Did Aiyima just release the best phono preamp under $100?

[@ForeverAnalog]

Do you use a moving magnet or moving coil cartridge?

[@Jeep_on_audio]

I use MC almost exclusively and it works really well on MC. It's quiet and transparent. With upgraded opamps it's even the best under $1k I dare say. Not Sparkos or Burson but $15 SX52B that look and sound like Sparkos. I've reworked many phono amps, this one is really clever.

[@quocrip]

@@ForeverAnalog I personally use MM carts exclusively. I can appreciate the upturn in sound quality from an MC cartridge, but they’re out of my price range.

[@MattCoykendall1]

Hey! I have this one in for review as well. I tested the MC side on a Denon DL-103r it handles it and is useable but could use a bit more gain for MC. I agree with your thoughts that this is going to be primarily a MM preamp though, good review....now I guess I better get mine wrapped up ha!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for sharing! Yeah, I was tempted to buy a MC cart to test this preamp, but in the end I felt folks using MC would probably rarely pair it with a $99 preamp, lol. Looking forward to your review!

[@Jeep_on_audio]

Hey Matt. It would be nice to test it with some upgraded opamps too. 5532 are not that great.

[@Jeep_on_audio]

​@@ForeverAnalog I do. You can get very good mc cartridges from China now. The brand is called Zhige. I used a $200 super elliptical MC with nude ebony body and 0.3mV output @6Ω. With upgraded opamps (+$60) it totally rocks. MC is not just for the elite anymore. Or is it easy to become elite now? With this phono on MC way better than a boring Ortofon 2M blue.

[@JackkAlexMorris1995]

Hi, I'm wondering if someone could give me some advice regarding my record player set up? I've been collecting for a year & currently have the Audio-Technica AT-LP60XUSBGM, which I'm more than happy with & I'm not looking to upgrade at this point. I use it with a pair of Fostex PM0.3B 3" Studio Monitors elevated with some stands. Overall I am happy with the sound as I live in a small apartment but I've started going down the rabbit hole of looking into external phono preamps but I'm not very savvy with it all. Due to my technica already having a built in pre amp, would the sound be dramatically different running my monitors through a phono preamp with a budget of up to £100 or is it just as worth keeping them running through the internal pre amp? Thanks in advance!

[@sandydaly68]

I like your Pioneer table very cool Happy Thanksgiving

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you!

[@sandydaly68]

I have had the Rega Ania Pro recommended for a Rega Planar 6 table it’s a MC why I need a preamp! Thanks

[@danisold]

MM. Ortofon 2m blue. No desire to upgrade. Same with phono stage, schiit mani 2. No desire to upgrade. Nice review.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Ooh yeah, Schiit Mani 2 is tough to beat! Thanks for watching!

[@flynow5614]

I have the black.

[@quocrip]

I use the Ifi Zen phono stage and it’s terrific! Soundstage is wide, detailed and dead quiet. It also caters for MC carts. Pricier than the Aiyima, but the quality of the components for the price is amazing!!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing and watching!

[@lucasg7637]

Which preamp would you recommend for a PL-112D? I have a AT-VM95E cartridge. A Denon AVR-789, and lastly two 606 S Jamo Speakers and a center Jamo speaker. Thank you

[@thelowprofile9767]

Talking about phone preamps, would you like to test and compare against the cheap Kinter PR400 which one reviewer claimed that it was actually good.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I’m not familiar with that one!

[@patricksullivan9340]

Great review. I agree with others that this is mostly marketing glitz, to include (likely mediocre) MC functionality. Set that aside, and just look at this as a really solid, hundred dollar MM option. It’s great for us consumers to have good options in this price range! My main systems preamp has a nice built in phono input, but in two other systems, I use an NAD PP 2e; I’ve been very satisfied with that phono preamp. Keep up the good work… I have just ‘subscribed’!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for the kind words! I really enjoyed the MM function and playback at this price but yeah, the MC features seem like they are targeting the wrong audience lol. Thanks for the sub!

[@Jeep_on_audio]

I just bought one (for my third arm) and it is definitely not just a marketing gimmick. I upgraded the opamps as it was made for that. And with 4 opamp stages (2 duals per side) it has plenty of headroom for real MC cartridges. The best thing is you can vary the gain of the MC with tiny steps so as to take off the stress of the fist set of opamps. I reckon the total gain must be about 77dB (38+39). And it does it quiet without sounding thin or veiled like most under $1k phonos do. With upgraded opamps it only gets better.

[@PlasticMogaBand]

I'm deciding between this and maybe the ART DJ Pre II. Which one should I get?

[@ForeverAnalog]

I haven’t used the DJ Pre, sorry!

[@josecintron85]

How would you compare the Aiyima to the Schiit Mani (IK the Mani is $50 more), assuming you've had the opportunity to use the Mani?

[@ForeverAnalog]

I no longer have the Mani so I hesitate to compare since I haven't used it in a long time. I do like the idea of a gain knob on the T3 Pro over the switch on the Mani in terms of features.

[@Jeep_on_audio]

On the T3 Pro you can upgrade the opamps (front ones for MM) for a better sound. This will lift the sound quality to a different level. Even Sparkos. But OracleII 02 are very affordable at $7 /pc and a definite upgrade already. The variable gain is something really smart. Just put the volume at 100% and vary the gain. This will take a lot of stress out of the opamps.

[@flynow5614]

Can't go wrong with grado.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Very true!

[@barrywilliams606]

Would this sound better than the fosi audio box x2 with tubes?

[@ForeverAnalog]

I haven't tested the X2 unfortunately so I cannot say, sorry!

[@Crashbanksbuysilver]

Is it as good as the fosi x2?

[@ForeverAnalog]

I haven't tested the fosi x2 so I can't speak to its performance, sorry!

[@rmzidann]

Try the Denon 103R…

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for the tip!

[@carminedesanto6746]

GM ☕️ Interesting phono head amp ..at that price point.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I thought so too. Considering the high price of MC carts, I'm curious if owners would even consider a preamp this cheap to pair with their expensive MC cart?

[@carminedesanto6746]

As a Koetsu fanboy…probably not. I’d look to more of a match in my system.🧐

[@Mark3ABE]

Three things you don’t need on a phono preamplifier. An “on/off” switch. They should be left permanently on. A “gain” control. The gain should be fixed at the optimal level for a MM cartridge. If you want to use a MC cartridge, use a step up transformer into a MM preamplifier. A “volume” control. Just why would you need that? As to the “best” phono preamplifier - a matter of personal choice. I find that nothing beats the Pro-Ject Phono MM.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great points thank you!

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Tubes in most modern equipment are used in Cathode Follower circuits. They actually offer no gain ... buffers as Aaron says. Gimmicks indeed.

[@TheNorliss]

A bit odd that it offers gain from 0dB to 39dB. In what scenario would you ever be needing a phono pre-amp with 0dB or with anything much less than 30-odd dB, for that matter? Also, to do MC properly is difficult and cheapie devices like this have it purely for marketing reasons as they think it looks better value for money. I'd be willing to bet it doesn't do well with MC carts and anyone going to the trouble and expense of buying an MC cart will most likely be wanting a higher quality phono pre than this, in all honesty.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I agree. Overall it's a great MM preamp, but I doubt people who've spent hundreds (or thousands) on a MC cart will settle for a $99 preamp lol. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Jeep_on_audio]

There are two sets of opamps inside. The first does the extra gain for MC and steps it up 0-39dB. The second pair does the RIAA curve plus the MM gain. So in total the MC gain can reach almost 80dB! On my poweramps I can keep the gain knob on 9 o'clock with the volume on full. MC cartridge has 0.3mV output @6Ω. And it sounds really good.

[@robertgreene1946]

I own many Moving Coil carts, Audio Technica ATOC9xSL, ATOC9IIML, AT-ART 1, ZYX Bloom 3, and Denon DL311LC my phono preamp is a Whest PS30R that cost over $2000usd when I got over 5 years ago. MC cart needs a phono stage that has a lot more than 39dBs of gain my has 60,65 or 72dBs of gain. Super low-cost phono stages like the T3 pro shouldn't be used. If you going to move up to MC spend some money

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Jeep_on_audio]

I own even more MC's up to Kiseki, Koetsu and Dynavector. And I have 2 silver wire transformers (same as Audio Note) on the 2 inputs of my Gold Note PH10+PS10. I just installed this little overachiever with upgraded opamps (or without). I can totally amplify any MC and make it sound good. The gain controls the 2nd set of dual opamps to match your MC output. On top of the ~40dB for MM. That's close to 80dB of gain! Gain, not SNR. I have the gain at 9 o' clock and volume full open to my mono power amps. And it sounds really great. Even with my third arm and mc cartridge that are not that expensive. It has good deep bass, powerful voices (like old mono LPs) rather wide and deep. It even has air. Not as refined as my main arm but very pleasing. That's with a €60 upgrade in opamps over the €75 T3 Pro.

[@RocknRonni]

Nobody in their right mind using a good MC would use that phono lol