What is a Phono Preamp and Why Do You Need One?

Music serves different needs for different people. Great music will either excite or relax you, or intrigue with a multitude of emotions according to what the artist provides and you want to feel. Although a SmartPhone or Ipad with either a BlueTooth speaker or headphones are perfectly acceptable as a means of listening to the music you love, they simply don’t offer the quality of sound provided by a component system designed for the avid fan who has an ear for the nuances of how music was intended to be heard.

What a Preamp Does

A preamp serves a basic function of compressing the signal of the music you play and preparing it for proper amplification so you can hear it whether you play it loudly or softly. If you’ve never built your own component system but only used store bought stereos, you may not be aware there is a preamp installed as part of your regular amplifier. Professional sound engineers use sine wave charts and technical schematics to determine what a particular preamp might need for it’s particular means of use, but the bottom line is there has to be a preamp somewhere in the system. Without it, you’ll either get no sound at all or screeching feedback when you try to amplify the music you want to hear.

Internal Preamps as a Basic Function

Although there are benefits to an external independent preamp, there is nothing inherently wrong with an amplifier that has an internal preamp. Many great systems use an internal preamp, it makes for a simpler system for the layman to use with less wires to connect and fewer potential problems which may cause the system to fail. However, it also takes out a portion of the control you have over how you want the music to sound which is why most people who work with music on a professional level prefer an external preamp.

Benefits of an External Preamp

The main benefit of an external preamp is the amount of control is gives you over the music you play. Whether you prefer classical music and opera recorded live in the acoustics of a theater’s music hall, or if you enjoy the smooth rhyme and rhythm of Snoop Dog’s hip-hop studio style, or the mellow guitar solos Jerry Garcia played with the Grateful Dead in huge coliseums, they were each recorded under different circumstances and have nuances as to how they’ll sound best when played back.

Music Systems for the Aficionado

A music aficionado often has the same ear and sense of quality as the professional, and therefore understands how well vinyl records work for sound comparative to other mediums along with how a well used preamp can give great music the sound it deserves instead of sounding generically “blah.” Home systems are available for the aficionado at reasonable pricing rates so you can have professional quality music at home when you want to listen to great music without having to go out and hear someone else play it for you.

Home Component Sound Systems

Component systems work really well for a home sound solution, as they provide control over your music. A phono preamp can be upgraded as needed without the expense of changing the entire system. A component system also allows you to mix and match compatible brands if the like the features of one particular phono but feel a different preamp provides better sound. Likewise, if you need other music sources you can add them at will without having to change the phono and preamp you already like and without having to run multiple systems. When you put together a great system you love, you’ll be happy with your music for years to come.