Ceramic Phonostage Build

Marantz Cinema Series AV Receivers
Was extremely busy over this week so could not post the preamp to RP. Will do so tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, continued listening to it. I must say that the original Decca pressings (especially the Phase-4 Stereo ones) sound simply magnificent with this phonostage. Its amazing, how something so simple can sound so nice.
 
reubensm said:
Was extremely busy over this week so could not post the preamp to RP. Will do so tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, continued listening to it. I must say that the original Decca pressings (especially the Phase-4 Stereo ones) sound simply magnificent with this phonostage. Its amazing, how something so simple can sound so nice.
Click to expand...

Sure Reuben. Please at your convenience. The good thing is that this is going through a break-in :).
 
Was doodling with Eagle, and came up with this PCB for this circuit.
Kinda derived from the CNC phono layout, so I retained the cartridge loading
DIP switches, but the board will work fine without installing those switches.
The board has enough room to use silver mica caps in the RIAA section.

2072ccz.jpg


If anyone is interested, I can share the eagle files. There are probably
better transistors like the KSA1815 or 1845 which one can use now.
 
Prasad, I think these amplifier stages will benefit from current sources implemented using transistors, same way we do for power amps discrete input stage. What so you say.
 
omishra said:
Prasad, I think these amplifier stages will benefit from current sources implemented using transistors, same way we do for power amps discrete input stage. What so you say.
Click to expand...

Om, agreed, this one is very basic, and lot of improvements possible.
But the very simplicity is it's appeal, for use as a built-in pre with ceramic carts.
Very simple , wide range, single rail power supply requirement.
This PCB is for the exact original Elektor Book-75 circuit which Ruben is using (except
cartridge loading dip switch).

Another easy one is the TCC750 schematic posted here.
Phono Preamplifier Scrapbook

High perf discrete pre deserves a separate thread. We may even end up with the
extreme one like Peranders did.

Sjstrm Audio - QSXM2 The extreme phono (RIAA) amplifier
 
Thanks for this, lovely to note that we can actually go for an upgrade on the humble phonostage design. I recall my dad had a 4 stage mono ceramic phonopreamp which had loads and loads of components hanging out of a wooden box.

I think the advantages presented while working with ceramic carts are 1) the high impedance and 2) the high output. From my experience, gain is not a significant factor as it is available at source, in abundance. This is why, even a single stage design works so wonderfully well. The high gain at source would present the opportunity of ample feed for feedback loops, filters and load balancing. That dip-switch model is truly mouth watering. I must definitely give it a try.

I am also planning to try my hand at hi-pass and low-pass filtering for rumble and scratch filtering. That would be a good value add. Also switched equalization for 78rpm labels. What a monumental phonostage this would end up being.


quad said:
Om, agreed, this one is very basic, and lot of improvements possible.
But the very simplicity is it's appeal, for use as a built-in pre with ceramic carts.
Very simple , wide range, single rail power supply requirement.
This PCB is for the exact original Elektor Book-75 circuit which Ruben is using (except
cartridge loading dip switch).

Another easy one is the TCC750 schematic posted here.
Phono Preamplifier Scrapbook

High perf discrete pre deserves a separate thread. We may even end up with the
extreme one like Peranders did.

Sjstrm Audio - QSXM2 The extreme phono (RIAA) amplifier
Click to expand...
 
RP's phonostage is finally packed and ready for dispatch by tomorrow morning (thanks to my wife for the help in packaging and dispatch). Was so busy with my work over the last 2 weeks that this kept getting postponed. Have done 43 hours of listening but I guess the perfect burn in would be around the 50-60 hour mark. Docket details by PM, tomorrow :)

reubensm said:
So here we go, here is FM Record Player's ceramic phonostage. Did some long listening last night and it sounds pretty good. I have used better quality caps this time but honestly could not tell the difference when comparing it with my existing ceramic phonostage using ceramic disc caps. Guess more critical listening is required (with serious burn-in). Did about 10 hours of listening in all, the stage is working fine and is ready for shipping.

17wj.jpg


c32u.jpg


x0bc.jpg


the last picture gives a better view of the layout.

On another note, going to start work on my version of the CNC phonostage. Details of this project will go on to the Sachu's CNC phonostage build thread. I am going to make some radical changes to the approach (not the circuit) in order to keep costs down and also to include a flavour of customization and innovation during the build.
Click to expand...
 
Of the 3 ceramic phonostages I've built (featured on this thread), I have not noticed any difference in performance between the 3, with the same source, amplification and speakers. This is a very simple design but sounds quite nice and adequate. Another feature is that it is dead silent, when run on battery. Same is the case if a very high quality PSU is used (with suitable filtration). Overall, a decent performer, I should say. Awaiting Hildebrand and Record Player's feedback.

Now with the ceramic phonostages over, its time for the CNC build.
 
I have been very slow on the CNC build basically as I work from 9am to 11pm every day (at work). Its nearing the year end and its the most busy part of the year.

RP, have you tried out the ceramic phonostage, when you do so, please share your comments and feedback.
 
Not yet Reuben. I'm looking forward to closing the 401 build soon and post that I will build a casing for the ceramic phonostage and then test it. A detailed review to definitely follow after that.

reubensm said:
RP, have you tried out the ceramic phonostage, when you do so, please share your comments and feedback.
Click to expand...
 
My CNC phonostage build was delayed by a load of work at office. Hope to catch up on some action for my good friend JK_Chaos, over the coming weekend. After that, the weekend to follow will see another ceramic phonostage build, this time for FM mayhem_metal
 
Record Player said:
Not yet Reuben. I'm looking forward to closing the 401 build soon and post that I will build a casing for the ceramic phonostage and then test it. A detailed review to definitely follow after that.
Click to expand...

Hey Reuben - The small cabinet build for the Ceramic Phonostage has started today. This will be ready in 3 days time and right after testing will begin.

Will keep you posted.
 
a quick update, got the components for my good friend, FM Mayhem_Metal's ceramic phonostage. Also the CNC build for my good friend FM JK_Chaos is mid-way through. Have been doing 9am to 11pm days at work, thanks to the Finance year end. Hope to get back on track by next Saturday. Will have the CNC and the ceramic phonostage singing by then.
 
have been slow on the CNC build for my good friend JK and the Ceramic phonostage for my good friend Mayhem_Metal. Will sit down with these and finish them off by the weekend. The CNC is half done.
 
Finally both the CNC build for JK and the Ceramic phonostage build for Mayhem_Metal are complete but pending testing. Will complete that by this weekend. If I can find the time, I'll build a Ceramic phonostage for Srini as well. He was enquiring about one on another thread.

Srini, please let me know if I can build one for you.
 
dear mr reubensm

By all means yes please build one for me. recently acquired a noise reduction unit locally assembled when recording centres were at their best. It does work fine for 78s and bad vinyl. dont know much about the circuit but it has a control knob from 1 khz to 30khz and surface noise is reduced to a very much considerable level.
regards
Srinivas
 
some builds are pending from my end

One for vmscbe1974 and the other for mayhem_metal. Both are ready but have to test them. I have built one on a single board and the other on twin boards (one channel on each). I shall test them over the weekend and dispatch.

Now, which one of you wants the single board version? The person who replies first gets to make the choice :)
 
The 2 ceramic phonostages are tested and ready for dispatch. Unfortunately, don't have anymore time to spend burning them in. One phonostage is done with an attempt to create 2 distinctly discrete mono channels, while the other has both channels mounted on a single board. These were done for FMs vmscbe1974 and mayhem_metal. Both sound identical with no cross talk with a 9 volts battery power source.

Request both FMs to let me know who wants the 2 discrete mono stages and who wants the single-board stereo stage. Shall dispatch by coming weekend. Have written to you for the address.

Here are some low quality pics, taken with my mobile phone in not-so-very-good light. Please excuse as my camera is not with me today.

DSC07156_zps457c0762.jpg


DSC07157_zps8a9106e3.jpg


DSC07158_zps716f2782.jpg


The boards look dis-coloured in the photographs, please excuse, that's due to the low-light conditions.
 
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