Do You Need a Phono Preamp? The Honest Answer.

The phono preamp is the most misunderstood component in a vinyl setup. Most beginners either don't know they need one, or buy a separate one when the one they already have is perfectly adequate. This guide cuts through the confusion.

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What a phono preamp actually does

A phono cartridge produces an extremely weak signal — around 2–5 millivolts for a moving magnet cartridge, which is roughly 100 times weaker than the line-level signal that an amplifier expects from a CD player or streaming device.

A phono preamp does two things:

1. It amplifies the signal to line level so your amplifier can work with it.

2. It applies the RIAA equalisation curve — a standardised frequency adjustment that all records are cut with in reverse. When vinyl is cut, the bass is reduced and the treble is boosted, to fit more music per side and reduce groove width. The phono preamp reverses this: boosting bass and cutting treble back to flat. Without RIAA correction, records sound thin, bright, and lacking in bass.

This is why you cannot plug a turntable directly into a standard line-level input. The signal is too weak and the EQ curve is not corrected.

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Do you already have one?

Check these three places before buying anything:

Your turntable: Many entry-level and mid-range turntables have a built-in phono preamp, usually switchable via a toggle labelled PHONO/LINE or a small switch on the underside. If the switch exists and is set to LINE (or the preamp is on), you can connect directly to any line-level input.

Your amplifier: Amplifiers with a PHONO input have a phono preamp built in. Connect the turntable's RCA outputs to the PHONO input, connect the ground wire to the GND post, and you're done.

Your powered speakers: Some active speakers include phono inputs. Less common, but worth checking the spec sheet.

If any of these applies, you don't need a separate phono preamp to get started.

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When to buy a separate one

Even if your turntable or amplifier has a built-in phono stage, a separate unit is worth considering in two situations:

Your setup sounds veiled or thin. Built-in phono preamps on budget turntables are often the cheapest component in the chain — they're included for convenience, not performance. A £100–£150 standalone preamp almost always outperforms the built-in stage on an entry-level turntable.

You're upgrading your cartridge. Better cartridges expose the weaknesses further down the chain. Upgrading from a budget cartridge to a £150–£300 one and feeding it through a £10 built-in preamp is like buying a high-end lens for a basic camera body — you're leaving performance on the table.

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Our recommendations

For first-time buyers: use what you have

If your turntable has a built-in preamp, use it. Get the rest of your system sorted first — speakers, room setup, record cleaning — before spending on a preamp upgrade. The returns elsewhere will be more immediately audible.

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First standalone upgrade — Schiit Mani 2

The Schiit Mani 2 costs around $149 and is made in the United States. It handles moving magnet and high-output moving coil cartridges, has four gain and impedance settings selectable via DIP switches, and adds essentially no noise to the signal chain.

It sits on a desk without demanding attention. It doesn't run warm. It just works — and sounds better than anything built into a turntable at twice its price.

Check price on Amazon

Best for: Moving magnet cartridges (Audio-Technica, Ortofon, Nagaoka) at any level. Also handles high-output MC carts with the gain switched up.

Not for: Low-output moving coil cartridges (Ortofon Quintet, Denon DL-103, Shelter). Those need a different class of preamp — see below.

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What about moving coil?

Low-output moving coil cartridges produce a signal even weaker than moving magnet — sometimes as low as 0.2mV. They require a phono preamp with significantly more gain (60–70dB versus the 40dB needed for MM).

If you're running a low-output MC, you're past the territory this guide covers. At that point a dedicated MC preamp in the £300–£800 range becomes relevant — a conversation for another guide.

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The most common mistakes

Connecting to the wrong input. Connecting a turntable (with preamp off) to a CD or AUX input produces a very quiet, thin, bass-less sound. Connecting a turntable (with preamp on) to a PHONO input double-amplifies and double-applies the RIAA curve — the result is distorted and bass-heavy. Match the state of your preamp to the input you're using.

Not connecting the ground wire. A persistent 50/60Hz hum that doesn't go away when you turn the volume down is almost always a grounding issue. Connect the ground wire from the turntable to the GND post on the preamp. If there's no post, try the chassis of the amplifier.

Buying an expensive preamp before a better cartridge. The cartridge is the most important transducer in the chain — it's actually reading the groove. Upgrade the cartridge before the preamp.

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Summary

Your situation	What to do
Turntable has built-in preamp	Use it; connect to LINE input on amp
Amplifier has PHONO input	Connect turntable to PHONO; skip separate preamp
Neither — basic setup	Schiit Mani 2 is your answer
Upgrading from built-in — MM cart	Schiit Mani 2
Running a low-output MC cart	Dedicated MC preamp (separate guide)

A phono preamp is not optional — but the right one for your situation might already be inside the gear you own.