So long story short I got neighbor kid into audio and to appreciate listening to music on something other than a cheap Bluetooth speaker. He’s pretty young but a good kid, a hard working honest kid. So far he’s accumulated his old mans Dual turntable that I helped him clean up and installed an Ortofon 2M Blue on it, a nice but older Marantz integrated and a pair of Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 speakers. I hooked him up with a pair of Kimber 8TC speaker cables I had retired a while ago (lol, probably making them the most expensive part of his system). He’s looking to upgrade and I suggested trying out a dedicated phono stage. I’m assuming his budget is in the $200 range and I told his old man I wouldn’t let him buy something stupid. I had no idea the sheer volume of phono stages in this price range on the market. What would you guys and gals suggest? My knee jerk reaction is Schitt Mani and I read a few good things about a Bellari unit but holy cow the choices are infinite. Maybe something a little higher end but used? Extra points if it can be purchased from Amazon but that’s by no means a deal breaker.
Too funny, I’m certain there will be a sudden uptick in Bottlehead phono stage sales based off of this thread. I also had never been exposed to them until recently.
A most worthy cause and would be glad to donate a used Pro-Ject Audio – Phono Box DC – MM/MC Phono preamp with line output with orignal packaging and instructions
You're doing the right thing on the Bottlehead route and he'll be happier with the results
Having both would give him something to compare and start sharpening the critical listneing skills
Send me a PM if you're interested and I'll get the kit in the mail
I have a brand new Bottlehead Seduction with the upgrade that I can let go for $400. Never plugged in.
It was assembled by a Bottlehead technician, who also designs and builds tube amps, here in Seattle. He gave me a package deal with a Bottlehead BeePre 300B preamp w/ the option (also for sale.) It has about 200 hours of use.
I am currently listening to a VAC Standard preamp w/ MC & MM and a VAC PHI 200 that I bought on this website not too long ago.
I have to echo what others are saying about these kits. There is something so satisfying and tangible about being involved with a build rather than just shopping for gear. You become intimately involved. I built a Bottlehead Seduction a number of years ago. The instructions were detailed and easy to follow. It was incredible fun to build, but even more fun to listen to. Years later, I upgraded parts which got me involved again, and brought new life to an already good thing. I've had a number of phono stages, but the Seduction is at the top of my list. The experience was so much fun that I'd like to do it again with a Reduction or Eros.
I wish you and your neighborhood a great experience!
As many of you can sympathize, I’ve owned and built a fair number of phono preamps through the years and the best bang for the buck preamp I’ve had in my system is the Hagerman Bugle. The Bugle 3 is in your budget at under $200 right now and to my ears sounds better than the Bottlehead Reduction, Schiit Mani, and Jolida JD9. It’s customizable in that the op amps can be changed and the power supply can be upgraded (the latter of which I highly recommend.) A Bugle 2 full kit is also available for more serious customization for about $100 if that route is preferred. Good luck and let us know your decision!
OP, make sure that you and the kid are having fun along the way. This experience will be precious to him down the road. PRAISE his choices in spite of what you may really feel. If his musical taste if awful to you, just agree to disagree. I'm happy to chip in a few LP's if I get an address. This is a really uplifting post! Good luck. Joe
for anyone who wants to upgrade something, especially for an honest hard-working kid, The first question that needs to be asked is, why do you wanna upgrade? Anyone with that urge and who uses that word needs to clearly formulate what it is that is unsatisfactory in the current sound set up. There needs to be an understanding of the relation between the music that one enjoys, the system that is used to reproduce the music the listening space and ones concept of proper sound. This will create a sense of direction of where to go. And what would be the point of upgrading the phono stage? Doing that would only reinforce the great Disservice that audio marketing does in the audio industry. Don’t let this kid waste any time on upgrading and on audio gear before he understands where he wants to go with sound AND what good sound to him is.
Yeah, it has been two weeks. Then again, he is a kid. In two weeks he could have taken up rock climbing, kung fu, video games, two or three girlfriends, and spent the last three days holed up reading Neitzsche. While we all talk about the importance of having fun he is more than likely busy, you know, actually having fun.
Great thread and kudos to the OP for helping a youngster appreciate our hobby.
The Bottlehead kit is a great idea. Building something yourself gives you a much better appreciation of how stuff works and what matters in the product. Who knows - it might lead him to a career in electronics as it did for me.
I built several Heathkits in my teens and every one was a blast to build and a successful result, so I don't think this kind of kit would be that challenging for a motivated teen (particularly with the OP's help).
I only wish I had continued to build my own gear over the past several decades. My excuse is career and family got in the way, but I now look back with some regret.
Over the past couple of years, I've gotten back into DIY and built a pair of speakers with subs, three pair of monoblock amps and a preamp, and am currently finishing another preamp and have started working on my first tube project - a pair of 300B P-SET monoblocks. I'm having a blast and can see DIY audio becoming something I spend a good part of my retirement life on (approaching fast).
No news yet. I promise I’ll keep everyone posted. School just started up in full force again and while I’m certain it wasn’t a summer/COVID-19 hobby for him but it might not have the same focus as it did a few months ago. Sometimes a month will go and I don’t see him at all and sometimes it’s every few days.
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