Turntables with phono preamp

A turntable with a built-in phono preamp incorporates, within its chassis, the stage that amplifies the cartridge signal and applies RIAA equalization. In practical terms, it connects to a standard line input: that of an amplifier without a phono input, an active speaker or a connected speaker, with no additional box required in between. This is the most straightforward setup for getting started when the existing system has no turntable connection, which is increasingly common on recent amplifiers. Most of these turntables feature a switch to disable the built-in preamp. This detail matters: when an external phono preamp or an amplifier with a higher-quality phono input is added, the internal stage is switched off and the output is connected to the phono input. One point that should never be overlooked, otherwise double amplification, saturated and distorted sound may result: with the built-in preamp active, use a line input; with the preamp disabled, use a phono input. The built-in stage is generally simple and compatible with moving-magnet cartridges, which is sufficient for getting started but leaves room for improvement via a dedicated preamp. This turntable connects to an active or connected speaker or to the line input of an amplifier, and its internal stage can later be replaced by a separate phono preamp to improve sound quality.