Can anyone recommend a good quality preamp for a power amp ( emotiva or outlaw 5x100) with adequate quality and volume control .
Thanks!
Thanks!
If you're using line level devices, as CD players, MP3 players, FM radios, cell phones, nothing. Many power amps have a volume control already.
If you need only a volume control, a box with a stereo 10k audio taper (log) potentiometer and jacks in and out is very simple.
If you have several line level inputs, noise tends to build up. I would be tempted by one of those NE5532 4 input boards on e-bay. You'd need to supply a steel box, jacks in and out, a wall transformer for power supply. NE5532 HIFI Preamplifier Preamp Board Signal Amplification Bluetooth Pre-amp USA 699986200193 | eBay
The price is certainly right.
Alternately you can buy a "mixer" as the 4 input or 8 input Peavey's or Behringers. If one buys used, expect the master volume pot to be worn out. I got a used PV8 for $32 + $20 freight, needed the volume pot and also a $.38 op amp was blown.
If you need a RIAA magnetic phono cartridge input, The selection decreases somewhat. There are various magnetic phono preamp boards on e-bay but they don't provide the mixing function. You have to follow up the RIAA board with the 4 input mixer if you intend to alternately use mag phono, CD, radio, or MP3 player. Note you have to choose moving magnet (50x) or moving coil (80x) cartridge before purchase. I use MM, shure M97 Era IV.
Notice I haven't bought these boards from e-bay, but the circuits are so standard I don't know how they could ***** it up to make it cheaper. Maybe use carbon film resistors instead of metal film, but you could post purchase install those. *****y ceramic Y5g capacitors in the RIAA instead of polyprophylene, but you could also post-install those yourself. 5532 is a very quiet very low distortion op amp that costs about $.38. If the RIAA board has 4558 op amp which is about $.02 cheaper than 5532, those can be hissy at the 50 or 80 x gain a mag phono boards runs at. Note the pictures of the RIAA boards on e-bay, the $3 ones don't have any small flat capacitors to do the bass roll off curve. The $28 do. I'd buy the $28 ones, it takes a small capacitor and two resistors in the feedback leg of the op amp to do a half decent RIAA curve.
Have fun shopping.
If you need only a volume control, a box with a stereo 10k audio taper (log) potentiometer and jacks in and out is very simple.
If you have several line level inputs, noise tends to build up. I would be tempted by one of those NE5532 4 input boards on e-bay. You'd need to supply a steel box, jacks in and out, a wall transformer for power supply. NE5532 HIFI Preamplifier Preamp Board Signal Amplification Bluetooth Pre-amp USA 699986200193 | eBay
The price is certainly right.
Alternately you can buy a "mixer" as the 4 input or 8 input Peavey's or Behringers. If one buys used, expect the master volume pot to be worn out. I got a used PV8 for $32 + $20 freight, needed the volume pot and also a $.38 op amp was blown.
If you need a RIAA magnetic phono cartridge input, The selection decreases somewhat. There are various magnetic phono preamp boards on e-bay but they don't provide the mixing function. You have to follow up the RIAA board with the 4 input mixer if you intend to alternately use mag phono, CD, radio, or MP3 player. Note you have to choose moving magnet (50x) or moving coil (80x) cartridge before purchase. I use MM, shure M97 Era IV.
Notice I haven't bought these boards from e-bay, but the circuits are so standard I don't know how they could ***** it up to make it cheaper. Maybe use carbon film resistors instead of metal film, but you could post purchase install those. *****y ceramic Y5g capacitors in the RIAA instead of polyprophylene, but you could also post-install those yourself. 5532 is a very quiet very low distortion op amp that costs about $.38. If the RIAA board has 4558 op amp which is about $.02 cheaper than 5532, those can be hissy at the 50 or 80 x gain a mag phono boards runs at. Note the pictures of the RIAA boards on e-bay, the $3 ones don't have any small flat capacitors to do the bass roll off curve. The $28 do. I'd buy the $28 ones, it takes a small capacitor and two resistors in the feedback leg of the op amp to do a half decent RIAA curve.
Have fun shopping.
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Nice one Bimo - looks like with some more bias current it could be a HPA too?
If we are going to have more actives, the 5 actives Aksa Lender Preamp should be considered. Simple to build and exceptional sounding. Now fully-vetted with dozens of happy builds.
AKSA's Lender Preamp with 40Vpp Output
If we are going to have more actives, the 5 actives Aksa Lender Preamp should be considered. Simple to build and exceptional sounding. Now fully-vetted with dozens of happy builds.
AKSA's Lender Preamp with 40Vpp Output
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