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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 1 response by semi

semi
649 posts
 
It's the $$$ for sure. Manufacture loves to seperate everything and sells for more money.

Regardless of the demand of phono stage, it's easy enough to include, good or bad is another issue. When you walk into Circuit City or Good Guys, count how many HT receivers out there that does NOT have a phono section. Here we are talking about mass market audio gears which should have less percentage of record spinner. So why would Sony or Denon include phono section to increase their cost? Because it costs so little when all you are adding is one small circuit to a big box.

Now, don't we all look foolish falling into this high end trap?
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