Wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a new Phono Preamp and possibly a good separate overall system DSP? The Phono Preamp must have balanced outputs and have a rumble filter. Adjustable gain, cartridge type selection and selectable capacitance would also be nice. Also looking for a good DSP with a quick “defeat” option and balanced outputs.
Not looking to go over the top on spend, but my current system is mostly PSAudio and consists of a pair of BHK300’s, BHKpre, DSD-DAC, DirectStream Memory Player w/Bridge II, NuWave Phono Converter, P5(speakers), P10(amps/sources), pair of REL 5 SHO subwoofers with longbow wireless connection and Acoustat 33 Electrostatic speakers. Turntable is a MoFi Electronics UltraDeck Turntable with MM MasterTracker Cartridge. Thanks.
EaglesMan, do you have a price target? A phono pre that doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention, but seems to have everything you’re looking for, is the ProJect Phono Box S3 B. The capacitive loading is the kicker; seems to be hard to find that in phono pres that have balanced output.
Thanks Tony. I’d probably be looking to spend $3,500 or less on the Phono Pre.
No balanced output but checks all your other boxes.
Very interesting club_pizzazz…. Also, just to be clear, I was looking for two separate components, being the PhonoPre AND a separate DSP.
Might fit your needs
In that range, I think the only one meeting all your desired criteria is the ProJect Phono Box RS2. If flexible capacitive loading weren’t a requirement, a lot more options would open up. I thought of the MP100, but wasn’t sure you’d want a built in digital section so I left it out.
Hmm. Cyrus Audio comes to mind. Nice gear. Aesthetix if you want tubes, but I might be over your target.
Thanks, John2213. Looks very much like my old NuWave PhonoPre which I’ve loved, but after a quick glance over, I don’t see a defeatable “rumble filter” or “sub-sonic filter” option on the McIntosh?
Maybe I just need an overall system DSP with a sub-sonic/rumble filter?
Maybe, but if that would be the case, I’d wonder what was the driver behind the need for a subsonic filter. Causes are typically warped records or resonance caused by a non ideal tonearm / cartridge match. A subsonic filter would otherwise usually not be needed.
I’ve had a subsonic filter on most of my phono preamps including my current XP-27. I’ve pressed the button a couple times to no obvious effect. I guess it must be useful.
I could write a book on what I’ve done over the past 10 years trying to reduce the issues requiring what I think is a subsonic filter. At this point, I think I’d like to try this option and see if there is a positive impact.
I get it. If you want to go DSP and just dial in a cutoff below (pick your number) Hz, then miniDSP is a decent option.
Just for grins, what arm and cart give you the biggest problems?
Get to the root of the problem with this:
Definitely.
I have had four different turntables. What I currently have is listed in the original post. The worst turntable I had was a Music Hall MMF 7.3 Turntable w/Ortofon Bronze. I get it about trying to get to the root of the problem. The rumble problem does seem to come and go to some extent, but I have the turntable sitting on a 300 lb piece of quartz credenza tabletop which has 600 33rpm LP’s underneath it and is on a floor that is reinforced with steel pole down to the concrete basement floor. These helped but did not totally resolve the issue. I’ve also tried all the “easy tweaks” as well. Just trying to see if there is an “easy option” attack that might work by installing a new/updated component. Any suggestions on a rack style mount DSP/equalizer that could also act as a sub-sonic filter?
A Cadenza Bronze? Nice cart. IIRC the MMF 7.3 is outfitted with a tonearm having a light effective mass - 8 or 9 grams if memory serves. That would put the resonant frequency with this cart at just about 8Hz, maybe a touch below. For a setup like this I’d suggest trying a VTF of 2.6g or maybe even 2.65g (assuming you haven’t already tried it). It should help mitigate LF anomalies. Having said that…
Yikes! 
With everything you’ve already done, maybe a rumble filter is the way to go!
I would try some Stack Auva feet under the turntable.
Thanks RonP. I have tried isolation feet before with little success. These Stack Auva’s would probably be better, but I’m a bit limited in how high I can raise my TT. In any event, I think the Waxwing might be a viable option. But……. if anyone knows of a nice “old school style” multi-band equalizer, (the more bands the better), that I could fit between my BHKpre and BHK300 Amplifiers with balanced outputs, I’d love to know about it.
Possibly stretch a bit for a pre-enjoined Luxman EQ-500
I had its much less sophisticated sibling the E-250 for a while as a “bridge” phono while in-between phono stages. Strong performer for its price point. Had a rumble filter and a de-mag function. I like others never felt the need for the filter.
The 500 is tubed, of course, has high and low cuts (scratch and rumble filters) in house SUT/output transformers and a host of other goodies
I don’t have a lot of experience with the highly adjustable phono stages. My pre has (1) mm input, a grounding lug and a power switch. A guy I work with, has a Moonriver 505, that he loves fiddling with and swears by the enhanced result when “everything is dialed in just right”
If I was looking for all the features at a somewhat reasonable cost, I would include the Luxman in my search. It’s been replaced in the lineup, so may show up used at a good value
Review from one of the best ever, attached🙂
Best,
JP
https://www.stereophile.com/content/luxman-eq-500-phono-preamplifier