phonopreamp recommendation

[gigiyepez]

im using a creek obh-15 phono preamp. it sounds thin to me. im planning to change to acoustic signature tango. any comment on this? by the way, my tt is a pioneer pl-30l dd.with a red grado cart.thanks.

[Gerard]

Hello Gi,

I haven't audition the AST, I can't comment on this. The Creek is decent enough, and the thin sound that you experience, could also come from your TT. Experimenting with mats for your platter could improve the tonal balance as well. Another point to look out for is the cartridge itself, alignment and VTA with respect to the arm is important. Then there's the tracking force.

Upgrading to a better ( more sensitive ) phono preamp can sometimes bring disappointment. It will reveal and magnify shortcomings of your TT, if it is not up to snuff ! Getting the most out of your TT does require one to possess basic TT set up skills.

Cheers,
Gerard