The Little Preamp That Could
Recently retired, I now have the time and motivation to digitize selections from my rather large collection of LPs. The vintage turntable preamp that I had intended to use developed a faulty left channel, forcing me to remove it from the mix, and find a suitable replacement. This failed preamp was highly regarded for its state of the art phono section, and I knew that a replacement of its caliber was going to cost me some serious coin!
Notice that I began this review by stating “recently retired”, and that translates into: Serious Coin is used for prioritized needs and wants… Groceries or expensive pre-amp? Hmmm!
Enter the ART Pro Audio DJPRE II Phono Preamp.
Although I have never used an ART component, I am familiar with the company by reputation, and decided it would be a no brainer to give one of their products a shot, that of course being the object of this review. Expense wise, I guess one could say, it’s right on the money, but would it be sufficient to fulfill my needs?
Absolutely. Its minuscule chassis is well built, and esthetically pleasing, and would be fairly inconspicuous if not for its “airport landing strip” blue LED located on the face of the unit. No joke, this thing throws enough light to illuminate every corner of my 12 x 15 music room at night. Annoying?, yes, but that is its only kink in the armor, IMHO. Maybe a dab of black paint? I did not take a look-see at the circuitry encased, so I cannot comment on the quality of the components within. I’m sure, based on price alone, that there is nothing esoteric in the internal parts, my hunch being cheap Chinese components. Regardless, whatever is used is implemented in the design to perform adequately and reliably.
To be honest, I have yet to record but a handful of LPs, but have not noticed any degradation of the signal using this preamp in the chain. Combined with the recording software I have chosen, the digitized version is almost indistinguishable from its analog source (to this old man’s ears), so what more could I ask for?
With the exception of the blue beacon that resides on the face of this preamp, I am thoroughly satisfied with the ART DJPRE II. It amplifies the stylus’s signal, and outputs that signal upstream without adding any noticeable coloration or distortion.
For me and the money, it’s a Gimme.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned