Still, a Tom Evans should beat it... but I wonder if there are any local Cambridge dealers aroung here... hmmm....

:)

[thommo]

Over this side of the "pond" at the moment many people are raving about the Cambridge 640 phono stage for £60! Naim users are saying it beats their internal phono stage and apparantly it's a bit of a giant killer.
Tell you what, Tim, I did a bit of a rationalisation recently, and I had, for a small time, a Slee GramAmp2, an azur 540p and a 640p. I also had a choice of Turntable (AT PL120 & Thorens TD160/SME3009, both tables using a Nagaoka MP-11 cart). In EVERY SINGLE CASE, I preferred the 640c over the Slee, and the 540p was about 50/50 with the Slee (the Slee handled delicate things like John Martyn/Nick Drake et al a tad better than the 540p, the azur handled the bombast of Led Zep a bit better).

And none of that is saying the Slee is bad - far from it. It, in itself, was a large step up from a NAD pp2, but the Cambridge stages are proper VFM.

You don't neccesarily need something of the Naim level of quality to tell the difference, either.

[Scott in DC]

Since you are using a Benz cartridge I would recommend the Benz Micro Lukaschek PP-1 MC phono stage. It has more than enough gain and is very quiet. Its small size makes it easy to place if space is an issue.

I own this phono stage myself.

Scott

[Shakey]

I have a Benz Ruby2, .35mv output, and thought the Ear 834P had enough gain to handle. I never bought one, I got the Pass AlephOno because my pre and main amp are Pass.
But...I still think the Ear 834P should work well with your Benz and wonder if something is wrong with it, bad tube or as with many MC sections it uses a SS circuit for the additional gain could be the culprit.
I'd rule out defects in that area first.
The 834P is still liked by many.
One dumb question, and I don't suspect you'd do this, but you are running the 834P into a line input and not your pre's phono stage?

[Gary]

One dumb question, and I don't suspect you'd do this, but you are running the 834P into a line input and not your pre's phono stage?

A good question! Actually, I didn't think you knew me that well... :sigh:

The 834P was going into the AUX input. It's disconnected now...

The technician confirms that the EAR is likely set too high at 470 ohms and apparently it can be changed relatively easily... for only $40.00. I think I might try that route.

[Gary]

I get no tube noise and I have lots and lots of tubes when I run my all tube set-up.

To get the same volume as a CD (a comfortable listening level), I have to turn up the volume and I hear a lot of hiss. When I switch back to CD (not touching the volume knob) a lot of the hiss goes away. So it's gotta be the EAR, right?

I'm pretty tolerant of my vintage system (acknowledging that it's very old) and it has it's quirks. For example, the stereo image is off balance (to the left of center) until the tubes warm up. But I still love it!

Still (as per the post above) I think I will try to adhere to the "all tubes" route first.

Gary, no such things as too many tubes! :)

Looking into this exact thing right now meself. We should get together and compare notes at some point.

A lot of this depends on if my vintage Ariston RD11 TT from 1974 is revived... or if I have to find another motor for it. It spins too fast...

I'll find out soon, I guess!

[Heuer]

The Sutherland Phd. Totally silent, life changing experience - I never knew a phono stage could be so quiet. I use it with a Koetsu Rosewood Platinum from an SME20/2.

Audition one and you will be unable to go back!

[Shakey]

A good question! Actually, I didn't think you knew me that well... :sigh:

The 834P was going into the AUX input. It's disconnected now...

The technician confirms that the EAR is likely set too high at 470 ohms and apparently it can be changed relatively easily... for only $40.00. I think I might try that route.


I never forgot a face, especially that one. :D

[dgstrat]

I use a PS Audio GCPH phono stage with my tube integrated amp and it's nice and warm and quiet as can be. It also is adjustable and can accept virtually any cartridge. I'm very happy with it.

[51nocaster]

I am running a Benz Ace med output (.8 MV) through an EAR 834P w/ volume control and love the sound. Both the MM and MC settings work with this cart, but I prefer the sound with the MC setting. Have you used the EAR with other carts and if so, how did it sound and what was the cart's output? I wonder if you just don't like the Benz sound.

[Gary]

I have only tried a Shure V15V but you raise an interesting point...

I do like the Benz sound (and all that amazing detail) but it's the 1) hiss and 2) EQ that seems to be built into it that bothers me.

Does anyone know if the Benz low output ACE has a flat response? Maybe that EQ is in the EAR. :confused:

Ain't this fun? :sigh:

[HiFi Guy 008]

Over this side of the "pond" at the moment many people are raving about the Cambridge 640 phono stage for £60! Naim users are saying it beats their internal phono stage and apparantly it's a bit of a giant killer.

That's interesting. Would you have a link some user's comments?

I'm going to snoop around Vinyl Engine...

I've been recommended the Belari tube phono stage, but I suspect Gary wants something with higher resolution.

[gostan]

I have been extremely satisfied with the Eastern Electric Minimax Tube Phono Preamp. I use it to run either a low output MC Shelter 501 or Benz Glider. Never noticed any noise in my system with this one-pretty darn quiet.

[Tony Plachy]

I have only tried a Shure V15V but you raise an interesting point...

I do like the Benz sound (and all that amazing detail) but it's the 1) hiss and 2) EQ that seems to be built into it that bothers me.

Does anyone know if the Benz low output ACE has a flat response? Maybe that EQ is in the EAR. :confused:

Ain't this fun? :sigh:

Gary, FWIW the frequency response curve that came with my Benz M2 (the run a curve for each individual cartridge before shipping) is very flat.