All Tube Phono Stage Pre-amp Part 18: Subjective Wrap-up Final Review

The video today covers the final thoughts on this "upgraded" version and advice on future builds of this great sounding phono-stage.
This is a video series about building a EAR834 clone, all vacuum tube phono stage pre-amplifier used for listening to vinyl. You can find the schematic for this Ebay kit at my website. There is also a BOM of the parts I used if you decide to buy a board only.
www.skunkiedes...

[@rwidebrook]

Thanks for this valuable presentation. I built a similar kit from Zhili Audio, adding a few premium parts. In usage, my finished kit needed two mods - 1., Use a 12AU7 as Tube No.3 position to lower the gain w/o resorting to use of a potentiometer; and 2., Use a grounded tube shield on Tube No.1 to quell hum. Fixing the hum resulted in an enjoyable improvement.😀

[@hanscleung4633]

Congratulations on the final video! Really well presented and detailed.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

Thank you very much!

[@markmckelvey9806]

Still waiting on parts but I plan to do this as my winter project. Going with a shorter chassis because my shelf is not deep enough. Thanks for the wrap-up! You are the best!

[@flyingmattyboy]

Hi, love your videos. I have built 3 of these now. All with 6n2p ev rather than 12ax7. I have re-wired the pins to do this and changed some of the resistor values to suite. The last one had Charcroft silver micas, matched RIAA components, all good quality parts, bypass Caps under the 6 elecyrolytic, and the 2 small elevtrolytics changed to elna silk caps, I also use the Alpha2delta power supply board built from a kit. It is very quiet and sounds very, very good. I use russian pio caps with very good results. A lot of people on the Lenco forum build these and do all sorts of mods etc one of the members put a lot of effort into making a guide on modding/building these. I must build the standard one some day to compare, but mine sure sounds good. The A2D power supply made a quiet amp silent.

[@rickg8015]

Hi.. What would you say are the sonic differences between Charcroft silver micas and generic silver micas, from let’s say Antique Electronic Supply? Less glare and sibilance? Thanks..

[@flyingmattyboy]

@@rickg8015 I built my first one with antique mica units. I didn't like the sound and ended up changing them to cornell D ones. The change was massive more open, detailed and more punch. I think the CD's are good value if you get the 1% ones. Charcrofts are nicer but were twice as much. I managed to find NOS Holco resistors of the right values for the RIAA circuit too.

[@rickg8015]

@@flyingmattyboy Thanks for the feedback.. I’ve only tried Dale RN60 and Takman Rex metal films for RIAA. I liked them both..

[@markferrari9734]

Thanks for the series. This is going to be my first tube project and between this series and the popularity on lencohaven, i have the confidence to tinker untill i get somthing i like alot better then the phono stage in modern integrated amps. The parts cost sure do add up quick. I cant ever seem to settle on any cheap hobbies.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

yeah, these are not super cheap to build, but I don't trust the parts in the prebuilt ones. I've found the resistors they include with these kits can be all over the place!

[@EsotericArctos]

Thank you for being honest about the sound. So many "Audiophiles" will say there is a huge difference between Chineseum and high quality, audio specific parts. I agree, you want the RIAA section right, but sometimes people get fooled by the plecebo effect. I guess it keeps an industry alive by selling a power cable for several thousand dollars :)

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

Yep, I face palm when I see people raving about how some power cable or even a "power conditioner" transformed their system.

[@edverbeek6292]

Very good explained what you heared. Interesting conclusions!

[@ceylonmooney]

god some good suggestions from you on AK (tryin out the EH 7025 tues). I sure enjoy these videos. just ordered one a the ear834 clones offa eBay. this is making me want get another soldering iron. aint done that in at least 10 years and didn't do much more than guitar cables when I had one .

[@cyrilsalillas4383]

I finished my build and sounds great. i watch your videos and follow your build, but I need to crank up the volume to get more sound up to 2 o’clock on my volume. I don’t know what is wrong.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

Compared to what?

[@cyrilsalillas4383]

@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics I’m not comparing. Im just asking if you have any idea what the problem with my build . If this normal to crank high the volume or is there any missing parts in my build. Thanks

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

This preamp normally has plenty of gain compared to something like a DAC or a CD deck. I'm asking if you are comparing it to a DAC/CD deck or something like a pre-amp put between a line source device and the same amp. Did you do any other mods when building it?

[@cyrilsalillas4383]

@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics No ..I built this same as you . I hooked up in my yamaha as1100 and i hooked up with my REISONG A10 same issue I need to crank high the volume, by the way I made MODS With my A10 and the sound is very good BECAUSE of your You Tube videos THANK VERY MUCH.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

Yeah that's not normal. Not sure if it's a defective tube or something else is going on. Maybe move this to my forum and ask there, attach voltage measurements, pictures etc.

[@mfr58]

Thanks. Instructive comparison. I wonder whether, if you'd had a more mellow sounding pair of speakers, your preferences may have been different....

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

Good point! And yes, voicing a system has to include that: aligning everything as a system and also personal preference + the your own hearing. With different speakers, other coupling caps etc. might sound great!

[@nickk6109]

Slamming mundorf :) It would be interesting to see if the bode plots for each of those caps.

[@VinylRescue]

Well, I just watched all your videos on this project and I want to build one! I have two Schiit Manis, one Schiit Mani 2, one ART DJ II, and one Cambridge 615 (I believe that's the model number) phono preamps, but this sounds like a lot of fun. The only thing I didn't hear was what the total cost of the project you built compared to the original build with the Chinese parts. I did download your BOM, but I haven't had the time yet to research the cost. I have a variety of MM carts and one MC cart so I'd be using this on my Technics SL-Q2 that I swap between the MM carts on. I use my Denon DL-103R exclusively on my Rega Planar 2 with my Schiit Mani 2. There were a few places in your build that was missed when it came to the placement of the parts on the boards as I've never done this kind of build before. I've mainly modified/refurbed turntables, but this will be a new adventure. I found your videos after possibly looking into a DIY tube phono preamp. Thanks for the videos as I'll be watching them again when I start building mine! Duh, I just found a couple missing videos on this series and going to watch them now!

[@hanscleung4633]

Hello im considering the schiit mani2 , art dj II OR this kit. Could you kindly recommend or share your experiences with the mani and art dj?

[@VinylRescue]

@@hanscleung4633 I haven't used the ART DJ Pre II in some time, but for it's price point it's good. I really like my Mani preamps, but I'm wanting to try this tube preamp for a different sound. The Mani has many reviews here on KZbin and I have many videos on my channel demonstrating the sound of the original Mani and the Manis 2. I still haven't been able to start buying the materials needed for this tube preamp yet, but I'm hoping to soon as I have the tools for it.

[@rwidebrook]

Thanks for this helpful series. My parts-swapping in this model brings me to disagree on parts choices for the 0.1uF and the 1.0uF coupling caps and the RIAA silver-mica caps. The original parts yielded a thin, harsh, lackluster, and impaired-harmonics sound, even with 2 weeks break-in time.. But with quality RIAA caps, plus coupling caps of Jupiter 1.0uF and NOS Russian 0.1uF silver-mica caps, this thing sings, right off the bat. YMMV, as hifi is about system-dependency.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

I agree the factory caps don't work great. I used mundorf coupling caps, a .15uf, .01uf and a 1uf + some quality RIAA caps in mine.

[@allenwalters8812]

Must depend on what circuit you put those miflex caps in. I put them in my 2a3 amp and they started out very harsh and bright like you said but after 3 days straight of letting it run it has settled way down. Very smooth now and the brightness is almost gone. It had extreme sibilance for the first 2 days but that's all gone now.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

It does depend. In this phono stage, this cap only has 5mv of photo cartridge signal running through it, so would take a LONG time to settle down, if ever. In your power amp, it probably has over 100V of swing running through it and still took several days to settle down.

[@allenwalters8812]

@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics I guess in your application you'd have to break it in before you put it in the circuit. Sounds like a lot of hassle.

[@rickg8015]

The Miflex coppers do sound rough in the first couple of weeks, and that’s as couplers between driver stages and 300B output tubes.. It might take longer in an input position where much lower voltages (and current) are usually the case..

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

Yeah I wondered about that as far as "burning in" as there is very little voltage or current in this application. I for sure didn't throw them away and will try them in a future project!

[@ammej768]

What was the mouser part number for the shorter chassis? I've just ordered the PCB it. The mains transformer Mouser part number for European customers (230v) is 266L6 {6.3v @2amps)

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

1444-1463 is the 14X6X3 shorter model. On the transformer, it also needs to supply 230-280VAC. And while the board spec's 2A on the 6.3, a 12AX7 heater pulls 300ma so I would think 1A would cover 3 of them.

[@58markmc]

where did you run your turntable ground to? Just to the chassis? I bought the bare pcb and there are no directions. There is a spot between the inputs on the pcb for a ground connection which looks like the spot. i assume that's the place-just want to be sure. thanks

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

I tied that marked ground point to a screw/stud bolted to the front of the chassis, and the outside extends for the turntable ground wire to connect using a "thumb nut" to attach it.

[@markmckelvey9806]

@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics ok thanks thought that was the spot. Funny though I took my meter to it and that point has no continuity to the ground plane on the board.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

@@markmckelvey9806 Interesting. I need to give that a look! I think next time I'm going to try building this as a point to point preamp and see how that works.

[@DennisSantos]

Great stuff

[@flyingmattyboy]

Hi Skunkie Is there any analysis that you can do on the scope etc For this build? Wish I had your knowledge and skills. I have also built a tubelab sse with switchable cathode resistors for el84, kt88 etc. All this sounds good to my ears but I wish I knew how to go over them and measure them etc.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

Check out my video on the analog discover 2 and the audio analyzer suite software. It's not cheap but does a really nice job. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIvHfWmgoqh9rKc

[@steviehacker]

I’ve been looking for a pre amp to run my kt88 single ended amp that I built from watching Marks videos on Blueglow electronics. Mark mentioned that it would take probably 2V to drive it, so what might this amp produce from a 4mV input from a phono cartridge at the output. I have ordered the kit for this one, and am looking forward to building it. Really enjoying your videos 👍

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

This phono stage is pretty hot, it will easily drive one of those blue glow KT88 amps. I built one and it worked great with it.

[@steviehacker]

@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics Thanks for the re assurance, I built the 4s universal pre amp yesterday and it only gave 485 mV when I fed 4mV into it. I love my KT88 amp, I spent £750 on the iron but I have been using a small mixer to drive it, can`t wait to build this EAR834, thanks again 😁

[@ceylonmooney]

some of the newer men of integrated amps sound pretty good--ive heard. coupla rega amps, and those are geared towards records. they sound good and have fantastic synergy with the rega turntables. outboard phono stage is where its at, tho. some a the cheap ones, like the tube box s2 and the hifi zen, sound real good.

[@syhi7971]

Did you ground the PS Board also? Or just the preamp board.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

If you separate them,. you have to ground both.

[@allenwalters8812]

What do you think about getting 2 boxes the size of the main board and separating the pre and power supply. If you stack them it would have a smaller footprint.

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

That could work.

[@stevenpaul3886]

Is this one for sale?

[@gregorypatton360]

Hey skunkie. Have you considered a step up transformer for a mc cart? Im only asking because im thinking of moving into one and my decware phono stage will need a sut. Love your channel!

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

I haven't looked into those, other than my understanding is good ones are $$$. And not using a good one defeats the whole purpose of going to an MC cart. I personally feel this Audio-Technica VM540ML MM sounds so good, I haven't been tempted.

[@gregorypatton360]

@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics ive been using a retipped grado moving iron cart for a year. Its wonderful. I actually bought a second one from the gentleman who modded it. But i got the bug and i havnt changed my phono chain in a while. I looked at bobs devices but dont know if it makes sense to add a sut of that price to a decware phono stage or just look at a new stage that does mc as well as mm.

[@rajoconnor]

Do you have a link to that board?

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

I bought mine off ebay, just search EAR834 and look for this black board.

[@ianaintsaying1625]

Is there a more "standard" sized chassis available for this phono pre?

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

These are off the shelf hammond aluminum chassis.

[@roroseppel2077]

hello Skunkie, what is the DMM on your table ?

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

I'm using a Fluke 17B+ Just seemed like a decent model at a reasonable price point when I bought it.

[@robbysmusic8507]

Speaking of vinyl it is vinyl coming back?

[@SkunkieDesignsElectronics]

Absolutely!

[@1mctous]

I'd still go with Nichicon electrolytics in the power supply to get 30 years of reliable service.

[@flyingmattyboy]

Agree, for the small amount of cost its definitely worth changing all electrolytic.