DIY Valve Phono Pre Recommendations?

[lencotweaker]

Any good recommendations for a decent valve phono preamp kit? Something with decent support, tried and tested and with good instructions.

cheers

 

[geoturbo]

No affiliation and not tried it.. but here seems a very interesting one to me:
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/eq1616d-phono-amp.345254/

 

[Mike P]

There are plenty of EAR834P kits on ebay and there are some where you can buy the board, a nice case and the transformer all from the same seller.

 

[sailor]

I can recommend Steve Bench's RIAA 5 phono circuit. There is no kit but the amp is simple and easy to wire point to point. I thought the sound from this was delightful. If you build it consider valve rectification. EZ80 is perfect

 

[sjs]

ANkits should meet all your requirements

https://ankaudiokits.com/product-category/phono/

 

[Vinny]

If you have a search, circuit daigrams are available online, free, for numerous versions of the Croft Micro. Most of them include pic's of the inside of the case.
I may be mistaken, but I recall one where Glenn used Soviet valves, which would save you quite a bit of money on valves in all probability.

For instance - Rome Chemometrics, Pr. G. Visco; official home page at Rome University, Italy, Europe (cma4ch.org)
And - Croft Super Micro preamps (soundmovements.co.uk)

 

[lencotweaker]

ANkits should meet all your requirements

https://ankaudiokits.com/product-category/phono/

like the look of that L1 Phono kit. Spendier than I was thinking though.

Also looking at the Hagermann Cornet3 and the Bottlehead Reduction and Eros kits. I also wonder if the World Designs kits are still available?

I’m not sure I’m really up to just starting with a circuit diagram and taking it from there. Clear and precise instructions needed.

 

[Dan K]

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/transcendent-sound-slider-pre-amp.279653/

I'd highly recommended either the Broskie CCDA or the Aikido, but you'll have to do all the casework and PSU yourself

 

[vinylspinner]

The World Design kits are still available and Mathew Snell is a very decent chap to deal with.

http://www.world-designs.co.uk/

 

[Vinny]

I’m not sure I’m really up to just starting with a circuit diagram and taking it from there. Clear and precise instructions needed.

There are a handful of very competent fishies to nurse you through things. How tricky can it be - two tag strips and not much else for the components that aren't valves or TX.

I have dabbled, but no more, with electronic circuits for maybe 40 years, and if I did not own two Micros, including a push-pull version, I'd not worry about giving things a go on building a clone.

 

[Dan K]

Are you looking to build something in its entirety, or would tweaking a pre built amp suit? If the latter then maybe look for a Concordant, World Design, or a Croft

 

[sailor]

I agree with Dan K's suggestions. The Aikido line stages I have built are outstanding and embarrass some big name big dollar units, particularly good with octals.
John Broskie's designs are seriously good and would be my first choice.
https://glass-ware.stores.turbify.net/aiphpcb.html

Also: https://bottlehead.com/product-category/kits/phono-preamplifier-kits/

You might find hificollective has kits but I don't know anything about their performance.