Harman Kardon T35C Turntable and TCC phono preamp?

Ed,

They are pretty obscure and certainly were (and still are not) not marketed to the audiophile community. Having been (in the past) in the electronics industry for a long time you can rest assured that one of the reasons the price is so reasonable is that there is virtually no marketing cost (you have seen the PP.com website!). I tried one when ressurecting and old ARXA and was surprised that it did not sound too bad and I was stunned when it sounded better than my VP129 with the CA50 . I switched the TCC450 back and forth with the VP129 about 4 times not wanting to believe it sounded better ( again in this particular setup). A simple circuit with a low impedance power supply like a battery just seems to work well just look at the Hagerman Bugle. phonopreamps.com does however offer a lower priced decent quality alternative to the entry level name brands mentioned above.

Regards, Jerry

Hi Jerry,

To be honest, I'd never even heard of the TCC brand until this thread and it took me a lot of Googling before I found a site that sold them. You gotta admit...they appear really uninspiring.

Given TCC's relative obscurity and lack of "audiophile" credentials, my feeling was that, since Gha is new to vinyl, better to go with a known quantity. Also, I know if he buys a used Creek, Rega, Cambridge, etc that he will be able to get his money out of it if he decides to upgrade.

I'm glad to hear it's a good product for the money. I was just trying to play it safe here since Gha seemed ready to pull the trigger.

Jerry,

Good info on TCC TC-450 which is only $31.50 without adapter o5 $35.50 with adapter.

Do you have experience with TCC TC-T750 which is only $43.50? I read good reviews about it and understand that it's all discrete vs NAD and Pro-Ject's use ops amp and passive components (per TNT review of TC-754).

I plan to use Shure M97HE I dug up from storage or Grado MF-1+.

Cheers

Ed,

Have you had any experience with the PPC phono preamps? I own about 5 of them (3 different models) and while they are not SOTA they are certainly as good as and a better value than the NAD PP1,PP2, Music Hall and Vincent offerings. In fact their least expensive TC 450 battery powered unit (when using battery power)is surprisingly good when used with a high output MC or Moving Magnet Cartridge. I actually prefer it to my Bellari VP129 when used with my Audio Research CA50/Project TT and Audio Technica AT30HE Cartridge and a longish (2 meter) cable run.
I also have a Cambridge 640e and that is the first step up the price ladder that sounds significantly better IMHO.

Jerry

Ekobesky,

Thank you very much for advices!

It came with Grado MF-1+ cartridge. I also have old Shure IV, ADC and Ortofon cartridges.

Thanks again

Regarding the turntable -- YES! Very nice unit. I've owned the T25, T35 and T55 over the years and they are all perfectly competitive with $300-$500 units of today depending on cartridge.

Regarding the phono preamp -- NO! Look for a used NAD PP1 or PP2, Music Hall Phono Pack, Creek OBH series, Pro-Ject Phono Box or Rotel RQ. You should be able to get one for $50-$150. But even new, all of the aforementioned are bargains.

Without knowing which cartridge you are going to use, it's hard to make any specific recommendations. I would recommend something in the $100 range -- an Ortofon OM10, for example, is a nice choice because if you get into the whole vinyl scene again you can keep the cartridge but upgrade the stylus and obtain improved performance. But there are others as well.

I would call Needle Doctor or Music Direct and ask for suggestions. They will be able to suggest a cartridge and preamp that will match well with your system and individual tastes.