Home made phono stage

Hi Folks.I decided to give up on my home made stylus cleaner and i have decided to make or modify a phono stage.
I have a few options

Option 1 - modify an NAD PP-2 that i have in a cupoard.

Option 2 - make one from scratch..

Option 3 - buy a rotel RQ970BX and mod that

I am not an electronics engineer, however i am handy with a soldering iron and can follow instructions.

Could anyone offer any advice on the above options. I have heard that a home made power supply can improve the PP-2, does anyone have a step by step guide including parts details. Also, has anyone replaced parts in the PP-2 itself and with what.

Any help gratefully appreciated. If i can obtain the requisite information i will post a step by step guide with pictures if anyone would be interested.

Thanks
John

 

Hi John, Sidandcoke has a photo guide to the Rotel RQ970bx mods that were published in hifi world a few years ago, link here:
http://imageevent.com/sidandcoke/rotelrq970bxmod

I can't help with any of your other questions though, sorry... apart from if you want a GREAT kit phono, have a look at the World Designs one. You can buy the full kit, or just get the pcbs and do the rest yourself if you want to save a few quid=)

 

Not perhaps the most useful advice, but unless you know what you're doing, I'd stay away from trying to construct anything using valves. I once tried to make a valve phono stage, and following more than one shock from the power supply combined with an instinct for self-preservation I was too terrified to ever turn on the finished product. It lurked in the loft for a few years before I eventually stripped it down and put the components on Ebay.

 

a worthwhile improvment on any upgraded components are the sockets ... its surprising how poor those pcb mount type are ....using who knows what base metal as the conductor.

remeber that any component in the signal path will effect its final sound ...even the humble track itself .....

if your going to swap resistors then look to at least holco close tolerance ...or better still bulk foils from vishay . Use a good copper pined opamp socket this will allow easy swaps in the future ....

As in all audio the power supply is key .....inject noise here or rather remove it will pay dividends at the output.