It's not that simple. Granted it *should* be that simple to just make a phono stage. You know some RIAA eq and some gain. But in reality it doesn't seem to pan out that way. Just look at the available phono stages and full fuction preamps. It seems to great care (and often great $$$) to make a good phono pre. It may have to do with the very low level signals that output from a phono cartridge. It is not trivial to amplify these. If it was, we would see giant killer phono stages for cheap. And alas we do not.
When you think about it, amplification in general appears to have been an extreme disappointment of the twentieth century. You'd think amplification would have been a "solved" problem by now. But no. :-(
When you think about it, amplification in general appears to have been an extreme disappointment of the twentieth century. You'd think amplification would have been a "solved" problem by now. But no. :-(