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Plug a turntable without a built-in preamplifier into the auxiliary input of an amplifier or a pair of powered speakers and you will hear almost nothing, and what you do hear will sound thin. That is because a phono cartridge produces a tiny signal, and records are cut with the bass reduced and the treble boosted. A phono preamplifier, also called a phono stage, raises that signal to line level and applies the reverse correction, known as RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) equalization.
Do you need one
Check three places. Many turntables, including most of our best turntables for beginners and every model in our guide to the best Bluetooth turntables, have a phono stage built in. Some amplifiers and receivers have a socket labelled Phono. And some powered speakers for turntables include one. If none of those apply, you need an external unit. Even if your turntable has one built in, an external phono stage is one of the most noticeable upgrades you can make, since built-in stages are usually designed to a tight budget.
What to look for
Cartridge type. Most beginner cartridges are MM (moving magnet). MC (moving coil) cartridges produce an even smaller signal and need more gain. Every pick below handles MM, and a few handle both.
Gain and loading. Gain is how much the signal is boosted, measured in dB (decibels). Loading is the electrical resistance and capacitance the cartridge sees. Simple units fix these at the standard values that suit nearly every MM cartridge. Adjustable units let you fine tune later.
Extras. A subsonic filter cuts very low rumble from warped records. A USB (Universal Serial Bus) output lets you record your vinyl to a computer.
Pro-Ject Phono Box E: the small, cheap fix
The Phono Box E is Pro-Ject's entry level MM phono stage. It is small enough to sit right beside the turntable, has internal metal shielding, gold plated RCA (Radio Corporation of America) sockets and an outboard power supply. Pro-Ject lists 40 dB of gain and 47 kohm input impedance, which are standard MM values. It comes in black or white. If you just need your turntable to work with your speakers, start here.
Fluance PA10: a step up with a rumble filter
The Fluance PA10 is a passively equalized MM phono stage with separate left and right channel op amps (operational amplifiers) from Texas Instruments, a low noise 24V power supply and a metal enclosure inside its wood exterior to block interference. Fluance quotes RIAA deviation of plus or minus 0.5 dB. Its selectable high pass filter rolls off the low end below 20Hz, which helps with rumble and woofer pumping at higher volumes. It also has a ground terminal, which most turntables need.
Rega Fono Mini A2D MK2: for digitizing
The Rega Fono Mini A2D is an MM phono stage based on Rega's larger Fono MM, and Rega says it is its best selling phono stage. Its USB output makes it easy to digitize records, with an adjustable recording level. Rega covers it with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. It is the one to pick if you want to archive your collection.
Rega Fono MM MK5: the long term keeper
The Fono MM MK5 uses a fully discrete input stage designed around moving magnet cartridges, with RIAA equalization split into two stages to reduce interaction and polypropylene capacitors in that circuit. Rega quotes 41.4 dB of gain and RIAA accuracy better than plus or minus 0.2 dB from 100 Hz to 100 kHz. It is housed in an aluminium case and also carries a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. Buy this once and you may never replace it.
Audio-Technica AT-PEQ30: MM and MC in one box
The AT-PEQ30 offers selectable MM and MC inputs with fixed gain and impedance, FET (field effect transistor) inputs for low noise and an all metal enclosure with a machined aluminum front panel. Choose it if you think a moving coil cartridge might be in your future.
Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra and S3 B: the adjustable ones
For tinkerers, the Phono Box S2 Ultra is a fully discrete design with no operational amplifiers, polystyrene capacitors, a switchable subsonic filter, switchable loading and four gain levels, for both MM and MC. The Phono Box S3 B adds a balanced design, inputs for two turntables with settings stored for each, and a steel and aluminium case.
Setting it up
Placement matters more than people expect. Keep the phono stage close to the turntable so the cable carrying the weak cartridge signal stays short, and keep it away from power supplies and transformers, which can add hum. Connect the turntable's RCA cables to the phono input, connect the ground wire from the turntable to the ground terminal if there is one, then run a second pair of cables from the phono stage output to a line input on your amplifier or speakers. If your turntable has a built-in preamplifier, switch it off first, or you will be boosting the signal twice and it will sound harsh and distorted.
How to choose
Just need sound: Phono Box E. Want a rumble filter and a ground post: Fluance PA10. Want to digitize: Rega Fono Mini A2D. Want a stage you will keep for a decade: Rega Fono MM MK5. Planning on moving coil: AT-PEQ30 or a Pro-Ject S series box. Set up, connect the ground wire and keep the stylus clean, and any of these will make records sound the way they should. If you are weighing a whole turntable, read AT-LP120XUSB vs Fluance RT82, and find more in our vinyl section.
