Laz's New Heck-Sperament: Phono Preamps

Lazarus Short

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I'm the Red Knight, by grant of the Black
#1
I always try to use what I have on hand before I run out and buy something - less buyer's remorse that way. So I got to wondering which of my phono sections was best. The Yamaha DSP-A2070 is out right away because it was not built during the heyday of vinyl. The old Dual stand-alone proved to be dead, and that after I ordered a pair of DIN-to-RCA cables from that auction site.

That left the Arcam Delta 60 integrated and the Acoustat RP-2 preamp. The Acoustat is labeled "Reference Preamp," so it should be good. I set the Pioneer PL-950 on the bench, and it carries a Shure M110HE p-mount (in an adaptor) with a Jico stylus. I put Y-connectors on the ends of the phono outputs, one routed to the Arcam, one to the Acoustat. Their outputs went to a four-channel switcher, and then on to the Luxman, etc. The Arcam was connected to the switcher from a tape-out, and the Acoustat from the pre-outs, so I could level-match. I level-matched as well as I could by ear, and could not tell which was better. Sooooo, I'll use the Acoustat, simply because it simpler.

If you think my methodology was flawed, let me know...
 

62vauxhall

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No such things as bad days, just bad moments
#3
I always try to use what I have on hand before I run out and buy something - less buyer's remorse that way. So I got to wondering which of my phono sections was best. The Yamaha DSP-A2070 is out right away because it was not built during the heyday of vinyl. The old Dual stand-alone proved to be dead, and that after I ordered a pair of DIN-to-RCA cables from that auction site.

That left the Arcam Delta 60 integrated and the Acoustat RP-2 preamp. The Acoustat is labeled "Reference Preamp," so it should be good. I set the Pioneer PL-950 on the bench, and it carries a Shure M110HE p-mount (in an adaptor) with a Jico stylus. I put Y-connectors on the ends of the phono outputs, one routed to the Arcam, one to the Acoustat. Their outputs went to a four-channel switcher, and then on to the Luxman, etc. The Arcam was connected to the switcher from a tape-out, and the Acoustat from the pre-outs, so I could level-match. I level-matched as well as I could by ear, and could not tell which was better. Sooooo, I'll use the Acoustat, simply because it simpler.

If you think my methodology was flawed, let me know...

Pretty much exactly the same thing I did to compare pre-amps. I found with those I was comparing, the differences were subtle and I had to try picking out individual instruments or vocalists when they sang consonants in the lyrics. For the most part, there's no way I could tell one from the other without immediate switching.
 

orange

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Broken beyond repair but highly affable
#5
It's the 'Jasmine Tridevil Signature Model'.
 
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