Phono Preamps.

[STUFFMD]

I recently hooked up my tunntable to my reciever. I had to turn the volume almost to refrence levels to get adequate sound, and the sound I was getting was pretty flat and lifeless, I was using Pink Floyd DSOTM Original Master for a refrence disc. Would my setup be helped by a Phono preamp???? or is maybe somthing possibly wrong with my setup, although I know there's not much to that.
The cartridge is MMC.
If the preamp is the answer can someone recommend a good unit that is reasonably priced?????
Thanks, Stuff

[RuSsMaN]

MMC?

Is it MM or MC?

Does the Onkyo have a phono stage built in (phono input)?

[STUFFMD]

M M C
I think it stands for Moving Magnetic Coil.
Stuff

[STUFFMD]

Yes on the Phone input.

[STUFFMD]

Hey Russman,
Just looked it up..B&O calls it the Moving Micro Cross...according to what I was reading just about everything moves on the cartridge.
Stuff

[danger boy]

Stuff,

A few years ago I ventured down this same exact path with I think the same B&O turntable. It might even my old one. :p Did you get it on ebay about a year to year and half ago?

Anyway, I had a B&O turntable I wanted to hook up to my receiver. I bought a cheap-o preamp and hooked it up. I did get volume out of it.. but it had a noticeable hum in it.. that i could never get rid of completely. I thought maybe it just needed better gounding.. no go. So i fiddled with it for a couple months.. but still no solution.

I'm interested to hear more about your findings on this.

B&O gear is very beautiful to look at isn't it?

Al

[STUFFMD]

Yeah Al, I love the look of B&O, actually there is a guy on E-Bay selling a whole set for $200. I am definately giving it some thought. As far as ownership, I am the original owner, purchased back in the 80's, just bringing it out of mothballs.
It's funny it always worked well with my old MCS 45 watt integrated.
Stuff

[Tour2ma]

Stuff,
Never heard of MMC, but given what you describe it would seem to be a low output cartridge. Did your old Receiver have a MC input you used? Many old ones had phono stages for both MM and MC cart's. If a receiver has only one phono in, you can bet it's an MM.

As for inexpensive phono pre's, I'm partial to Audio Alchemy's Vac-in-the-Box. AA is out of business, but they still pop up on ebay and go in the $100 to $150 range.

For inexpensive new, look at the Sumiko on Audio Advisor's web site. I suspect they bought the AA design.... anyway the features and spec's seem very similar.

[Frank Z]

I'm using a MusicHall PhonoStage. Cost approx. $90 and works great!