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Cool Item: Bellari Rolls VP129


BeBop

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http://www.rolls.com/new/vp129f.html

I've been eyeing this item for about 18 months. I've heard that the gain is limited - my principal source of hesitation - but I suspect it'll be sufficient for my relatively high output MC cartridge. Much of the appeal for me is size. It does no more than a preamp with a MC/MM cartridge input and headphone output. No line inputs.

The price is also right: $200 MSRP, with $150 prices widely available.

And it looks cool. (FYI: Cool Counts)

So I've taken the plunge. If anyone else has an interest, I'll post impressions when I've received and installed.

Edited by BeBop
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It does look nice. What are you using now? What's the output of your MC cartidge? Around 2mV, I hope.

It looks like the least expensive tube phono stage I've seen.

It's missing a couple things(as far as I can see) I would want:

1) Variable impedance to match your cartidge. Looks like it's set for a MM(47-50k), and you say you have a HO MC. You may not get the best sound due to this. If you have a schematic or learn how to read resistor values, you could probably find the 47k resistor and swap in one that matches your cartidge(100k?).

2) Mono switch

One nice feature is the variable output. You could try running it straight to your amp, thus avoiding pre-amp circuits.

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It does look nice.  What are you using now? What's the output of your MC cartidge? Around 2mV, I hope.

It looks like the least expensive tube phono stage I've seen.

It's missing a couple things(as far as I can see) I would want: 

1) Variable impedance to match your cartidge.  Looks like it's set for a MM(47-50k), and you say you have a HO MC.  You may not get the best sound due to this.  If you have a schematic or learn how to read resistor values, you could probably find the 47k resistor and swap in one that matches your cartidge(100k?). 

2) Mono switch

One nice feature is the variable output.  You could try running it straight to your amp, thus avoiding pre-amp circuits.

At present, I'm just putting my ear really close to the stylus and turning up my hearing aid to "high". It's a tough way to go, but ever since the dog knocked the horn off the Victrola.

I'm planning to use this with my Sumiko Blue Point Special; 2.5mV, I believe.

Agree. Variable impedance would be nice. Mono switch too. Probably both shortcomings could be addressed by a little at-home tweaking. And, on a $150 device, I'd be willing to take the risk.

Amp? You mean, like, for speakers? ;)

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