|
When vinyl masters are cut, frequencies below 1 KHz are attenuated to prevent the stylus from crossing over into the previous groove. In order to eliminate noise from the disc surface, higher frequencies are amplified. The phono preamp's RIAA equalization boosts the lows and attenuates the highs to recreate the original analog signal. In the past most phono stages were built into a preamp.
Since the digital age began, more and more preamps are made without onboard phono stages included as part of the unit’s basic cost . (This is strange to audiophiles who were around pre-CD since, in those days, the quality of the preamp was judged almost entirely on the basis of the performance of its phono stage!) As a result, the best phono stages now come as external devices for units without phono inputs as well as for audiophiles who want the highest-quality signal restoration.
How much do you need to budget for a phono stage? Check in with us we will help you pick the phono stage which best matches your system and budget!
|
