ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
I thought I would share my thoughts in case my experience is helpful to anyone.
I have a Beogram 4002 with MMC20EN and Linn LP12 with an Rega Exact Cartridge.
I love using the Beogram but had it stuck in my mind that it cannot be better than the LP12. Due to a move I've had to pack away most of the B&O stuff including my M100 speakers, but kept out the turntables and a small valve headphone amp. The problem I have always had with using the Beogram with non B&O amps is the slightly low output from the cartridge - it obviously works fine with B&O stuff. Interestingly it worked fine with my Quad 303, but was still just slightly low and I'm looking forward to hooking it back up into that system and comparing the iFI phono stage with the Quads.
The HifI world seemed to be going mad for the iFI Zen Phono preamp so I bought one as it has variable outputs. I have to say it's the best phono preamp for the money that I've had for my Beogram. To compensate for the low output I switched the input to MC High Output - which is recommended for cartridges at 2mv - the 20en is 2.1 I believe and for 47Kohms so it should be matched. This was really successful and it sounds far better than the MM input which makes it sound quite and a bit warm. In fact it's the best I've heard it - everything is really clear. There is a subsonic filter with what they call AI and it's supposed to only filer out rumble - I have this pressed in as well. Surface noise is very low and the whole thing just seems to sing. I tried the Linn afterwards and to me, I much prefer the sound of the Beogram now, somehow just seems more lively and clearer.
For £150 on amazon it seems a very good value for money answer to using a B&O turntable with a non B&O amp or newer B&O equipment without a line level in.
Has anyone else tried this amp? or found another phono amp worthy of recommendation?
Hi @Andrew. Upon your advice, and after reading many stellar reviews, I just picked up the iFi Phono preamp to pair with a Beogram TX2 with MMC2 I found on eBay in new condition that I just received. The turntable and cartridge are lovely, but the output was much lower than on the Rega turntable/cartridge it replaced, so the iFi Phono set to MC High really helped with the gain--and it sounds amazing. I can't say I love the looks of the preamp, but the build quality is solid and it's hidden away in a console, so no matter. I'm extremely impressed, especially for the price. Thanks for your help!
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Hi Beojosh
Thank you and glad you like it - yes I found the low output after my Rega to be a problem but the B&O on the MC setting seems perfect - like you I have hidden mine and power consumption is negligible so I just leave it powered up as I use my Beogram almost daily.
Hi Andrew.
That is quite interesting. After my youth with Japanese turntables and Shure cartridges I have had a succession of B&O units and now have a 7000 system with Beogram 7000. ALL the B&O turntables I have found to be lacking. The output is just too low.
Now I wonder if it would be possible to bypass the inbuilt pre-amp on the 7000 and use another??
Hi Beofile7 - I don't know if you can bypass the internal phono preamp - I would doubt it without major rewiring. But with the B&O built in preamp and the preamps in B&O receivers there should be no problem with the RIAA amplifier - in fact it should be pretty near perfectly matched to the B&O cartridge.
The problem is when you try and connect a B&O turntable to a non B&O amplifier in that the output I can be too low depending on the gain in the RIAA Amp. I have had the reverse problem connecting a non B&O turntable to the phono input on a B&O receiver (4400) where the output was too high and it just sounded distorted.
I'm wondering if it's more that there is a difference in sound between the shure cartridges and B&O cartridges. The Shures tend to be high output and very big and bold in comparison to the B&O cartridges which are more refined - at least thats been my experience with an M44-7 (but with a nos elliptical needle). I love the sound of the shure but I found more detail and less distortion with B&O cartridges - generally speaking.
Hmmm yes but... The output of the Beogram is way weaker than the Beocord and CD. Why would that be? All my Beograms have been like this. Traditionally the record deck gave the most powerful output. But not with B&O. It needs a kick up the backside!
I followed your discovery with my Beogram 4002 with MMC20CL pickup and I must also give this phono preamp thumbs up!
I did the same 4002+mmc20cl and put it in MC HIGH , very well 👍👍👍
subsonic filter on or off ??
thanks
Great that others agree this is a good preamp for B&O decks - I leave the subsonic filter on, apparently it has AI and you only really notice it on warped records.