Undeniably, vinyl records offer an audio experience like no other. However, records, turntables, and various other pieces of equipment can deteriorate over time, resulting in audio crackle. But what are the causes of vinyl crackles, and how do you fix them?

What are the causes of vinyl crackle, and how to fix them? There are various causes of vinyl crackle, including the dirtiness of a vinyl record, static build-up, cleanliness of the stylus, and the overall record quality. Each occurrence can be radically reduced by implementing correct maintenance to your audio equipment.

In this article, we'll be discussing the main culprits of vinyl crackle, along with fixtures to ensure the maximum longevity of clean audio.

Related articles:
• Top 11 Best Phono Cartridge Brands In The World
• Top 11 Phono Stage/Preamplifier Brands In The World
• Top 11 Best Turntable/Record Player Brands In The World

The 4 Main Culprits Of Vinyl Crackle And Fixtures

As mentioned, there are four leading causes of vinyl crackle: dirtiness of a vinyl record, static build-up, cleanliness of the stylus, and the overall record quality. Each can be reduced by following the maintenance techniques we explain below.

But you must understand that vinyl crackle cannot be eliminated entirely. Records, turntables, styluses, and various other audio equipment can become damaged for different reasons throughout their lifespan.

However, you can prolong their quality by implementing the below fixtures so that you can listen to clear audio for longer.

Let's consider the four main causes of vinyl crackle and how to fix each of them:

• Dirty records
• Static build-up
• Cleanliness of the stylus
• Record quality

Dirty Records

The most prominent reason for vinyl crackle is the physical dirtiness of the record. Even in the cleanest environments, records can attract dust, dirt, skin oils (from handling), and various other debris. If left unchecked, these can begin to fall into the record's grooves, compress, and eventually interfere with the operation and tracking of your turntable's stylus.

When these microscopic particles build up, the styluses' trackability decreases, resulting in crackle, skips, or unclear audio. An easy preventive action and/or fix for this issue is, undoubtedly, to clean your records. Luckily, this doesn't require a high-level sound production degree, only that you'll follow the below how-to guide:

1. Wipe gently – Begin removing all large debris and static with a microfiber cloth. When doing this, apply only a tiny amount of pressure to guarantee you don’t force the particles further into the record’s grooves.
2. Rinse – With another clean microfiber cloth, dampen it with water (preferably distilled water), and lightly wipe around the record in a circular motion that follows the grooves. Note – avoid the center label at all costs because it can ruin the adhesive. 
3. Apply solution – Afterward, apply a record cleaning solution like the Audio-Technica AT634a to the microfiber cloth and repeat the same process as above. The solution is scientifically formulated to remove hard-wearing dust and other particles.
4. Damp-wipe clean – Now, you need to wipe the solution away with a clean cloth.
5. Dry thoroughly – With another cloth, ensure the record is completely dry from the water and cleaning solution.

Audio-Technica is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!

Following the above primary cleaning technique will ensure dirt-free records. However, for more straightforward cleaning, you can use a record washer system like the Pro-Ject VC-S2 ALU. Notably, this doesn't offer a deeper clean than the hands-on method shown above, but it'll undoubtedly save you some time.

Pro-Ject is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!

Static Build-up

The materials that records are created with are non-conductive, meaning you'll never receive an electric shock from them. However, it doesn't mean a vinyl record cannot build up a significant static charge.

Unfortunately, a static build-up can cause several issues, such as directly affecting the sound quality, presenting crackles or pops, and more. Additionally, dust and other microscopic particles love static energy, making the record a magnet for these types of debris.

But how does static become an issue with records?

Static can get generated from various things such as the record's production, the way it's been packaged, and even removing the vinyl out of the sleeve, which all add extra electrons onto the record.

Although you can't eliminate static from a record, you can reduce it with various tools. Use a fibre brush and anti-static gun, and by all means, don't use felt vinyl mats. Instead, consider using cork, rubber, or genuine cowhide mats because these don't charge vinyl records with static energy.  

Cleanliness Of The Stylus

A turntable stylus is located on the phono cartridge. It's a small sharp-pointed pin that tracks the record's grooves and reads vibrations that can later be converted into electrical signals. This small, innovative component is why we can extract sound from records.

As you can imagine, the cleanliness of a stylus will significantly affect the audio quality produced. It can cause skipping in the sound and most importantly, crackle. Therefore, similarly to a record, you'll want to guarantee you perform adequate maintenance to your stylus. Here's how you can accomplish this:   

• The Magic Eraser – A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is commonly used to clean a stylus. To effectively clean your stylus, lift your tonearm upwards and repeatedly stab the stylus in and out of the pad. By doing this, small unwanted particles that have built up will be detached.

• A Stylus Brush – Additionally, a stylus brush with the appropriate cleaning solution is also ideal. It’ll remove any unwanted debris while reducing the static energy built up on the stylus.

• Record cleanliness – Lastly, the overall cleanliness of a stylus is a direct representation of the maintenance performed on the records themselves. With clean records, a stylus cannot become dirty.

Record Quality

Including the above, the quality of the records could be causing vinyl crackle. As records become older, they deteriorate. It's a challenging situation that's hard to avoid because of the materials used. Damage can occur on the surface or grooves as they become older, causing crackles, skips, and other unwanted noises.

When records encounter severe damage to the integrity of the vinyl, it's almost irreversible. Some professional specialists can unwarp, de-scratch, and repair your vinyl records, but they're hard to come by. Therefore, to guarantee you aren't confronted with this, ensure you perform adequate maintenance on your equipment.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you should have a more comprehensive idea of what could potentially cause vinyl crackle and how you can determine and appropriately act on the issue to reduce its occurrence. Undoubtedly, it's a very frustrating situation, but it can be reduced radically with a bit of extra care and attention. 

The post The Causes Of Vinyl Crackle & How To Fix Them first appeared on My New Microphone and is written by Arthur Fox.

Have you ever felt like your turntables aren’t producing the sound they once were? The phono cartridge is the first component that many new audiophiles appoint the blame.

Do phono cartridges wear out? The phono cartridge component itself doesn’t have any deteriorating parts. However, located near this is the stylus. It’s a part that appears pointed and is used to track the record’s grooves. Over time, this can become worn, resulting in a decrease in trackability and sound quality.

In this article, we’ll be discussing the ins and outs of how styluses wear out, along with helpful tips to increase their lifespan to save you some precious dollars and sound quality.

Related article: Top 11 Best Phono Cartridge Brands In The World

Will My Phono Cartridge Wear Out?

As mentioned above, a phono cartridge doesn’t wear out. It’s made from several components, such as a magnet, coil, body, cantilever, and, most importantly, a stylus. However, unlike the other parts associated with a phono cartridge, the stylus can be removed and replaced remarkably easily.

For those new to the industry, a stylus is critical for retrieving quality sounds from a turntable and record. It’s a tiny needle that rests against the record while it’s spinning on the platter. As this needle works its way through the grooves located on the vinyl, vibrations are created and converted into electrical signals.

Of course, preamps, mixers, or sound systems don’t understand plain vibration signals because they’re electrical equipment. That’s why these need to be converted before being sent to the appropriate devices to make a sound.

Although this small needle called a stylus doesn’t seem remarkably impressive, it plays a considerable role in the audio quality. Undoubtedly, these do wear out over time. However, it’s highly durable and made from special stones like diamonds or sapphire.

Because of this, many manufacturers state that their styluses last around 150 to 200 hours of playtime, depending on the quality. Cartridges will generally work well beyond that point (1000+ hours), though at reduced performance.

How Does A Stylus Wear Out?

Now you’re aware a stylus can wear out, let’s discuss how they generally become worn, as this will allow you to reduce these occurrences and improve the overall longevity of your equipment. There isn’t much that can deteriorate a stylus because it only touches the record and cantilever. However, there are some reasons why you could encounter a worn-out stylus:

• Dirty records: The most prominent issue is dirty, unclean records. Good stylus maintenance doesn’t necessarily begin with the component itself. Instead, having clean, dry, and dust-free records is more beneficial. A kit like this one from EVEO is a superb investment because it has possibly everything you need to ensure optimal cleanliness for your vinyl. 

• Configuration: In some circumstances, the turntable isn’t set up correctly. A poorly configured azimuth, anti-skate, and tracking force can quickly contribute to unnecessary and excessive wear.

• Unbalanced cantilever: Over time, the pivot and magnets holding the cantilever in place can become out of line. Because of this, the stylus could be resting heavier on the record. If this occurs, you’re able to readjust the phono cartridge into an ideal position.  

There are various reasons why a stylus will wear out, but typically, the leading causes are presented from the record themselves. Understanding this is excellent, but let’s discuss how to increase the lifespan of a phono cartridge stylus even further.

Can You Increase The Lifespan Of A Phono Cartridge Stylus?

All music equipment (whether an instrument, set of speakers, preamplifier, turntable, or stylus) must be maintained correctly to guarantee optimal longevity and performance. Failing to offer this could result in your gear quickly becoming worse for wear. Therefore, you’ll want to consider these essential maintenance tips:

• Firstly, consider cleaning your stylus regularly with the appropriate cleaning solutions like the Hudson Hi-Fi Turntable UV Stylus Cleaner. Many turntable enthusiasts believe that using a solution like the suggested should be considered for every record playback, but every two or three is also ideal.

• Additionally, despite your superior cleaning efforts with your records, occasionally doing a deep wet clean on them will undoubtedly benefit your styluses' life. By doing this correctly, you’ll entirely remove any unwanted grime, dust, or other debris from the vinyl. 

• Ensure your turntable is situated on a solid surface. Suppose the record player continuously moves from vibrations of people walking past (or anything else similar). In that case, the vibrations can knock the stylus deeper into the record’s grooves, affecting its longevity.

• If you’re new to the scene, it’s recommended to get a professional to set up your equipment. More often than not, the entire configuration isn’t accurate. As a result, the stylus, record, and various other components become more worn over a shorter period.

How Can You Tell A Phono Cartridge Stylus Needs Replacing?

Having a fundamental understanding of the above is mandatory to guarantee the longevity of your stylus. However, these components eventually wear out no matter how well you maintain them throughout their lives. But a worn stylus doesn’t sound remarkably good. Because of this, you’ll need to identify when it needs replacing or resharpening (depending on the model).

• Visible damage: The quickest examination you can perform is by visibly looking at the stylus. Usually, they’re very pointed and sharp. If they appear rounded or blunt, then it’s a good indication that the stylus might need changing. Additionally, you might want to consider the below conformations.

• Thin sounding: Including the above, you could start hearing a faint thinning sound playing back from your records. These can easily be identified because your records will start sounding exceptionally similar to an AM radio station. Therefore, it’ll have minimal bass or dynamic range.  

• Skips and scratches: In the worst circumstances, it can present skips and scratches because it’ll lose its trackability on the record. If you’re listening to a well-memorized vinyl, then try to listen out for incorrect frequencies.

After reading the above, you should have a more comprehensive understanding of whether a phono cartridge wears out. As you now know, this component doesn’t, but the stylus does. Because of this, we discussed how to identify a damaged stylus and increase its longevity to guarantee your system is running optimally.

Related Questions

Do vinyl records wear out over time, and if so, how? Vinyl records can last 100-plus years under strict conditions. Vinyl records are made of PVC, a material that takes centuries to decompose. Elements that determine the lifespan of a vinyl record include maintenance, humidity levels, UV exposure, storage, and the equipment used to play the record.

Related article: Do Vinyl Records Wear Out Over Time & If So, How?

Do loudspeakers wear out, and if so, how? Loudspeakers eventually wear out due to mechanical wear, particularly in the surround/suspension that connects the cone/diaphragm to the basket/housing. Environmental factors can wear out the speaker with enough time and exposure. Extended high-level audio signals can wear out electrical components.

Related article: Do Loudspeakers Wear Out & If So, How?

The post Do Phono Cartridges Wear Out & If So, How? first appeared on My New Microphone and is written by Arthur Fox.

Popularized in 1948, though invented in the 1920's, vinyl records have been a staple for listening to music and audio for decades. Whether the records are from the mid-20th century or a modern press, many collectors and turntable enthusiasts prioritize the upkeep of vinyl records for maximum longevity.

Do vinyl records wear out over time, and if so, how? Vinyl records can last 100-plus years under strict conditions. Vinyl records are made of PVC, a material that takes centuries to decompose. Elements that determine the lifespan of a vinyl record include maintenance, humidity levels, UV exposure, storage, and the equipment used to play the record.

The above indicates that vinyl records can last a substantial amount of time if preserved correctly. To guarantee that you can maintain your vinyl records correctly, you’ll want to become knowledgeable on the below. In this article, we'll discuss the five primary reasons why records wear out over time. By understanding this, you can ensure your records last a lifetime.

Related articles:
• Top 11 Best Phono Cartridge Brands In The World
• Top 11 Best Turntable/Record Player Brands In The World
• Top 11 Phono Stage/Preamplifier Brands In The World

5 Primary Reasons Why Vinyl Records Wear Out Over Time

Previously, in this post, we briefly mentioned five reasons why vinyl records wear out over time. To prevent these issues from occurring, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the fundamental reasons. In this section, I'll offer Amazon links to products I believe will help with vinyl record maintenance.

Once again, the five important factors that contribute to vinyl wear (or the lack thereof) are:

1. Maintenance/upkeep
2. Humidity
3. Ultra-violet Light
4. Storage
5. Equipment

1. Maintenance And Upkeep

Many beginner record collectors or turntable lovers don’t realize that the overall cleanliness of a vinyl record over its lifespan contributes to its longevity. Therefore, guaranteeing your records are kept dirt, dust, and fingerprint-free is mandatory to increase their working years.

The reasoning behind ensuring this is that dirt, dust, and other debris can fall within the ridges of the record. As a result, the overall playback of the record will be impacted.

When this becomes problematic, the sound quality will decrease, and it’ll begin to skip and produce noises that aren’t meant to be projected from the record.

Related article: The Causes Of Vinyl Crackle & How To Fix Them

In terms of longevity, the skipping caused by accumulated dirt and debris can cause the stylus/needle to damage the record on impact. Furthermore, the debris can cause lasting damage within the grooves even after it's cleaned away.

When cleaning a record, care should be taken to avoid forcing any particles against/into the grooves, thereby preserving the information contained within the grooves.

Wipe gently, removing all dust with a microfiber cloth. Dampen the cloth with distilled water and gently rinse the record. Use a suitable solution like the Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner if you have one. Dry the record with a dry microfibre cloth and use compressed air to remove any moisture remaining in the grooves.

When it comes to the maintenance of a vinyl record, surprisingly, fingerprints also could cause issues. Our fingers are filled with natural oils, which is a disastrous combination when mixed with vinyl.

From touching your vinyl record, the natural oil from your fingers invites dust and other particles to attach themselves to the vinyl. Therefore, try to hold the record either by the inner label or the edges.

2. Humidity Levels

Vinyl records are collectibles, timepieces, and an extraordinary representation of the past. Because of this, consider them as a work of art. Like highly valuable art pieces, they should be stored in proper conditions to guarantee that they don’t depreciate or tarnish.

Unexpectedly, not storing your vinyl in suitable humidity levels positively charges your records, attracting even more dust, dirt, and other debris. While using a carbon brush can counteract some of the static charge generated from humidity, it’ll undoubtedly still be present.

The ideal humidity levels for vinyl storage are around the 30 to 40 percent mark. If you’re unaware of the levels around your storage area, purchasing a hygrometer will help. Additionally, if you want to increase or decrease the humidity levels, consider using a humidifier or dehumidifier to obtain optimal results.  

3. Exposure To UV Light

Additionally, exposure to sunlight (UV light) also influences the total lifespan of a vinyl record. An extended amount of exposure to sunlight or high temperatures can result in the vinyl records warping and becoming distorted.

As a rule of thumb, when the temperature reaches 140º Fahrenheit (60º Celcius), the material starts to lose its resilience, making the traditional circular, flat shape deform.

Although UV can cause significant damage to vinyl records, it’s relatively easy to avoid. When finding a suitable storage area for your records, ensure they’re not subjected to light and the room’s temperature doesn’t exceed 140º F or 60º C.

4. Storage

The above describes the perfect conditions to ensure optimal longevity for your vinyl in terms of storage. However, it doesn’t mention how you should physically store them. Ideally, you’ll want to store your records vertically.

Never store them on top of one another. By doing this, pressure can build, causing the records to warp. Again, to prevent this, store them next to each other vertically.

5. Equipment Used To Play The Records

Lastly, another element that determines the total lifespan of your vinyl records is the equipment used to play the records. While a cheaper turntable may seem like the more suitable option, for the time being, you’re dramatically increasing the chances of irreversible damage.

The usual circumstance of this occurring is groove wear. When there’s severe friction between the grooves and the stylus/needle, it can damage the record. Over time, the grooves become worn, lose their quality and eventually become unplayable.

Now you’ve read the above, you should understand the five primary reasons why records become damaged. By knowing this, you can minimize the occurrence of these and increase the lifespan of your adored records.

How To Increase The Longevity Of Your Vinyl Records

After becoming knowledgeable on the fundamentals of what damages a vinyl record, I’m sure you’re eager to learn how to take care of your records correctly. To summarize how to ensure optimal longevity, ensure you’re following the below crucial factors:

• Handling: Never place your fingers on the vinyl’s grooves; only handle records either on the edges or by the circular paper label located in the center.
• Storing: Don’t stack records, expose them to sunlight, or place them in areas susceptible to mould or high humidity levels
• Platter: Before removing or placing a vinyl, guarantee that the platter has come to a complete halt.
• Cleaning: Always clean your vinyl after use with suitable cleaning equipment and solutions.

By ensuring the above, you’ll dramatically improve the longevity of your vinyl records by a significant amount. For the most premium results, you’ll want to guarantee consistency with your cleaning, handling, and storage practices throughout their entire lifespan. By doing this, you’ll ensure that your records will last a lifetime.

Related Questions

Do phono cartridges wear out? The phono cartridge component itself doesn’t have any deteriorating parts. However, located near this is the stylus. It’s a part that appears pointed and is used to track the record’s grooves. Over time, this can become worn, resulting in a decrease in trackability and sound quality.

Related article: Do Phono Cartridges Wear Out & If So, How?

Do loudspeakers wear out, and if so, how? Loudspeakers eventually wear out due to mechanical wear, particularly in the surround/suspension that connects the cone/diaphragm to the basket/housing. Environmental factors can wear out the speaker with enough time and exposure. Extended high-level audio signals can wear out electrical components.

Related article: Do Loudspeakers Wear Out & If So, How?

The post Do Vinyl Records Wear Out Over Time & If So, How? first appeared on My New Microphone and is written by Arthur Fox.

With so many ways to listen to music today, sitting down to listen to a vinyl record has made somewhat of a resurgence.

Though speakers are needed to convert the audio signal into sound waves, another transducer, the needle and cartridge, is required to read the mechanical grooves of the record and convert them into electrical audio signals for the system to amplify and reproduce.

Since phono cartridges are such an essential part of the vinyl record listening experience, it makes sense that there are plenty of options on the market. With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to find the perfect phono cartridge. In this article, I’ll share my take on the top brands to produce phono cartridges.

Though obviously subjective and prone to biases, I’ve done my best to list out these brands based on the following metrics (in no particular order):

• Company reputation
• Performance of the phono cartridges
• Longevity of the phono cartridges
• Variety of phono cartridges (brands with moving coil and moving magnet options are prioritized)
• Accessibility of the phono cartridges (how easy they are to find/buy)
• The company must currently be in operation

With all that being said, let’s list out the brands.

The Top 11 Best Phono Cartridge Brands Are:

1. Ortofon
2. Audio-Technica
3. Rega
4. Goldring
5. Koetsu
6. Grado
7. Nagaoka
8. Clearaudio
9. Sumiko
10. Benz Micro
11. My Sonic Lab

Let’s get into each of these brands in greater detail and explain why they belong in the top 11 best phono cartridge brands. I’ll share their country of origin, a bit of history, an example of a moving coil and moving magnet cartridge (if possible), and a link to their official website.

Click here to return to My New Microphone’s articles on musical equipment brands/manufacturers.

Ortofon

Ortofon is today, after well over a century of hard work and continuous innovation, the largest producer of magnetic cartridges in the world. Indeed, the company sells around half a million cartridges every year to every location in the world you can think of.

Much of this reputation as the best in the industry comes from being the inventor of the moving coil magnetic cartridge in 1948. If you are looking for the best cartridge for your turntable, the chances of it being an Ortofon are sky-high.

Notable moving coil cartridge: Ortofon MC Anna Diamond

This moving-coil cartridge belongs to Ortofon’s highest-performing line and represents the pinnacle of their technology. The cantilever used for it is made of diamond, and together with the Ortofon Replicant 100, they offer uncanny responsiveness, extreme transparency, and high speed.

No other cartridge in the Ortofon line will give you an experience close to that of the Anna Diamond. If you’re looking for the best, this is a serious candidate.

Notable moving magnet cartridge: Ortofon 2M Black LVB 250

The best just got better; this cartridge by Ortofon symbolizes the pinnacle of their MM line. Its name is an homage to the 250 years that have gone by since Ludwig Van Beethoven passed away.

Also, this is the flagship cartridge for Ortofon’s MM technology, and thus, utilizes the best materials to create crystal-clear sounds. For example, the Nude Shibata diamond sitting elegantly on a boron cantilever ensures a wider contact area, making the most out of every groove.

Finally, since its reproduction is so detailed and wide, the higher frequencies sound crisper and closer than ever before.

Audio-Technica

Audio Technica is one of the few companies in the world immersed fully in every stage of sound creation and enjoyment.

Indeed, they manufacture state-of-the-art recording equipment and also high-end headphones, turntables, and magnetic cartridges. This level of insight into the recording process allowed the company to create audio equipment that could reproduce as faithfully as possible the sounds captured by their equipment.

Audio Technica is a definitive audio brand, and its cartridges are famous for being as musical as it gets. If possible, give them a try before you buy!

Notable moving coil cartridge: Audio-Technica Consumer AT-ART9XA

This notable MC cartridge represents the highest point in Audio Technica MC Technology so far. First off, with its gold-and-black matte finish, it looks classy and smart. Also, the non-magnetic core offers the user a superior spatial representation.

Furthermore, the dual moving coils form an inverted V, which provides a wide response, translating into minimal distortion and clear sound localization.

Finally, the Shibata stylus and solid boron cantilever excel in the mid-low frequencies and are capable of crisp, defined highs.

Notable moving magnet cartridge: Audio-Technica Consumer VM760SLC

The flagship MM cartridge by Audio Technica is capable of crystal-clear reproduction and uncanny durability.

To begin with, the VM dual-magnet cartridge and special-line stylus represent the pinnacle in Audio Technica’s MM technology. The stylus is attached to an aluminum tapered cantilever and features paratoroidal coils that further improve performance efficiency.

Finally, the center shield plate reduces the crosstalk between left and right channels, and the die-cast aluminum gold and black housing adds a natural electric shield while reducing vibration.

Rega

Since the early 70s, co-founders Roy and Tony set out to create Hi-Fi equipment capable of delivering the best experience to every music lover in the world. In that pursuit, what had started as a tonearm company soon expanded to complete systems. That holistic approach of building every unit and concept from scratch gave the company insight into sound few others have.

As a result, every Rega cartridge is the outcome of decades of research and development and is ready to provide the best experience to every Hi-Fi lover in the world.

Notable moving coil cartridge: Rega Aphelion 2

The Aphelion perfectly represents the kind of performance Rega is capable of. On the one hand, the boron rod cantilever and the fine line profile for the nude diamond stylus ensure clear, accurate reproduction of the sound in your favourite records’ grooves.

On the other hand, the black anodized aluminum body, iron micro cross, and coil assembly make it one of the world’s smallest MC generators. That being said, don’t be fooled by its size since it is the world’s most powerful miniaturized neodymium magnet as well.

Finally, it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Notable moving magnet cartridge: Rega Exact

Proudly handmade in England, this MM coil cartridge represents the company’s top tier.

The “vital” profile coming right out of a rectangular diamond billet is the secret to its performance. With this profile, the stylus can extract more out of every groove with enhanced accuracy. As a result, your records will sound like never before in every frequency; the bass response will get fuller, mids will jump out, and high frequencies will sound crisp and clear.

Goldring

This company started in Berlin, Germany, in 1906 as one of the pioneers in the gramophone industry and was a privileged insider to every major change until today’s modern turntables.

Throughout all that time, Goldring presented groundbreaking enhancements in matters of sound-applied technology and continues to revolutionize the industry to this day. They have been making state-of-the-art sound systems for well over a century, and they undoubtedly know what they're doing.

Notable moving coil cartridge: Goldring Ethos

The Ethos is a high-end MC cartridge featuring a polyhedral line-contact profile nude-diamond stylus. This stylus combines a low tip mass and a large contact area. Thus, it is capable of retrieving even ultrasonic frequencies from recordings while remaining narrow front to back.

In its heart, a hand-built Goldring GOL-1 moving-coil generator translates everything to sound.

Also, an award-winning, hand-wound soft iron armature with a low resonance aircraft aluminum chassis tuned to precision by experts creates sound like you’ve never experienced. As a result, you’ll be immersed in music like never before.

Notable moving iron cartridge: Goldring GL2500

This high-output moving-iron cartridge features a tapered cantilever with dual SD diamonds for smooth yet highly detailed sound. Also, the fine metal body provides the low end for defined, rumbling lows.

In addition to that, the gold-plated connector pins eliminate all corrosion and minimize contact resistance. Furthermore, the super permalloy pole shoes provide maximum sensitivity while the shield reduces noise pickup. Finally, the Samarium cobalt magnet ensures maximum output.

Notable moving magnet cartridge: Goldring 1042

This MM cartridge represents every audiophile's dream: ultimate sonic performance with the convenience of a replaceable stylus. That being said, the included stylus is a nude, natural diamond Gyger S profile.

This revolutionary piece was designed to be closer to the record cutting head than any other design. As a result, the sound coming out of the speakers is the closest possible to the shape of the groove with none of the high-end sibilance. It doesn’t get much more detailed and accurate than this.

Koetsu

Yoshiaki Sugano was what people call a “Renaissance Man” because he was a passionate person who excelled in every field: as a boxer, a sword maker, an automotive executive, and a music lover. It was his love for Western classical music that made him go the extra mile to come up with some of the most revolutionary cartridge designs in the world.

Moreover, he was a pioneer in the use of high-purity materials such as 6N copper and platinum iron magnets. His legacy continues to fuel the company that manufactures in Japan with a USA-based headquarters.

Notable moving coil cartridge: Koetsu Blue Lace Onyx

Did you ever think your records would sound their best when played with a stone cartridge? Well, the pinnacle of Koetsu’s technology involves a stone body machined and polished to perfection. Besides being eye-catching on the outside, the inner parts make it soul-catching as well.

This is because the rare platinum magnets are joined by tightly matched silver-sheathed copper coils, recreating the grooves' sound as accurately as humanly possible. Furthermore, together with the uncanny stone housing, they create an ethereal sound and feel for which Koetsu is famous worldwide.

Grado

By 1959, Joseph Grado already had the patents for the first Stereo Moving-coil Cartridge design. Fast forward to the present, three generations of skilled craftsmen and talented engineers who breathed music and sound from the crib now run the company.

The entire family was in the epicentre of music’s most important achievements and capitalized on every move, making some of the best-sounding cartridges in history. If you haven’t already, give Grado a try; they will surely surprise you.

Notable moving coil cartridge: Grado Timbre Reference3

Like Koetsu utilizes groundbreaking technology to shape stone and make cartridges, Grado revolutionized the industry, making them with high-grade timbre. In this case, the company integrates Jarrah, diamonds, and a twin magnet system with their patented Flux-Bridge technology to achieve outstanding performance.

Moreover, they modified their cantilever to get an extra 5% mass reduction, increasing resonance. Also, they used ultra-high purity long crystal along with an oxygen-free copper wire for the coils to increase transparency.

Finally, the Grado-designed ellipsoid diamond rounds up one of the best-sounding MC cartridges on the list.

Notable moving iron cartridge: Grado Aeon3

What can be the outcome of sapphire, diamond, and wood? The answer to that question is nothing but the purest sound with outstanding tonal balance, dynamics, and realism. Furthermore, the exceptional level of detail, colour-correct harmonics, and low end make this a one-of-a-kind cartridge.

This unit is hand-built in Brooklyn by some of the most experienced and talented craftsmen in the industry to bring you uncanny performance every time you set it on the grooves of your favourite record.

Nagaoka

One of the secrets to Nagaoka’s uncanny reputation as a masterpiece maker is that they take care of all the steps in the production of their cartridges in-house in their Yamagata facility in Japan.

This grants the company the capability to perform thorough quality assurance tests at each step of the path, ensuring that only the best-performing, reliable, and well-made cartridges ever leave the factory.

This one-of-a-kind approach to cartridge making has earned them a reputation for being one of Japan’s best-kept sonic secrets for many decades. It is about time you discover them.

Notable moving magnet cartridge: Nagaoka MP-500

The MP in the name of this state-of-the-art cartridge comes from moving permalloy, one of the best materials for building cartridges in the world. Besides that feature, this cartridge utilizes a superfine line diamond mounted on a high-strength boron cantilever to translate vinyl grooves into the most detailed, wide-range music coming out of your speakers.

Besides the detail, and because of the samarium cobalt magnet, this little unit is also capable of some serious power, weighing only 8 grams. Finally, the anti-ferromagnetic permalloy shield casing keeps the audio as clean as possible.

Clearaudio

Clearaudio started its life with a direct goal: to indulge every audiophile’s dream with state-of-the-art products that could solve their problems. With that objective in mind, the company moved from niche to niche, manufacturing tonearms, speakers, cartridges, and finally, complete Hi-Fi audio systems.

This leverage acquired by commercializing every piece of equipment needed for amazing audio reproduction granted them an uncanny understanding of sound.

As a result, every Clearaudio product leaves the factory ready to make audiophile history. Check their cartridges out before buying if you haven't already.

Notable moving coil cartridge: Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement

Speaking of audiophile dreams, the motto accompanying this product is “The Ultimate Dream”. This is because they achieved a goal they could only dream of in the past: utilizing 12 magnets perfectly matched in a symmetrical shape that can grant the user a dynamic range of 100 dB.

But it doesn’t end there; the RF shielding, 24K gold wire for the coils, and the solid 14K gold mounting for the magnet array make this a one-of-a-kind cartridge. Finally, the world-famous Micro HD diamond stylus rounds up an impressive product worthy of the best grooves in history.

Notable moving magnet cartridge: Clearaudio Maestro V2 Ebony

Ebony is one of the world’s most expensive, rare, and elegant woods. Moreover, it has been chosen by music brands for ages because of its uncanny resonance and resistance. Clearaudio echoed these properties and used ebony to create some of the world's best-sounding, most organic cartridges.

Featuring a round and full bass that stays in its place and non-harsh, beautifully musical highs, this MM cartridge by Clearaudio can take any turntable to the next level.

Sumiko

This company was founded in an attempt to compete with Japan’s greatest audiophile brands. Although they didn’t put out their first product until ten years after it formed, the initial Talisman model caused a revolution in the industry.

Later, as time went by, the company branched out, and nowadays, its catalogue includes high-end, audiophile-grade cartridges and entry-level models. Whether you are a highly discerning music lover or just starting with this art form, Sumiko has got a model for you.

Notable moving coil cartridge: Sumiko Blue Point No.2

Handmade in Yokohama, Japan, this high-output moving coil makes your turntable believe you are playing your records with an MM. How so? Well, Sumiko’s unique approach blends the power of an MM cartridge with the refinement of an MC. The result is robust bass response, rich mids, and airy non-compressed highs.

The Sumiko Blue Point No.2 is a must-try before you buy.

Notable moving magnet cartridge: Sumiko Amethyst

The best quality the Amethyst can give your music is transparency. Indeed, the nude line-contact diamond stylus is as nimble as it can be, and the resonance-optimized housing drastically reduces any extraneous noise in the recordings.

What you can expect from this MM cartridge is effortless dynamics, impeccable realism, and a natural soundstage that will make you feel even comfier on your couch with your favourite record.

Benz Micro Switzerland

This company utilizes Swiss precision and technology to create some of the best-sounding cartridges in the world. It was founded by Ernst Benz, who made an early decision not to outsource any of the production line processes. As a result, their independence from other providers has made them grow non-stop since the early seventies to this day.

Benz Micro is known worldwide for being utterly reliable, precise, and great-sounding. If you are looking for Swiss perfection to play your favourite records, look no further.

Notable moving coil cartridge: Benz Micro Switzerland Benz LP S

The presence of ebony in Benz Micro’s flagship, most advanced, best-sounding cartridge is not at all a coincidence. Moreover, the warm tone of ebony can enhance any record in any style.

But that’s not all; the high-mass brass frame (50% more mass than any previous design) allows an enhanced vibrational and resonant result that will bring life to any recording.

Finally, the dynamics, deeper bass, and crisp lows are effortless and will make your records sound like never before.

My Sonic Lab

Although he founded his company in 2004, Mr. Yoshio Matsudaira was already a legend in the world of cartridges. Moreover, he designed models for all the great Japanese brands with outstanding results. It was only after being one of the most sought-after names in the industry that he decided to found his own venture and outdo all competition.

Although their price tag might be prohibitive for a certain audience, those in the search for “the best money can buy” will feel they’ve reached the summit of their audiophile career by playing their favourite records through one of My Sonic Lab’s outrageously great cartridges.

Notable moving coil cartridge: My Sonic Lab Signature Platinum

To say that this is the pinnacle of My Sonic Lab’s technology might very well mean it is the best cartridge in the world today. To begin with, the black ion-hardened titanium body is completely free from any audible resonance. Also, the boron cantilever is lighter, faster, and more accurate than any other in the industry.

Furthermore, the legendary design by Matsudaira involves fewer coil windings, optimizing results, and getting more output and gain without any of the noises or distortion usually associated with it.

Finally, this high-efficiency approach also enhances the dynamic range, meaning that you’ll hear all the frequencies printed in every groove without any disturbances.

For the truly discerning audiophile with a big budget, this is the best cartridge you can buy.

The post Top 11 Best Phono Cartridge Brands In The World first appeared on My New Microphone and is written by Arthur Fox.

Though listening to vinyl records makes up a small percentage of how music is enjoyed today, the “vinyl revival” has brought renewed interest in this vintage format.

This, in turn, has brought more attention to turntables (also known as record players or phonographs) and how they, too, affect the listening experience of these phonograph records.

Since turntables are such an essential part of the vinyl record listening experience, it makes sense that there are plenty of options on the market.

With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to find the perfect record player for your system. In this article, I’ll share my take on the top brands to produce phono cartridges.

Though obviously subjective and prone to biases, I’ve done my best to list out these brands based on the following metrics (in no particular order):

• Company reputation
• Performance of the turntables
• Accessibility of the turntables (how easy they are to find/buy)
• The company must currently be in operation

With all that being said, let’s list out the brands.

The Top 11 Best Turntable/Record Player Brands Are:

1. Linn
2. Pro-Ject
3. Audio-Technica
4. Fluance
5. Technics
6. Thorens
7. SME Audio
8. Rega
9. Clearaudio
10. Marantz
11. U-Turn

Let’s get into each of these brands in greater detail and explain why they belong in the top 11 best turntable brands. I’ll share their country of origin, a bit of history, an example of a notable turntable, and a link to their official website.

Click here to return to My New Microphone’s articles on musical equipment brands/manufacturers.

Linn

Since day one, Linn's main concern has been to exceed the expectations of the most discerning audiophiles in the world. The company’s first product, the world-known Sondek LP12 turntable, is, to this date, a benchmark for the industry.

Being one of the first Hi-Fi brands to embrace lossless digital audio, Linn’s growth has been meteoric while retaining its reputation for making some of the best-sounding turntables in the world intact.

This company always seems to be a step ahead of the competition with great sound, cutting-edge technology, uncanny reliability, and impeccable design. If you’re looking for the best turntable and can afford a Linn, trying one is a must.

Notable turntable: Linn Klimax LP12

Linn’s quintessential flagship product is also one of the best turntables in the world today. Indeed, the current design and specs are the result of over 45 years’ worth of research, development, trial and error, and critical acclaim.

Moreover, the modular design makes it possible to keep it updated with the company’s latest achievements without ever changing the whole unit.

The LP12 is a legend (always) in the making; if you are looking for the best, you have to check it out.

Pro-Ject

This Austrian brand was founded in 1991 by Heinz Lichtenegger. Although all product design is done in-house in their 1,200 square meters facility near Vienna, it also owns factories in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Pro-Ject products are sold to huge acclaim in more than 80 countries around the globe.

For most audiophiles in Europe, Pro-Ject is a benchmark in the industry for mid-priced, great-sounding turntables. Moreover, the company created a niche to call its own with many different colours and modern designs.

Nowadays, you can’t think of buying anything in their price line without trying their products; 30 years of impeccable trajectory back them up.

Notable turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo

From the stunning colour palette to the newly-designed motor suspension for increased performance, the carbon fibre arm, and the gold-plated sockets, this is one serious turntable by Pro-Ject.

Furthermore, the new and improved damped feet with adjustable height and the 1.7kg heavy steel plate make this a great-sounding, utterly stable, and reliable turntable to play your favourite records consistently day after day.

If you want the best design without compromising sound, check one of these out; they are entirely made in the EU.

Audio-Technica

Audio-Technica is a world-renowned Japanese brand that got its start in the 1960s, manufacturing only state-of-the-art phonograph cartridges such as the AT-1 and AT-3.

Soon after its foundation, the reception of Audio-Technica products was so positive that they opened a US subsidiary and branched out to other niches, including, for example, the microphones you can see in presidential debates since 1988.

Although the company manufactures a plethora of products and successfully sells them worldwide, the quality craftsmanship and the decades applied to vinyl reproduction make this one of the go-to options for audiophiles around the world today.

If you need a turntable, Audio-Technica is a brand you ought not to overlook.

Notable turntable: Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB

If the past met the present and took a sneak peek into the future, the outcome would be something similar to this turntable. Indeed, you can utilize it as a regular analog turntable via RCA connectors, connect it using a USB cable, or even go wirelessly to a Bluetooth-enabled speaker.

Needless to say, this turntable will keep your music sounding at its best regardless of the connection. Finally, it does look stunning in a black matte finish as well.

Fluance

An audiophile and music lover, Deepak Jain created the Fluance to fulfill a gap he noticed in the industry: affordable, great-sounding music equipment capable of making an album sound like a live performance.

With this goal in mind, he founded the company he would have liked to purchase his audio equipment from when he was younger and developed all elements producing sound: state-of-the-art turntables, amplifiers, and speakers.

Such passion-driven performance awarded Fluance a legion of die-hard fans around the globe. If you want amazing-sounding equipment you can afford, you have to give Fluance a chance.

Notable turntable: Fluance RT81

This Fluance turntable is a no-frills approach to great sound. It utilizes the Audio-Technica AT95E cartridge, which houses a diamond elliptical tipped stylus and a balanced aluminum S-Type tonearm that grants great sound and superior record tracking.

Besides, this unit features a bypassable auto-stop option and a belt drive attached to a precision DC motor for increased stability.

Finally, the ground terminal and the evenly weighted aluminum platter round up an amazing combo from Fluance that you have to check out.

Technics

Arguably, Technics is to turntables what Roland is to drum machines. This is also a Japanese company founded in 1965 in Osaka as a branch of the Panasonic Company dedicated to Hi-Fi audio exclusively.

In the break of hip-hop and DJs, the Technics SL-1200 was the absolute go-to turntable in the world (just like the 808 was THE drum machine).

Moreover, the scratching and non-stop groove that shaped the seventies was invented on a pair of SL-1200s.

This rich heritage was ended by Panasonic in 2010 when they discontinued the brand but brought back into action in 2015 by critical acclaim with several improved turntables ready for a new millennium of history.

You can’t overlook Technics when looking for an amazing record player for your collection.

Notable turntable: Technics SL-1500C

One of the main attributes of this state-of-the-art turntable by Technics is its coreless direct-drive motor, which allows for endless high-precision, stable rotation of your favourite records.

Also, this model comes equipped with a built-in phono equalizer and cartridge and an auto-lifter function to make the listening experience even more enjoyable. Finally, it is one of the best-looking, best-sounding, most reliable units on the list.

Thorens

To talk about the beginnings of Thorens, we have to go all the way back to the century before the last one since it was founded in 1883 in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, by Hermann Thorens.

By 1903, the company was already building Edison-type phonographs. In 1928, they introduced their first electric record player with a motor drive.

Some decades later, after relentless innovation and hard work, the turntables made by Thorens in the 50s, 60s, and 70s are still highly sought-after audiophile equipment today.

Nowadays, the company still enjoys its reputation as being among the best audiophile options in the market, almost 140 years after its foundation. Since 2018, CEO Gunter Kürten moved all operations to Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.

Is Thorens the best turntable money can buy? It surely has a spot in that argument.

Notable turntable: Thorens TS 1601

This model by Thorens won the 2020/21 EISA Award as the best turntable. One of the reasons behind its reputation is the quintessential Thorens suspended design on three conical springs for ultimate stability and the cleanest sound.

Also, the polished precision belt with adjustable belt tension, the electronically-controlled motor, and the contactless auto shut-off make it as modern as it is great-sounding.

Finally, the balanced XLR outputs, unbalanced RCA outputs, and Thorens precision tonearm TP29 round up an amazing turntable that is ready to amaze the most discerning audiophiles in the world.

SME Audio

Alastair Robertson-Aikman founded The Scale Model Equipment Company (SME) in 1946 to make scale models and parts. During the 1950s, the company's aim shifted towards precision engineering (aircraft instruments and business machines mainly), capitalizing on the years of building miniatures.

After successfully designing its first tonearm in 1959, the company started building precision-engineered parts for turntables as well as Formula 1 cars, aerospace endeavours, and medical equipment industries.

Nowadays, SME Audio is a synonym for impeccable craftsmanship with an attention to detail that goes well beyond human frontiers and resulting audio that can convince even the most demanding audiophile in the world.

SME Audio products are the result of 75 years of non-stop innovation and an unbreakable commitment to excellence.

Notable turntable: SME Model 30/12

Perhaps one of the models in the market with the highest pitch stability, this SME Model 30/12 is the bigger version of the utterly famous 30/2 turntable.

Moreover, the improved dynamic range covers the entire sonic landscape printed on any LP. The pristine, utterly precise groove reproduction is among the best you can find in the market today.

Although the price tag is on the high side, if you have a matching sound system to plug this unit into, you won’t have a better experience with any other turntable made today. Those in search of the best of the best have to check this unit out.

Rega

Rega is known worldwide for the outstanding quality of its turntables, tonearms, and cartridges. Indeed, they manufacture their own while also producing them for other high-end audio companies such as Rotel and NAD.

Since the 1980s, Rega has manufactured all the equipment audiophiles need to play their favourite records.

This means amplifiers, phono stages, speakers, and even DACs and CD players. This holistic approach to tone allowed the company an uncanny understanding of sound. The result is one of the most respected turntable lines in the world, ready to make each record a memorable experience.

In the search for excellence, Rega is a must-check before buying.

Notable turntable: Rega Planar 2

Rega believes it is possible to set up this turntable to perfection in less than a minute. This is because of its handmade RB110 tonearm and factory-fitted Carbon cartridge that require virtually no set time.

Also, the high-quality, 24V synchronous low-noise motor featuring the company’s own EBLT technology and the phenolic resin flywheel effect platter make this a high-end turntable capable of delivering sounds well beyond its price range.

Finally, the lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects rounds up an amazing product you have to check out.

Clearaudio

Since the late 1970s, Clearaudio has been building its reputation as one of the best turntable brands in the world. Its first product was the (now legendary) fully symmetrical moving coil cartridge, which continues to be a benchmark for manufacturers to this date.

Due to critical acclaim and high demand, the company decided to grow its product range.

Soon, other products followed, such as the Delta and Sigma speakers, turntables, tonearms, and, very recently, a record company remastering and re-releasing old German classics that were the property of Deutsche Grammophon.

Clearaudio's German-made products have succeeded in every niche of the music industry, becoming synonymous with superior craftsmanship and reliability. Before you buy your next turntable, you have to check them out.

Notable turntable: Clearaudio Concept

This turntable by Clearaudio is the pinnacle of their work. To begin with, the DC motor is fed by a voltage-stabilized power supply that is completely external. Being entirely decoupled from the turntable’s body ensures the listener no mechanical interference.

Another top-notch feature of this exceptional turntable is the concept tonearm, which features a friction-free magnetic bearing, ensuring extremely low distortion and impeccable performance time after time.

Finally, the package is completed with a Concept MM or MC cartridge.

Marantz

Marantz started in 1953 as a small endeavour focusing only on high-end audio components. The company enjoyed the reputation of the best-sounding hi-fi equipment of the 1970s and was purchased by Philips in the early 1980s.

Later on, Marantz CD players became the benchmark for the industry and established subsidiaries in several countries, including Japan.

Today, Marantz’s vintage and new equipment are sought after by audiophiles around the planet because of their impeccable craftsmanship, obsessive attention to detail, and uncanny performance.

Notable turntable: Marantz TT-15S1

Marantz’s combination of classic specs and state-of-the-art minimalism creates a piece of equipment ready to take the center of your living room.

Besides being visually very appealing, this turntable works with a floating motor over a low-resonance, high-density acrylic chassis that makes it one of the most silent, better-performing turntables in its price range.

Plus, the asynchronous AC motor delivers great accuracy and reliability to round up a product that is up to the expectations of a brand like Marantz.

U-Turn

Robert, Peter, and Benjamin were high-school friends at Lexington High who decided to raise money via a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign and an incubator program at Northeastern University.

With the money gathered through those channels, they created their first prototype and began manufacturing operations with parts sourced from American suppliers and assembled in Woburn.

Since the original prototype, U-Turn has designed and manufactured great-sounding turntables at competitive prices with appealing looks and great reliability.

For those searching for great sound and a minimalistic approach at an affordable price, trying U-Turn is a must.

Notable turntable: U-Turn Orbit Plus

The first thing that hits you about this turntable is its transparent acrylic platter. That being said, looks are not the only reason the company chose it. This turntable also provides improved stability and speed and acts like a dissipater for unwanted resonances.

Also, the turntable comes with an Ortofon OM5E cartridge, a precision OA2 gimbal tonearm (with counterweight), an external belt operation with an asynchronous, low-noise AC motor, and a dust cover. Finally, the turntable bears a 3-year warranty.

The post Top 11 Best Turntable/Record Player Brands In The World first appeared on My New Microphone and is written by Arthur Fox.

Phonograph/vinyl records have been around since the 1940s and are still a fairly popular method of listening to music. To play vinyl records, one must have several pieces in his or her sound system, including speakers, a power amplifier, a record player (turntable), and, as we'll discuss in this article, a phono preamplifier stage.

Note that it's fairly common for designers to include the phono preamp within the record player (similarly to how some speakers have built-in power amps).

However, for many HiFi systems, having a separate phono preamp is part of the fun of designing the system and trying different sonic “flavours”.

There are plenty of phono preamp options on the market, and with so many to choose from, it can be difficult to find the perfect match for the system. In this article, I’ll share my take on the top brands to produce phono preamplifiers.

Though obviously subjective and prone to biases, I’ve done my best to list out these brands based on the following metrics (in no particular order):

• Company reputation
• Performance of the phono preamplifiers
• Accessibility of the phono preamplifiers (how easy they are to find/buy)
• The company must currently be in operation

With all that being said, let’s list out the brands.

The Top 11 Best Phono Preamplifier Brands Are:

1. Parasound
2. Primare
3. SPL
4. Chord Electronics
5. iFi
6. McIntosh
7. Moon
8. Plinius
9. ELAC
10. Pro-Ject
11. Bellari

Let’s get into each of these brands in greater detail and explain why they belong in the top 11 best phono preamp brands. I’ll share their country of origin, a bit of history, an example of a notable phono stage/preamplifier, and a link to their official website.

Related article: Full List: Audio Amplifier Brands/Manufacturers (+ Examples)

Click here to return to My New Microphone’s articles on musical equipment brands/manufacturers.

Parasound

Richard Schram founded Parasound in 1981 in San Francisco. Although he started a fresh company, he already had 15 years of experience and acquired knowledge in the audio industry. Plus, he had worked as an engineer for other non-audio brands in the middle as well.

Richard’s know-how, experience, and passion for sound took the brand to land some contracts with companies the size of Sony, LucasFilms, Pixar, and plenty more.

Furthermore, they coined a motto by which they abide: not having a “Pro Line” and delivering top-notch quality throughout the entire catalogue.

Parasound might be one of the best “bang for the buck” brands on this list; if you haven’t already, be sure to check them out.

Notable phono preamplifier: Parasound Halo JC 3+

Designed by audio legend John Curl, this is a silent, smart-looking amplifier capable of pristine-clean tones. One of the reasons it is so clean-sounding is the triple shielding and the built-in AC line conditioner that prevents any AC noise from reaching the speakers.

Also, the non-magnetic aluminum rear panel helps keep sound at its purest.

Its exclusive dual-mono design with rear independent controls for each channel and the Vampire-brand 24K gold-plated jacks make this unit as immaculate-sounding as reliable and flexible.

Finally, it is available in black or white and gold.

Primare

Primare was born as an idea at the dawn of the 1980s. It was founded by Danish audiophile and industrial designer Bo Christensen in 1985 in southern Sweden, where its headquarters remain still.

He set out on the quest of creating great-sounding, beautiful-looking sound equipment he couldn’t find in the market back then. For this, he gathered a team of notables, including the very talented engineer Bent Nielsen.

Since that year, the uncanny mix of Scandinavian design, simple layouts, straightforward operation, and the best audio components in the market set this company apart from the rest.

If you are ready to test a next-level audio component and unleash the true power of minimalism, you have to give Primare a try.

Notable phono preamplifier: Primare R35

Speaking of minimalism, elegance, and top-notch sound, this state-of-the-art piece of sonic equipment will haunt you at first sight. Indeed, the clean lines and completely clean front panel make it one of the most appealing units on the list.

But it is not all looks when it comes to Primare; the company builds each unit in Sweden with obsessive attention to detail. For example, the MM/MC phono preamp is completely isolated from the power supply, making it one of the most pristine-sounding preamps available today.

Plus, you can connect it to the rest of your Hi-Fi system via top-notch XLR and RCA connectors.

SPL

SPL, or Sound Performance Lab, is a German brand founded by Hermann Gier and Wolfgang Neumann in 1983. They have successfully created state-of-the-art equipment for audiophiles as well as the film industry non-stop since day one.

Today, the company works as two separate units, and one of the secrets to SPL's success is to have an in-house team of engineers, designers, and builders that can take any idea and make it into a prototype within 6 weeks.

That being said, most projects in the factory take more than a year of obsessive perfecting and polishing.

This company is one of the best options for those who want the best audio quality without breaking the bank. If you want to know more about them, check out this video.

Notable phono preamplifier: SPL Phonos

With separate controls over capacitance and impedance for moving magnet and moving coil systems, respectively, this unit allows you to fine-tune the audio of your turntable like few others in the market.

Moreover, the gain switch allows you to select between normal gain values, -10dB and +4dB, bringing a turntable closer to the gain generated by, for example, a modern DA converter.

Finally, the subsonic filter can help you eliminate any muddiness or rumbling from the turntable’s drive mechanism.

Chord Electronics

An engineer coming from the aviation world, John Franks, envisioned a company that could take audio to fly standards. This means going beyond reliable and powerful, as is the standard in that critical industry. The year was 1989, and the soil beneath his feet belonged to the United Kingdom.

With a strong work ethos and impeccable design, the company's very first products ended up in the BBC, Abbey Road Studios, and later on, The Royal Opera House.

The word was that this groundbreaking company was supplying state-of-the-art equipment for the most demanding scenarios, and their arrival in house audio caused a revolution.

Today, their British-made gear can be found in the houses of the most discerning Hi-Fi lovers in the world.

Notable phono preamplifier: Chord Huei

Designed and manufactured in the UK, this phono preamp by Chord Electronics carries the heritage of the aircraft industry right to the materials of its housing.

Inside that aircraft-grade aluminum case, the isolated electronics offer a pristine reproduction of the sound, and the gain switches allow it to better suit MM and MC cartridges.

Finally, the dual unbalanced RCA and dual balanced XLR connectors are all this small device needs to enhance the sound of your entire audio system.

iFi

Abbingdon Music Research, better known as AMR, a UK-based audio brand, founded iFi as a branch in 2012. They recognized a gap in mobile audio for Hi-Fi lovers, and the name is an acronym for “interactive” and “Fidelity”.

This approach caused a revolution; Hi-Fi lovers could finally feed their high-impedance headphones while walking on the streets or commuting.

That great performance in the smallest package possible went from pockets to desks, and the newest line of tabletop preamplifiers is every audiophile's dream.

Plus, they occupy less than half the real estate a normal preamp would while delivering similar audio quality.

Notable phono preamplifier: iFi Micro iPhono3 Black Label

Don’t let the size of this stage preamplifier fool you because it really packs some of the best AMR technology under the hood.

For example, the plethora of sound-shaping options under the chassis, the op-amps being computer-matched for best performance, the high-gain bipolar transistors in the output, and the Nichicon audio-grade capacitors deliver nothing but the purest sound from your turntable to your speakers.

All connections are high-quality RCA, and a top-notch, noiseless power supply is included.

McIntosh

From the first product designed to power The Grateful Dead’s “wall of sound” to some of the most amazing-sounding tube-driven Hi-Fi equipment on the market today, McIntosh remains one of the best audio brands money can buy.

Although McIntosh Group was purchased by Japanese and Italian holdings companies, the brand's structure, design, and production were never altered. This speaks a lot about the quality of the products coming out of the New York factory.

The company has been owned by the McIntosh Group since 2014, and every piece of equipment still comes out of the New York facility. If you want to get a taste of a new definition of “amazing” for sound, you have to give McIntosh a try.

Notable phono preamplifier: McIntosh MP100

This state-of-the-art preamplifier is true to McIntosh’s tradition in many ways. For starters, every vinyl lover can fine-tune the loading on their MM or MC turntable with six presets for each.

Also, the balanced and unbalanced inputs are next to coaxial, optical, and USB connections for increased flexibility.

Furthermore, you can even disable all digital inputs completely, taking them out of the circuit for analog purity.

Finally, there’s a mono switch to listen to old records the way they are supposed to sound.

Related article: Are Audio Amplifiers Analog Or Digital Devices?

It doesn’t get much better than this in terms of preamplifiers.

Moon

Born as Sima Electronics in 1980, this Canadian brand earned a reputation for being one of the region's best-sounding, most affordable brands.

After two decades of successful products released to a market of audiophiles hungry for great-sounding gear that wouldn’t cost a fortune, the first MOON-branded preamps were released to huge acclaim.

Furthermore, the company entered the home theatre niche and expanded the line of available products, taking technology one step further.

Today, after winning over 400 awards worldwide for their products, these made-in-Canada sonic wonders can still haunt your senses without breaking the bank. If you are after quality and price, give MOON preamps a try.

Notable phono preamplifier: Moon 810LP

This great preamplifier borrows some of its technology from its bigger brother, the 850P preamplifier.

For example, the state-of-the-art floating, suspended circuit board, together with the independent inductive DC filtering (meaning there’s one inductor for each IC in the audio’s path, making 24 stages in total), make this a great-sounding, flexible piece of gear.

Finally, the metalized polypropylene film capacitors were handpicked to have a very tight tolerance of 1%, and the PCB tracings have dedicated ground and power planes utilizing pure copper.

For more info on amplifier ground, check out my article What Is Amplifier Ground & Where To Ground An Amplifier.

This is one serious preamplifier you need to test before buying.

Plinius

Plinius manufactures top-notch audio equipment in New Zealand and has been doing so since 1980. The idea was to bring New Zealanders an affordable product made in their own land that would take their listening experiences to the next level.

The first decade of work saw some mild success. By 1993, after a successful CES appearance, the Plinius line made it to the USA and continues to be a worldwide brand receiving appreciation for their impeccable work from all corners of the planet.

Still, all units are designed, built, tested, and shipped from their New Zealand facility, where much of the work is finished by hand. If you want obsessive attention to detail, amazing craftsmanship, and a great sound, you have to check this brand out.

Notable phono preamplifier: Plinius Koru

This preamplifier is a great way to bring new life to your old vinyl records. The dual chassis allows the unit to isolate the power supply completely, reaching a new definition for the sentence “clean-sounding”.

Plus, the unit features passive high-frequency equalization and active low-frequency equalization to fine-tune the speakers' sound.

Also, it can be adjusted for MM and MC cartridges and boasts a precision of 100,000 micro Farads of capacitance in a 2-stage regulation. With impedance this low, the accuracy in power delivery to the amplification stages is uncanny.

ELAC

ELAC is a German brand founded in Kiel, Germany, in 1926 as “Electroacoustic GmbH”. Although not many people know this, the big break for ELAC came through the marine industry, for which they developed and built countless electroacoustic devices.

After WWII, when the company reached a peak of 5,000 employees, it scaled down and branched out to other markets. Nowadays, they enjoy a reputation for making some of the most sought-after speakers globally for studios and audiophiles alike.

This know-how in the field of acoustics and speakers gives the company a competitive advantage in designing and building some of the best preamplifiers in the market.

Plus, they have been making history for 95 years; it is about time you give them a chance if you haven’t already.

Notable phono preamplifier: ELAC PPA-2 Alchemy Series

This all-analog, FET-fueled unit utilizes discrete gain and EQ stages to turn the grooves in the vinyl into the groove of the party. Furthermore, you can tailor the response of the PPA-2 for MM and MC cartridges and even get a switchable gain per channel.

Finally, unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR outputs and inputs make this great-sounding unit a great companion for any turntable and audio system.

Pro-Ject

Pro-Ject was founded in Mistelbach, Austria, in 1991 by Heinz Lichtenegger. Although all products are designed in Austria still, the company owns production facilities in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Pro-Ject distributes and sells its products to over 80 countries around the world. The main headquarters, a state-of-the-art facility just 35km away from Vienna, utilizes solar, air, and crystallization energy to heat or cool its 1,200 square meters.

Pro-Ject’s main products are turntables, which are considered by many a benchmark in the industry.

That being said, the know-how of making some of the best-sounding vinyl players in the world cascaded into other pieces of equipment such as speakers, amplifiers, and preamplifiers, making Pro-Ject an integral solution for all things Hi-Fi.

Notable phono preamplifier: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2

Pro-Ject presents this product as a “precision tube preamplifier” because of its uncanny accuracy when reproducing vinyl.

To begin with, the pair of 12ax7 (ecc83) preamp tubes make this a very warm-sounding preamp that also utilizes Dr. Sykora circuit technology and handpicked audiophile-grade components.

Moreover, the switchable subsonic (to get rid of the less-than-20Hz rumble) and MM or MC selection make this the ultimate, audiophile-approved preamp to have at home and enjoy every record with.

Bellari

Based in Salt Lake City, where they still make their proud “made in USA” tags and all products, this company was founded in 1989 to bring great-sounding equipment to audiophiles without a limitless budget.

With this direction, the company has been hand-building some of the most reliable, great-sounding, and affordable preamps and power amps in the industry for audiophiles around the world.

Notable phono preamplifier: Bellari VP130 MK2

With a 12ax7 valve glowing in the heart of its design, this Bellari preamp can breed new life to any recording. Indeed, the sound and craftsmanship quality of this piece of equipment doesn’t match its price tag.

Related article: Do Amplifiers Improve Sound Quality?

What does match its performance is the red colour in the chassis and the top-mounted valve, which make it look like a racecar.

Finally, stripped-down controls and connections make this intuitive preamplifier a great no-frills approach for your vinyl collection.

The post Top 11 Phono Stage/Preamplifier Brands In The World first appeared on My New Microphone and is written by Arthur Fox.