Phono preamp worth it with MM cartridges?

MC cartridges are extremely low signal output (less than 1 mv) cartridges and therefore need very expensive front end phono preamplifiers. Inherently, their signal to noise ratios are usually worse than MM (3 - 6mv) cartridges due to this reason (-70db or so vs -90 db typically)

These days, a $500 - $700 MM cartridge with a very inexpensive but excellent Schiit Audio Mani ($150) phono preamp would be almost indistinguishable to MOST ears. Plus, you can replace an MM stylus but not an MC stylus, which needs expensive re-tipping.

Get a Nagaoka MP500 and/or an Ortofon 2M Black and you will be more than happy with the sound AND the money that you have saved.

Do not fall down the black hole of very expensive esoteric cartridges to gain another 5% of better sound, especially if you are over 40. Your ears will most likely not hear it.

If you insist on the absolute best phono preamps however, Pass Labs Xs phono ($45k)and/or Avid audio Pulsare ($8k) cant be beat.

Unless your amplifier already has an in built phono stage, you MUST get a phono preamp in order to be able to listen to anything off a phono cartridge, regardless of whether it is MM or MC.

So it is not a matter of whether it improves the sound, it is essential. The reason is because while almost all other audio sources generate signals which are appropriate for an amplifier to handle, a phono cartridge’s output signal is very much lower and hence needs a lot more amplification.

In addition, the phone amplifier provides something called RIAA equalization without which, the sound would be awful, which only phono preamplifiers provide.

Furthermore, the output signals of an MM and MC are very different. MC signals are even less than MM signals by an order of magnitude. So, ideally, the phono amplifier you must buy should be able to handle both types.

Luckily, in today’s marketplace, there are literally hundreds of very good different types of phono preamplifiers, ranging in price from $100 to more than $45,000. Your choice depends on your budget.

Some that I recommend are the wonderful Schiit Mani (its price does not do it justice) at about $150, Rega Aria at about $1500 and at the absolute ridiculous top end, Pass Labs phono preamp at $45,000.