[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by truant /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes Jerome, as you say, I'm a bit confused. I'm betweet The Bugle, the TCC TC-760LC and the Bellari. The cartridge that I've bought is the Denon DL-160.

TNT-Audio has a nice review of the very similar T-Preamp TCC TC-754

 

[truant]

Thanks to all for your help.
I've decided: I will go with the TCC TC-760LC, it's the cheapest of all here mentioned. This way I'll buy more LP's for my collection

In the future maybe I will upgrade my vinyl rig (this is Head-Fi, isn't it?)

 

[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by truant /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks to all for your help. I've decided: I will go with the TCC TC-760LC, it's the cheapest of all here mentioned. This way I'll buy more LP's for my collection In the future maybe I will upgrade my vinyl rig (this is Head-Fi, isn't it?)

Once you throw away the stock power adapter and substitute a regulated power supply like the guy in the TNT-Audio review,the TC-760LC should perform way out of proportion to its base cost.

 

[jsaliga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by truant /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks to all for your help. I've decided: I will go with the TCC TC-760LC, it's the cheapest of all here mentioned. This way I'll buy more LP's for my collection In the future maybe I will upgrade my vinyl rig (this is Head-Fi, isn't it?)

Here is a photo of my rack with the TC-760LC now in the place that once sat the Cambridge 640p:

I have decided to leave it right were it is on my Monster Power HTS 5100. I'm listening to some John Coltrane right now and it's simply wonderful.

It's sort of hard to make a serious blunder at this pricing level. If you buy a phono preamp for less than $100 and don't care for it, it isn't like you just dropped a few thousand on a sonic experiment that didn't pan out and will cost you hundreds on resale.

You'll be fine Truant. Enjoy the music

--Jerome

 

[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsaliga /img/forum/go_quote.gif So do I. It was the best $73.50 I ever spent on audio equipment or accessories. I also have a Cambridge Audio Azur 640p, which costs more than double the price of the TC-760LC. It sounds every bit as good as the Cambridge piece, which is highly regarded on Vinyl Asylum and in review after review. And I respectfully disagree with what ssportclay is saying about the power supplies. It certainly is not an issue that impacts the sound quality delivered by either of the phono preamps that I own. I'm using a Benz Micro Glider MC cart on my Rega P7 with the TC-760LC, and I am inclined to sell my Cambridge 640p since I think the performance is the same. Both are capable of providing terrific vinyl sound. I'm sure The Bugle is a great low cost option, but the fact that it is battery powered does not make alternatives like the Cambridge 640p or the TC-760LC inferior products. I've said all I have to say on the subject. There's no need to argue over the choice of a low cost phono preamp. There are a lot of good low-cost options out there and any one of them is capable of providing a rich, satisfying listening experience. This is really starting to sound like people are lobbying for their personal favorites, as if choosing something different would be a colossal mistake. I suspect the thread starter is starting to get confused. Truant, you probably already have enough information to make a decision. I suggest you settle on a choice, put in your order, and enjoy the music. --Jerome

Power supplies do make a big difference.It seems that every phono stage that plugs into the wall either hisses or hums to one degree or another.The battery powered Hagerman Bugle is dead quiet.Music emerges from a pitch black darkness.My main phono stage is actually a Graham Slee Fanfare with the optional PSU1 power supply.This is a dedicated moving coil phono stage so it is very difficult to compare it directly with the Bugle.I have just ordered a pair of CineMag CMQEE-3440A transformers to make a step-up unit for the Bugle.I don't expect the Bugle to beat the Graham Slee but it may be surprising how well the Bugle hangs with it.

 

[Herandu]

I happen to have used the TC-760LC directly via its variable output to one of my power amps and it sounded far better than I expected. I use it now as a 2nd phono pre-amp going onto my main pre-amp. The phono stage on my main pre-amp is connected to a 2nd turntable. There were a couple of TC-760LC on sale on eBay when I looked in the Turntable Parts & Accessories for a Denon cartridge last week.

 

[jsaliga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssportclay /img/forum/go_quote.gif Power supplies do make a big difference.It seems that every phono stage that plugs into the wall either hisses or hums to one degree or another.

I guess then that you'll just have to take my word for it that I never had that problem whatsoever with either the Cambridge 640p or the TC-760LC, and I think my system is of sufficient quality to reveal such a problem if it were present. I know my hearing is up to the task...

EDIT: I don't want to come off as though I am arguing that an external power supply isn't a higher quality or more desirable design. What I am suggesting is that you cannot reason from the general (low cost phono preamps tend to hiss or hum) to the specific (ALL low cost phono preamps hiss or hum or my specific installation hisses or hums). It's a logical fallacy, just like it would be fallacious for me to reason that because my installation does not hiss or hum that all installations do not hiss or hum. If I did not make it clear that I was describing how these products perform in my installation then I appologize for misleading anyone.

--Jerome

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsaliga /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess then that you'll just have to take my word for it that I never had that problem whatsoever with either the Cambridge 640p or the TC-760LC, and I think my system is of sufficient quality to reveal such a problem if it were present. I know my hearing is up to the task...

ssportsclay is right to say powersupplies make a difference but noisy phonostages are just as often down do electical interference from other components they are sitting to close to or to dirty mains.

What you are saying is not really contradicting each other because these issues are often completely specific to a particular set up in a particular place.

There was recently a post on here from a guy who had intereference on his mains from the lift in the apartment block where he lived which, even though it was on a separate circuit was loudly audible on his phonostage.

 

[jsaliga]

You're right of course, memepool, which is why I edited my last post.

I'm reminded of when I got my Woo Audio 2 preamp and first hooked it up. I was getting AC coupled noise in the sound. There was nothing wrong with the design of the preamp. But to resolve the problem I needed to use a high quality shielded power cord and added a power distribution system. As soon as I did that my WA2 was dead silent...no more noise.

After learning that lesson I now buy good quality power cords (Moon Audio Green Dragons) and plug everything into my Monster Power HTS 5100. Noisy components are a thing of the past for me and have been for several months.

--Jerome