Jackson929 Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Hi All, I’m hoping I can get some advice from the community. I’ve begun collecting vinyl, so for starter setup I bought a pair of Sixes for use with a U-turn Orbit turntable. As others have mentioned, the results were less than ideal with the speaker preamp. So, I was given a Schitt Vali to try, there is an improvement...but the sound is still a little muddy. Does anyone have an ideal preamp under $300? Or am I just expecting too much? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadChile Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Sounds like you may be confusing a phono preamp (with RIAA equalization) with a line level preamp (the Vali, which does not have RIAA equalization). First question: did you get a built in phono pre (Pluto) on your Orbit, and if so, is it active or bypassed? Second question: what cartridge are you running? Third question: what input are you using on the Sixes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson929 Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) Thanks for the quick response, Badchile. I did get an Orbit with a built-in preamp. I tried it bypasses. the cartridge is the stock Audio-Technica cartridge with conical stylus. I'm using the phono input. Based on your first statement, perhaps I should have the speakers set to line as opposed to phono? Sorry for the newb questions. Edited January 5, 2020 by Jackson929 Typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeloManiac Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 I've read a lot of positive things about the Project Box S2. It used to cost $350 but now the price has increased substantially to $399. https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Ject-Tube-Box-Phono-Preamplifier/dp/B075KPB1P2/ref=pd_sbs_23_img_0/139-8380966-5664767?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B075KPB1P2&pd_rd_r=1282954c-0139-41f6-822a-040e2f1b45c8&pd_rd_w=xKRzZ&pd_rd_wg=ftbuT&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=XR54CR0183K31NT79SMR&psc=1&refRID=XR54CR0183K31NT79SMR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson929 Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 Thanks for the suggestion, ILI. Im not set in tube preamp, just whatever might be the best for for my setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xoundmind Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 I briefly had a Pro-Ject phono stage and introduced a lot of noise into the system. Thankfully, Amazon makes returns easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 14 hours ago, Jackson929 said: Thanks for the quick response, Badchile. I did get an Orbit with a built-in preamp. I tried it bypasses. the cartridge is the stock Audio-Technica cartridge with conical stylus. I'm using the phono input. Based on your first statement, perhaps I should have the speakers set to line as opposed to phono? Sorry for the newb questions. So, are these the powered Sixes? If not, what amp are you using to power your sixes? Wondering what is wrong with the built in phono preamp on the Orbit. More info needed... Welcome to the forum.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson929 Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 Thanks for the welcome, billybob! Yes these are the powered Sixes. The sound when using the Orbit built-in preamp was, for lack of a better term, soft and muddy. It lacked clarity and sounded fuzzy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 37 minutes ago, Jackson929 said: Thanks for the welcome, billybob! Yes these are the powered Sixes. The sound when using the Orbit built-in preamp was, for lack of a better term, soft and muddy. It lacked clarity and sounded fuzzy. And you are using a MM cartridge and not a MC cartridge is this correct? And you are coming into the sixe using a regular line level input from turntable or, does the six have a phone/turntable input.? And on the back of the turntable is there a switch marked like mm/mc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 This is likely a mm cartridge. Look at the Orbit manual if not already. There is likely a defeat switch also on the back . This would allow you to use a different or stadalone phono preamp unit like to the one posted above. To use the built-in phono stage from the Orbit, it should be on and going into a line level input on the sixe and not phono. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson929 Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 Yes it is an MM cartridge. When I use the Vali, I bypass the built-in preamp. I’ll try it with the sixes line level input. Now, will the sixes deliver better sound out of a different preamp that utilizes the phono input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 8 minutes ago, Jackson929 said: Yes it is an MM cartridge. When I use the Vali, I bypass the built-in preamp. I’ll try it with the sixes line level input. Now, will the sixes deliver better sound out of a different preamp that utilizes the phono input? Oh so this Vali is a phono preamp? Does the six have a phono input? If it does, go straight from the Orbit into the sixes, taking out anything in between. You will need to make certain that the Orbit preamp is turned off using this method Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 10 minutes ago, Jackson929 said: Yes it is an MM cartridge. When I use the Vali, I bypass the built-in preamp. I’ll try it with the sixes line level input. Now, will the sixes deliver better sound out of a different preamp that utilizes the phono input? You do not want to use 2 phono preamp s at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadChile Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 1 minute ago, billybob said: You do not want to use 2 phono preamp s at the same time. That is my guess what is happening. If using the built in phono preamp (the Pluto), the line level input should be used. If the Pluto is defeated, then use the phono input on the Sixes. The Vali is a line stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, BadChile said: That is my guess what is happening. If using the built in phono preamp (the Pluto), the line level input should be used. If the Pluto is defeated, then use the phono input on the Sixes. The Vali is a line stage. Oh thanks for that. Really simple, eliminate the linestage to troubleshoot first... Correct like you Know you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson929 Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 Thanks for the clarification! The sixes input has a button for line/phono, I’ll try switching it to line and testing it shortly. The Orbit was gift, otherwise I would have gone with an external preamp that offers gain control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 1 minute ago, Jackson929 said: Thanks for the clarification! The sixes input has a button for line/phono, I’ll try switching it to line and testing it shortly. The Orbit was gift, otherwise I would have gone with an external preamp that offers gain control. The Orbit Pluto should sound good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson929 Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 The other reason for getting an external preamp was for headphone listening, the Orbit nor Sixes have a headphone jack. Once I have the overall Sixes sound solved, I’ll still have find that solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 7 minutes ago, Jackson929 said: The other reason for getting an external preamp was for headphone listening, the Orbit nor Sixes have a headphone jack. Once I have the overall Sixes sound solved, I’ll still have find that solution. One thing at a time then. We have given enough info for you to get the best sound. You have options for an external preamp not costing much at all. Go slow and double check. Key is not using 2 preamps for phono at the same time. If the Pluto Orbit can be defeated. . thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson929 Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 Thank you all for the help! I really appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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