Did you invest in a new turnable during the pandemic? Are you still standing in line on Record Store Day? One of the most neglected parts of the phono chain is the phono preamplifier; this is particularly true if you’re new to vinyl playback and have not really given that much thought to how that cartridge on the end of your tonearm actually works and how that minuscule level of output is amplified. The best affordable phono preamplifiers will likely do a much better job than the internal phono stage inside of your amplifier and offer greater flexibility with both MC and MM cartridges.
Vinyl continues to grow at record pace as a category in 2022. Just how much? Last year 40 million LPs (albums) were sold in the United States alone (source RIAA), which was up 67% from the prior year and the highest number in 33 years (since 1988). 40 million. Stick that in your CD player. It has also created a surge of new phono pre-amplifiers in the marketplace. Most consumers don’t think about the best phono pre-amplifiers for their turntables and that’s a problem.
What concerns us the most is that consumers who have taken the plunge into vinyl for the first time have not even scratched the surface when it comes to the playback quality of their turntable. Will this group abandon vinyl as high-end digital streaming becomes more affordable and accessible?
Don’t expect vinyl nirvana from a $300 turntable set-up — you might be disappointed with how that brand new $30 record sounds. $500 is a better place to start for an affordable audiophile turntable.
There is nothing worse than taking the plunge on an expensive component like a turntable and discovering that the fancy cartridge installed on the tonearm sounds dreadful. The reality is that your turntable isn’t broken and the cartridge that you painstakingly installed is capable of so much more. The best phono pre-amplifiers don’t have to look nice. In a perfect world, it should sit all alone on your rack and properly amplify the output of your cartridge.
A phono preamp is also asked to apply the RIAA equalization curve to the signal, reverting it back to the shape it was on the original recording. No pressure there. The problem is that phono cartridges don’t play well together in the sandbox.
They don’t have the same output level and require relatively precise loading (impedance) to sound their best. Everything about their performance changes if you don’t select the right phono pre-amplifier; color, pace, transparency, detail, soundstage, dynamics, and degree of immediacy.
If your cartridge buying options lean towards high-output moving magnet cartridges from brands like Grado Labs, Ortofon, Audio-Technica, Hana or Nagaoka – all of our suggestions will work rather well.
Low-output moving coil cartridges from Denon, Audio-Technica, Dynavector, Ortofon, Hana, and Grado Labs require more gain (50dB or more) and the ability to adjust their load settings. In such cases, consider the more expensive options on our list which offer greater set-up flexibility and enough gain for these types of cartridges.
Schiit Audio Mani 2 ($179)
Inexpensive phono pre-amplifiers like the Schiit Mani 2 are very rare. Not only does this tiny metal box sound like a far more expensive unit, but it’s manufactured and assembled in California. The adjustability of the Mani makes it versatile and opens the door to a wider range of cartridges that users may want to try. If you are new to vinyl listening and your amplifier doesn’t offer an internal phono pre-amplifier – this might be a great place to start.
Reasons to buy:
- Inexpensive and very quiet performance
- Works with both MM and MC cartridges
- Decent pacing
- Warm midrange
Reasons to pass:
- Not the deepest sounding soundstage
- Can sound slightly restrained or polite depending on the cartridge
iFi ZEN Phono ($199.00)
iFi Audio is celebrating its 10th anniversary with some exciting and affordable products including this excellent phono preamplifier that offers both MM/MC inputs. The iFi ZEN Phono is part of a much larger range that includes DACs, and headphone amplifiers and we’ve been super impressed with the products that we have reviewed so far.
Don’t look at the price and think that it must have some serious shortcomings. We were quite surprised by how quiet it is and that it can handle almost any cartridge on the market; the iFi ZEN Phono offers 32dB to 72dB of gain. The neutral tonal balance and clarity make it a very strong option below $200.
The rear panel of the chassis includes a power input, balanced output (4mm), a gain switch with four positions, two RCA input jacks, two RCA output jacks, and a grounding terminal.
Reasons to buy:
- Very affordable
- Excellent build quality
- MM/MC cartridge compatibility
- Transparent, detailed, and very quiet
- Hard to find anything better below $200
Cambridge Audio Alva Duo ($349)
The Alva Duo is very similar to the Schiit Mani from the perspective that it delivers a warm sounding midrange and a very low noise floor. It offers both MM and MC inputs and a rather propulsive presentation. Some may find the inclusion of a dedicated headphone amplifier strange, but it delivers a lot of power and makes listening to vinyl with a pair of headphones very enjoyable. For further detail, read our full review of the Alva Duo with Cambridge Audio CXA61 Integrated Amp.
Reasons to buy:
- Zero noise. Deep space nobody can hear you scream level of quiet
- Works with both MM and MC cartridges
- Very little adjustability with MC cartridges
- Solid pacing
- Warm tonal balance
- Headphone amplifier has engaging sound and a lot of power
Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra ($349.00)
Pro-Ject is the world’s largest manufacturer of high-end turntables, but a growing part of their business includes a rather extensive range of DACs, pre-amplifiers, headphone amplifiers, and loudspeakers. The real gems in their lineup are their extensive range of phono pre-amplifiers that deserve to get a lot more coverage.
The Phono Box S2 Ultra is one of the more affordable units in their lineup and it is the polar opposite of flashy; it resides very quietly on your shelf and offers compatibility with both MM/MC cartridges with multiple loading options.
It offers 43dB to 63dB of gain (there are 5 different gain settings) and it definitely gets out of the way and allows one to hear the cartridge with a very neutral tonal balance, excellent detail, and a very clean sounding top end. The treble has sufficient bite and you might discover that your cartridge has greater top end sparkle than you previously thought.
Reasons to buy:
- Solid build quality
- Neutral tonal balance, detailed, resolute bass response
- Affordable
- MM/MC cartridge compatibility
- Extremely quiet and reliable
Rega Fono MM MK5 ($445)
Rega is one of the leading manufacturers of high-end turntables in the world and we’re rather fond of the Planar 3 and their excellent integrated amplifiers including the io and Aethos which we have covered rather extensively. Rega also manufactures their own phono cartridges who are designed to work with products like the Rega Fono MM MK5.
The brand does an excellent job with all of their phono pre-amplifiers, but the Fono MM MK5 is a rather good value if you are using MM cartridges in the $150 to $500 range and want something that is very quiet, detailed, and slightly warmer sounding than the other phono pre-amplifiers on this list.
The Fono MM MK5 lacks some of the transparency and low end heft of the more expensive Moon by SumAudio LP110 V2 — but that should be the case when you are spending an additional $150 at this price level. Rega owners already know that the Fono is a solid performer, but those using the 2M Red, Nagaoka MP-110, and Goldring E3 might want to have a listen at their local dealer.
Reasons to buy:
- Solid build quality
- Warmer tonal balance, punchy low end
- Works really well with entry-level MM cartridges
- Excellent pace
$445 at AudioAdvice | Amazon | Amazon.co.uk
Moon by SimAudio LP110 V2 ($600)
This very solid piece of engineering offers adjustability for almost every cartridge on the market and is dead quiet in its operation. The neutral tonal balance makes the LP110 V2 ideal for warmer sounding cartridges like the Grado Timbre Series or low-output MCs from Hana. Music moves with a sense of purpose and the level of detail retrieval is superb for the asking price.
Reasons to buy:
- Built like tank
- Works well with both MM and MC cartridges
- Multiple loading options for both types of cartridges
- Zero noise
- Neutral sounding tonal balance that makes a lot of cartridges sound their best
- Excellent sense of pace
- Borscht for the asking price
Upgrade Picks
If your budget can stretch a little more, check out list of Best Audiophile Phono Preamps under $1,000.
