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There is a buzzing most of the time unless i have the volume lower. It works as advertised but it seems like the grounding isnt working properly. otherwise works as it says it does
This Behringer pre-amp (purchased from Musicians Friends) worked fine (no hum) but when I turned my Sony amp up (not very loud)to hear my phono the amp would shut down with a "PROTECT" warning indicating an "irregular current." Obviously incompatible, so I am out the shipping charges to receive and to return the product. I am now using my old colege amp (with built in phono pre-amp) to listen to my records. I have a recently purchased Sony STR-DH100 amp/receiver, which I knew would require a phono pre-amp. What a waste of $$ and time.
The reccordings came out great.This unit is great.awesome price.'Works for Me'. A very nice surprise.Very goog gain. I read the Amazon reviews, so I gave it a shot. I was thrilled.So my power pack caused the only problem, and I can do one LP at at time on battery. I saw alot of audiophile reviews of preamps, some junk, some way pricey, but I just needed somthing to convert my LP's.I'm not an audiophile, but I maintained my album collection quite well.There are still very few, or no pops or clicks. My amp , a Sansui 5000a, is older than most of the people I know, but I've gotten used to CD accuracy.Anyway, my wife got me Roxios' LP to CD software , but I needed this preamp. I grounded the entire circuit to the cold water pipe.I STILL got a Hum.I got discouraged, unplugged the LAPTOP, and the hum vanished.
The newer A/V Receivers do not have the capability to use older turntables. Great product. This device allows the receiver to connect a turntable if you still have records and allows those records to be converted into CD's.
Thanks Amazon. Of course, I can't vouch for that solution as I have no problem with hum). (But see my Update: October 19, 2009 notice below). I did write the review before I purchased my second unit from Amazon but I was told that, since I did buy one from Amazon, the label would subsequently appear. It has not, at least as of this date. If so, they should return theirs for an exchange.Now I have seen phono pre-amps selling in the 5-figure price range (at least one costs twelve thousand five hundred dollars[].
Of course, some of these people may have gotten a defective unit. Thus I paid only sixty-nine dollars apiece for the four turntables. (The cartridge, Shure V15-V P-mounts cost over one hundred dollars each).This phono pre-amp works splendidly with that turntable and the two computer speaker systems with which I have used it: an Altec Lansing Expressionist-PLUS FX3021 2.1 Speaker System and a Logitech Speaker System Z320 (Black).There is NO hum whatsoever - none, zero, nada - and I have put my ear up close to the speakers. But then so is this little Behringer pre-amp.It would be interesting to directly compare this one with some others but, unfortunately, I am not in a position to do that as this is the only phono pre-amp I own.
Obviously the RIAA curve decoded by this pre-amp is spot-on accurate.If you are planning to play a turntable through computer speakers or a newer receiver/amplifier which has no direct phono input, I strongly suggest that you try this one first. - I wonder if its sound quality is really 625 times as good as this one). In my not-so-humble opinion there is nothing as good as the sound quality which can be obtained from LP records played through a good sound system (only SACDs come close). And the components I am using (mentioned in this review) definitely qualify.One small caveat regarding this pre-amp: I must mention that it is strictly for moving-magnet cartridges, NOT moving-coil ones.It is by far the lowest-priced phono pre-amp that I have found which is made by a major reputable manufacturer and, of course, if you were to buy it from Amazon and it were to prove unsatisfactory, you could always return it.I certainly wouldn't consider parting with mine and I most definitely recommend it to all who need or want such a device. I wished to use it to allow one of my spare turntables to play through my computer speakers.The turntable I am using is a twenty-five year old Technics Quartz Direct Drive Automatic Turntable System SL-Q200.
(All of my receivers/amplifiers have their own direct phono input so the only components with which I'll use this pre-amp are amplified computer speakers of good quality).I will say that the sound produced through this little unit is certainly splendid and, at least with the two (highly recommended by me) computer (amplified) speakers I mention, the sound quality is absolutely first-rate.I have been playing a number of my LPs through these speakers since yesterday, the Logitechs last night, and the Altec-Lansings today and I have to say that I am amazed and pleased. I think that, for the large majority of people, this is the only phono pre-amp they will need and I highly recommend it.===================================================================================================================================Update: January 22, 2010Well, it took Amazon a while, but you can see that they have finally placed the "Amazon Verified Purchase" tag on this review. With the Altec-Lansings, the bass is full and palpable. at a time when the Japanese Yen was trading at about 250 to the dollar. That should tell you how much I like this little phono pre-amp.===================================================================================================================================Update: November 7, 2009Though I have communicated with Amazon several times, the "Amazon Verified Purchase" label does not appear with this review. However, at least in my experience, he is just plain wrong - and so are the few others complaining of hum with this preamp.My thoughts (and I am certainly no expert) are that a) the people are not connecting their turntables and the grounding wire correctly or b) their home wiring is not properly grounded.
I recommend that anyone considering a phono preamp, definitely consider this one - and buy it from Amazon. But, take my word for it, I DID buy one (my second unit) from Amazon and, like the first unit I bought, it is excellent. I bought it (and three more). One reviewer gives a technical reason why there must be hum (something to do with the power supply) and I cannot doubt his credentials. and I am sure these much more expensive units are quite good.
Plus they offer free shipping with only a twenty-five dollar order - it's easy to add something small to your order for this preamp so you'll get the free shipping (that's what I did). Their price and service can't be beat. Until the other day, I didn't know that Amazon sold this item; I bought mine from Parts Express. (It might be worth a try to reverse the direction of the plug of either the turntable or the preamp to see if this removes any hum. You won't regret buying this one.===================================================================================================================================Update: October 19, 2009Obviously I know now that Amazon sells this item and I just placed an order here for a second unit.
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