3 reasons You NEED a Phono Preamp! Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra, Fosi X2, Uturn Pluto 2 Comparison

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Recommended Speaker List

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Pioneer AJ First Gen - Laid Back

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Polk Reserve R100 - Neutral

Recommended Amp List

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Recommended DACs

Subs

[MrRamperez]

Every single piece of my setup has been based on your recommendations; Sony speakers, Cambridge Audio amp, schiit dac, Fluance TT and echo link and I already own the Fosi preamp. Thank you for providing excellent choices at affordable prices.

[chrisrussell]

I agree about the Fosi. I have one and used it to replace a Cambridge Audio solo. I actually use it with the Nagaoka MP 110 but I have very neutral speakers so that changes things a bit. I upgraded the tubes a year later and that was a big improvement as well. I love it.

[donpettit]

There is a tendency to assume that the more you spend, the better sound will be the result…and most of us cannot afford to system/equipment swap to figure all that out for ourselves.

That has been (IMO) the tremendous service your channel has always provided. Thanks again for solid recommendations and doing the heavy (and expensive) work for us. Our ears are the benefactors.

[rubif]

I got the fosi now. Perfect with the orofon Red. It sounds really good together, just the kick the sound needed. Very good recomendation.

[Kratos]

Hey Randy! Just got my Fosi Box! Love it!!! It really fills out the bottom end so much nicer than the built in preamp on my AT-LP120BT, and definitely better than the preamp built into my Yamaha receiver. Thanks for the advice! 🤘🏻

[tsiver]

I paired the Fosi Audio Box X2 with upgraded tubes( GE NOS) and the Fluance RT85 with vintage Infinity RSIIIbs and love the results. Buy the Fosi, you can beat the sound stage for the cost of entry.

[cpg]

You always bring me back down to earth when I’m on a audiophile rampage. Thanks. Helps my OCD majorly.

[johnmickey]

I have the Fosi X2, actually I have 2 of them, I really like the thing, one thing I gotta warn people about is the RCA connectors on the rear, they break easily, so if you have those old Monster Cable or THX ultra tight heavy duty gold connector cables, they will break the RCA inputs immediately when you try to remove them, only use standard cables with this thing, I ended up buying a new Fosi X2 and I also purchased shielded RCA cable from Amazon with normal (not tight) connectors on it and my turntable sounds perfect with the thing, absolutely no hum even with volume turned up very high. I have it paired with a matching Fosi T20 amplifier. Also the front Aux input on the Fosi X2 is actually useful, I use the X2 and T20 with my Turntable, and Schiit Modi DAC and my PC, the RCA to Aux cable that comes with the X2 is perfect for connecting my Schiit Modi to the X2 when I want to listen to CD or my PC, which sounds ridiculous, but the T20 only has one RCA input so having the front input on the X2 makes it possible to connect more devices to my small amp without removing cables on the back.

As far as repairing the one that broke, it’s not easy to replace the RCA connectors on the PCB, I tried to desolder and re-solder the connections on the board, but it turns out the actual pins on the connectors broke, so the ground has to be desoldered and the entire back plate had to be removed to take the old RCA connectors off the PCB, I’m waiting for the replacement parts to arrive but in short, don’t use tight cables on this thing, it will break it.

[kennethoransky]

Very good video. I use the Schiit Mani myself. The Fosi looks like a fun preamp to try out.

[bobkoep]

Love the channel. I'm one of those guys who got the dream vintage system I couldn't afford when I was young. Pioneer SA9500 with it's tuner TX-9500 running the CS-99A speakers. Also, I love vinyl ...I bought the Fosi Box X4 phono preamp. I'm using the tubes that came with it. What would be an affordable alternative (tubes) I could try?
Keep up the good work. Problem with this hobby (love affair!) Is that there are few people in my day to day life I can really talk too and share it with. Oh sure, everyone thinks it's cool, but their eyes glaze over when the fun details are discussed. Thanks for being there and sharing the eye glazing details I have always been into.
I would like to see more vintage analog audio discussions, I love learning.

[labernese]

Great summary Randy
Newbies, don’t forget to plug your external phono preamp into the aux or CD rca input of your integrated if you’re not using its onboard preamp.
ie: don’t use the phono input

[francescotenti]

Great video. I ended up buying the Ifi Zen and it did a huge improvement over the one built in in my Pioneer SX550, cartridge is an Ortofon 2 Blue on an old SL-D2 and Klipsch RP600M complete my very modest vinyl set up. Those speakers were the biggest surprise, for the longest time I didn't like the sound and then, once the 2 months free return expired I just kept them and the sound improved quite a lot. Break in period? My ears?..Who knows, but now I"m glad I have'em especially considering I bought them heavily discounted a year and half ago and I haven't seen that price ever since.

[alm]

Thanks for the shootout and thanks for including the iFi Zen in the comparisons. Cambridge also has some not too expensive phono preamps that might be just what someone is looking for. I've got an older Cambridge Azur 651P-B that I recently updated to the iFi Zen.

[TheFrugalAudiophile]

I Recently Added the Fluance PA 10 external phono preamp to my RT81 I love it! I am amazed at the difference in detail versus using the built-in preamp on my turntable.

[Terry]

The pre-amp is one of the most neglected items in the vinyl chain. They aren't fun to buy. They aren't interesting to talk about but they affect the sound probably as much or even more than the cartridge itself. While it hurts to pony up some cash for something so mundane, it's worth it. A real plus is a good one will last a lifetime.

[fredflintstone]

One thing that' was not discussed was that the reason you need a Phono preamp of some sort is to decode the RIAA curve that's a standard on how grooves were cut into records. It was a standard introduced into producing records during the 1950s that attenuated the low frequencies in order to be able to cut shallower grooves in records for lower frequencies increasing play time.
If you don't include a RIAA compensating preamp the records will sound horrible.. Also, you don't want to have two phone preamps in your circuit because you will be applying the RIAA decoding process twice which will boost the bass far too much and attenuate the highs too much. If your turntable has some kind of phono preamp (RIAA decoder) built in, and you want to use another in addition you'll either need to be able to bypass the internal preamp, or apply some kind of equalization to the signal to get the frequency levels back to where they belong.
My advice would be to familiarize yourself with the RIAA curve if you're going to try that.

[donpettit]

Bought the Fossi Tube Phono amp a year ago when I was trying to troubleshoot a couple old Technics turntables that were having problems with distortion…trying to bypass the phono amp built into the receiver.

Threw it into the mix between the new Willsenton amp, and the Goodwill Onkyo turntable with Grado Black cartridge…just to see what full analog sounded like.

Fantastic is what it sounded like.

At some point will drag the Fluance RT85 downstairs to try it with the Fossi/Willsenton/old Technics towers.

[RockCity]

I just spent a few hundred on my Favorite albums from my childhood. I started with a Original 1985 1st pressing of the Scorpions Worldwide Live and Savage amusement and the 50th anniversary reissues and pre-orderd Rock believer Deluxe album. 50 years since their 1st album released. 💯🔥 so now I have to buy a Turntable!! Lol

[NosEL]

Awesome channel, so helpful in so many ways. I truly appreciate all the content and opinions you provide Randy. I was in the middle of your 9 Circles podcast interview when this notification popped up. Good stuff

[zachreyf]

The fosi x2 definitely boosted my system!!! I have a yamaha integrated 301 and this blows away the internal preamp. I went through your link so I hope you get credit for it