Low cost RIAA preamp for vinyl transfer?

petsematary · 22nd December 2005

Question:

I've several sound effects on vinyl LP:s and I'd like to transfer these to hard drive. I've scanned ebay for inexpensive RIAA preamps and found the ART Deejay Pre among others. Do you know if this is any good? Or do you know of any other not-so-expensive RIAA preamp that'll sound good and fit my needs?

Thanks!

songisking · 23rd December 2005

Bellari put out a little red phono preamp box recently that's supposed to sound decent.
http://www.rolls.com/bellari/

petsematary · 23rd December 2005

Looks good, but too expensive unfortunately. Rolls had some interesting stuff under the "Rolls" brand though. Thanks.

Berolzheimer · 23rd December 2005

If it's a one-time thing, maybe you can borrow or rent a reciever or preamp from a friend that has a nice stereo.

themaidsroom · 23rd December 2005

if you really don't need to listen to the vinyl all the time, but are
rather just planning on adding to your digital sample library, i would
go somewhere with a great sep up for a few hours......
getting great sound with vinyl is tricky with a tight budget......
it almost defeats the purpose......
but if someone is hooked up you can pull amazing sounds
off of old vinyl........

- jack

petsematary · 23rd December 2005

That's a good idea but I think I need one anyway cos my stereo system isn't equipped with one either. I'll see how much money I can spare.

Sounds Great · 23rd December 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by petsematary

That's a good idea but I think I need one anyway cos my stereo system isn't equipped with one either. I'll see how much money I can spare.

I have a Creek Audio phono preamp that is great. I was skeptical, but it does sound better than the preamp in my stereo preamp (Carver CT-7).

But it will put you back a couple of hundred.

cpu · 23rd December 2005

BBE makes one called the FJB-200X. I think they are around or under 50 bucks.

WideawakE · 23rd December 2005

http://www.paia.com/riaa.htm

holler

brianroth · 23rd December 2005

The April, 2003 issue of AudioXpress magazine had a shootout of various low cost phono preamps and the Paia did pretty well. The article's author came up with a few capacitor tweaks to flatten out the frequency response a bit.

Bri

petsematary · 23rd December 2005

Is the Paia some sort of DIY unit? And it looks like it's made to fit inside another unit? Or am I just being really stupid now? I don't really know that much about electronic DIY.

But I could maybe ask someone I know to assemble one, I guess. What were those tweaks you mentioned, Brian?

warhead · 23rd December 2005

The Radial J33 is awesome, sounds right!

War

usekgb · 23rd December 2005

I bought an ART DeeJay Pre, and was not very happy with it. I ended up getting the Radial J33 to replace it, and I am very happy. The cool thing with the J33 is, it has unbalanced RCA outs to run in to your stereo and it has XLR outs that can run right in to your favorite pre-amps. It even runs on phantom power to boot. The Bellari unit is very popular, but you need to change the tube to make it shine.

Cheers,
Zach

brianroth · 24th December 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by petsematary

Is the Paia some sort of DIY unit? And it looks like it's made to fit inside another unit? Or am I just being really stupid now? I don't really know that much about electronic DIY.

But I could maybe ask someone I know to assemble one, I guess. What were those tweaks you mentioned, Brian?

Yes, it's a kit you solder together and mount in a box with a power supply. The tweaks were two capacitors and two resistors changed to slightly different values.

Bri

Sounds Great · 24th December 2005

How much do you want to spend. Lots of them listed on Ebay.

Phono preamp Ebay search

Doublehelix · 24th December 2005

Seconded (or thirded!) on the Radial box. Great stuff!!!

Bob Olhsson · 24th December 2005

Radio Shack sells a tiny 9v. battery powered phono preamp that sounds surprisingly good.

o--- · 25th December 2005

Does it actually work, tho? Last time i bought an omni condensor lavalier from Radio Smack was because I read it in some recording book by Craig Anderton the craptastinator, and it is absolutely useless. IIRC, his intntin was to use the capsule and somehow build a mic with THAT, which wasn't covered in the book.

By the way thanks to all the ideas on preamps for vinyl -> DAW. I won't have to ask now.

cdog · 25th December 2005

J33 thumbsup

Bob Olhsson · 25th December 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by o---

Does it actually work, tho?

You can take it back if it doesn't!

petsematary · 26th December 2005

Looks like the Radial's a winner and my checkbook a loser.

cdog · 26th December 2005

Run it into micpre/EQ and you can have some wicked fun.....

caseyLA · 28th December 2005

I bought the little red Rolls preamp yesterday.
Had to open it up and re-solder the p.o.s. to get it to work.

22nd December 2005	#1
petsematary Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: East Coast, Sweden Posts: 1,480 Thread Starter	Low cost RIAA preamp for vinyl transfer? Question: I've several sound effects on vinyl LP:s and I'd like to transfer these to hard drive. I've scanned ebay for inexpensive RIAA preamps and found the ART Deejay Pre among others. Do you know if this is any good? Or do you know of any other not-so-expensive RIAA preamp that'll sound good and fit my needs? Thanks!

23rd December 2005	#4
Berolzheimer Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: El Lay Posts: 2,207	If it's a one-time thing, maybe you can borrow or rent a reciever or preamp from a friend that has a nice stereo. __________________ Purveyor of fine sounds since 1961. My very incomplete IMDB list: My very incomplete IMDB list I'm all ears.

23rd December 2005	#10
brianroth Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 1,783	The April, 2003 issue of AudioXpress magazine had a shootout of various low cost phono preamps and the Paia did pretty well. The article's author came up with a few capacitor tweaks to flatten out the frequency response a bit. Bri __________________ Brian Roth Technical Services Oklahoma City, OK www.BrianRoth.com

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23rd December 2005	#2
songisking Gear Head Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 65	Bellari put out a little red phono preamp box recently that's supposed to sound decent. http://www.rolls.com/bellari/

23rd December 2005	#5
themaidsroom Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: nyc / london Posts: 3,510	if you really don't need to listen to the vinyl all the time, but are rather just planning on adding to your digital sample library, i would go somewhere with a great sep up for a few hours...... getting great sound with vinyl is tricky with a tight budget...... it almost defeats the purpose...... but if someone is hooked up you can pull amazing sounds off of old vinyl........ - jack

23rd December 2005	#8
cpu Gear addict Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NOLA Posts: 414	BBE makes one called the FJB-200X. I think they are around or under 50 bucks.

23rd December 2005	#9
WideawakE Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 980	http://www.paia.com/riaa.htm holler

23rd December 2005	#12
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 11,910	The Radial J33 is awesome, sounds right! War

23rd December 2005	#13
usekgb Gear Head Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 52	I bought an ART DeeJay Pre, and was not very happy with it. I ended up getting the Radial J33 to replace it, and I am very happy. The cool thing with the J33 is, it has unbalanced RCA outs to run in to your stereo and it has XLR outs that can run right in to your favorite pre-amps. It even runs on phantom power to boot. The Bellari unit is very popular, but you need to change the tube to make it shine. Cheers, Zach

24th December 2005	#15
Sounds Great Gear Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 18,025 1 Review written	How much do you want to spend. Lots of them listed on Ebay. Phono preamp Ebay search

24th December 2005	#16
Doublehelix Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,016	Seconded (or thirded!) on the Radial box. Great stuff!!!

24th December 2005	#17
Bob Olhsson Motown legend Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Songwriter Gulch, Nashville TN Posts: 10,638	Radio Shack sells a tiny 9v. battery powered phono preamp that sounds surprisingly good.

25th December 2005	#18
o--- Gear nut Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 128	Does it actually work, tho? Last time i bought an omni condensor lavalier from Radio Smack was because I read it in some recording book by Craig Anderton the craptastinator, and it is absolutely useless. IIRC, his intntin was to use the capsule and somehow build a mic with THAT, which wasn't covered in the book. By the way thanks to all the ideas on preamps for vinyl -> DAW. I won't have to ask now.

25th December 2005	#19
cdog Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 3,437 3 Reviews written	J33 thumbsup

26th December 2005	#21
petsematary Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: East Coast, Sweden Posts: 1,480 Thread Starter	Looks like the Radial's a winner and my checkbook a loser.

28th December 2005	#23
caseyLA Gear nut Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 112	I bought the little red Rolls preamp yesterday. Had to open it up and re-solder the p.o.s. to get it to work.