2. amps-preamps
  3. 1080763632

Why is the trend to make separate phono stage

Why is the trend to make a separate phono stage. Say a high end pre-amp such as Audio Research Reference 2 you need to spend $ 10,000 for a line stage and another $ 7,000 for the reference phono stage. Almost every manufacturer has started to separate the two components. Is this to make more money selling two boxes or has technology gotten so sophisticated that it needs to be separate or lastly maybe only 25 % or less of the buyers want phono, so the manufacturer focuses on the 75 % population that need a line pre-amp. For us oldies it used to be easy to add a MC/MM board to the pre-amp to add the phone section. What happened??
dcaudio

Showing 2 responses by russellrcncom

russellrcncom
305 posts
 
What a wonderful thread. Somehow we got on this train (EG separate phono section and line stages) and can't get off it. Sbank, are you sure you're correct about only 25% of audiophiles wanting this feature in a preamp? Have you done a study on this?

The recent trend is that analog is more popular than ever, but even taking that into consideration, it was a bad idea to start with.

Your point is well taken about sonic merits for separates IF (and a big if at that) you can get past the interface problems and the added expense of cables + space requirements. Separate boxes usually translates into one more interface problem.

Dcaudio thanks for articulating for what this audiophile has been feeling for a long time.
russellrcncom
305 posts
 
More preamp manufacturers should offer an integral phono section at least as an option. This does occur in some instances but at an appalling low rate.
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