PLATTER & PLINTH

Do I Need a Phono Preamp?

Short answer: you need a phono preamp somewhere in your setup — but you may already have one. Here's the 30-second way to find out.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we pick

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Everyvinyl setup needs a phono preamp. The signal from a turntable’s cartridge is tiny — thousandths of a volt — and it also has the tone deliberately skewed (bass cut, treble boosted) so the groove fits on the record. A phono preamp boosts that weak signal and reverses the tone change (this is called RIAA equalization). Without one, vinyl plays far too quiet and sounds thin and bright.

The real question isn’t whether you need one — you do — but whether you already have one. A phono preamp can live in three places, and you only ever use one at a time.

The 30-second check

Look, in this order, for any one of these three:

  1. Your turntable. Does it have a switch marked PHONO / LINE, or does the box say “built-in preamp”? If yes, it has one. Set the switch to LINE (preamp on) to use it.
  2. Your amplifier or receiver. Does it have an input labeled PHONO (not just AUX or LINE)? If yes, it has one. Plug the turntable into that input.
  3. Your powered speakers. A few, like the Kanto YU6 and Klipsch The Fives, have a phono input built in. If yours does, connect the deck there.

If any oneof those is true, you’re done — you don’t need to buy anything. If none is true, you need a standalone phono preamp between your turntable and your speakers or amp.

The one rule: never use two at once

This is the mistake people make. If your turntable has a built-in preamp andyou plug it into an amp’s PHONO input, you’re running two preamps in series — the signal is double-amplified and distorts. Pick one stage in the chain and make sure the others are switched off or bypassed. If your deck’s preamp is switchable, the easy fix is to set it to LINE (off) when using an external stage.

If you do need one

A standalone phono preamp is cheap and simple. A $17 box makes a preamp-less deck play; a $100–$200 unit will out-perform most built-in stages and can support a moving-coil cartridge later. Match it to your cartridge type — almost everyone has moving magnet — and you’re set. See our best phono preamps for the picks, and our MM vs MC guideif you’re not sure which cartridge you have.

Frequently asked questions

Do all turntables need a phono preamp?

Yes — every turntable's signal needs a phono preamp to be boosted and equalized. But it doesn't have to be a separate box: many turntables, receivers and a few powered speakers have one built in. You need one in the chain, not necessarily a new purchase.

How do I know if my turntable has a built-in preamp?

Look for a switch marked PHONO/LINE on the back, or check the specs for 'built-in preamp' or 'line-level output.' If it can plug straight into powered speakers or an AUX input and play at normal volume, it has one.

Can I plug a turntable directly into powered speakers?

Only if there's a preamp in the path — the turntable's own built-in stage (switched on) or a phono input on the speakers. Without one, the sound is far too quiet and tonally wrong. Otherwise, add a small standalone phono preamp between them.

What happens if I use two phono preamps at once?

The signal is amplified twice and distorts badly — too loud, harsh and muddy. If your turntable's preamp is on and you also use an amp's PHONO input, switch one of them off. Only one phono stage should be active in the chain.

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