[El Bishop]

Thinking of taking the plunge and picking up a turntable. Can I go straight from the turntable to a headphone amp (then to RS1s) or do I still need a phono stage to amplify the sound sufficiently from the turntable?

Thanks,

EB

 

[rederanged]

You'll need a phono stage to amplify and equalize the signal from the turntable.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Yes. A phono stage is more than a preamp, it also applies the RIAA equalization curve to the playback.

In short, there are a number of technical reasons why a record has to be cut the way it is. The best solution to several limitations was to steeply attenuate part of the recording.

So, a phono preamp is a lot like a graphic equalizer. The difference is that it is permanently set at a particular level.