SchiitMani Phono Preamp for MC and MM Cartridges (Black)

I'm just the average collector.. or vinyl / HiFi Enthusiast... who strives as any to build a better HiFi system, one piece @ a time. Over the years I've come to a better understanding what the numbers are all about, and am more than happy to share my experience with you :)A little about My current TT Setup.*ATLP140XP Turntable*SCHIIT MANI Preamp*KLPISCH RP600 Bookshelf Speakers*PIONEER VSX D509S AV Receiver(this is an older model, which I use only for music, 100 x 5 @ 8 ohms, over the years it has handled every combination of Speaker / HiFi Component I threw @ it, one of the last few models which have a fiber optic digital out, perfect to pair with my Pioneer Cassette Deck CTW806DR, which has a digital in, for clean hiss-less recordings)*ORTOFON RED / BLUE / BLACK Cartridge(I climbed the upgrade ladder just like any other HiFi enthusiast,I keep switching between the blue and black Cartridge, but at most times the Blue is always on.)So I've been reading a lot about this little powerhouse of a preamp, watched a couple of YouTube reviews, everyone seems to agree on one thing, for its price and flexibility in functionality(MM & MC Compatible) the output is Phenominal. The option to switch Gain / Load, is great. Mine came set at the below setting:*Gain 1 and Gain 2 both L: 30dB of gain30db of gain is a pretty good starting point, so I left it at that and run it thru a couple of records, Hendrix, Floyd, Portishead, to name a few, while switching between the 3 cartridges. I found that firstly, other than your regular surface noise, there's no added hiss, no hum. The answer lies in the details as they say, this Preamp breathe's new life and tonal balance to whatever music you listen to, the highs are defined but don't distort, the mids sound balanced but yet soulful, the bass is punchy, quick and sounds fuller. Further experimenting with records by Type O Negative, King Crimson & Sinatra, I decided to bump it up, now running @ Gain 1 = H, Gain 2 = L: giving me 48dB of overall gain, this is where the Mani shines for any MM Cartridge. First noticeable difference was the bump in standard loudness and added clarity in highs, I had to reduce the volume down at-least by 10db (in layman's terms that would be, say if you're listening to your music @ Volume 30, you will now have to reduce it to 20, yup that's how much louder it gets, a very noticeable difference without any distortion) The Channel separation comes through beautifully, many-a-time making me turn my head left and right. The bass sounds more meaty, a more whole sound. The jump in db, after switching to *Gain 1 = H, Gain 2 = L: 48dB of gain, also helps in preserving your main amplifier, when the standard loudness increases, you would naturally reduce the volume on your main amp, therefore, now you aren't pushing it as much! Even at lower volumes, the details shine through. Advise to anyone who has a TT/Preamp setup, if you're thinking of upgrading your cartridge, try upgrading the preamp first, I was in awe of the output on my Red Cartridge, it made my system sound almost like those Yamaha studio monitors, super balanced, yet dynamic. I'm assuming the most commonly used cartridge on HiFi systems is MM, so the settings out of the box either the 30db or 48db are your best bet. You may bump up to Gain 1 and Gain 2 both H: 59dB of gain, if you are using a lower output amplifier or receiver, however anything that's 100w x 2 @ 8 ohms will be good to go @ 48bd gain settings. Lastly I'd like to add this is a quality built product.. its top notch sturdy, strong connectors, not at all flimsy! a very minimal design with just the one led light in front. works for me tbh. Its small size allows it to be tucked right behind my turntable. Schiit are quite reputed when it comes to their products, and this preamp, besides exceeding my expectations.. is no exception. It gets the job done and then some, for a fraction of the cost you'd pay for any other preamp. All I'd say is, I now have a piece of Schiit that I love!A few tips on connections, if you are going to connect all your components to 1 power strip, make sure it is surge protected, this will help in maintaining a stable current going to all your devices, at the same time the surge protector will act as a firewall against any spikes in voltage.

This is a good little preamp. After a little research I had decided that the Fosi Box X1 would probably be my choice, with the Mani and the Art DJ still under consideration. I was going to use this to play my Father's old records that haven't been cared for very well. No need to spend a lot on pretentious equipment, but I do have pretty good hearing and can't live with bad sounding hardware. I found a video on YouTube where a fellow set up a blind audio test with the three preamp candidates I had selected. It was a fair test, and truthfully there was not much difference between the Mani and the Fosi X1. The Mani was a bit clearer in reproducing vocals. I could detect the slightest bit of a ragged edge on vocals with the Fosi. The Art DJ sounded good, but less bright than the other two. To my surprise, I liked the Mani best in the blind test.It costs more, but it is also more flexible. You can adjust the output gain to compensate for your cartridge. It can accommodate both MM and MC cartridges. You can use the white LED on the front to light your listening room (it is very bright).It did not disappoint in the home. I am using a Dual CQ 630 turntable with a Stanton 681EEE cartridge going into a Yamaha home theater receiver. It sounds great.With a name like Schiit, it had better.

This is for sure a quality product for the price. I have read reviews where people have mentioned about hum etc. But for my situation it was nice and clear.Here is my system description:Clear Audio concept with Moving Coil head. I am using Arcam Amplifier.Again on listening preference I felt Clear Audio preamp was a better match than the Schitt Mani. If your turntable is around $1000 or less then Schitt Mani is best.

I am verified as purchasing the Schiitt Mani Mag Phono Pre. Very well constructed, all metal case, with wall wart PS.Using Audacity recording software, and a high quality low hum and noise mixer. Self-Noise is in the high -90's-dB . Test record used was a nicely mastered / recorded vinyl. BAND: Rush "Power Windows" album. Condition of record is VG condition.The Mani is being compared to a 1970's Phoenix System Mag Phono pre designed for MM and MCMy phono cart is a Nagaoka MP110 tracking 1.8g. TT is a Yamaha YPD-8.The GAIN selection on the bottom of the Mani are ALL set to LOW. The terminating impedance for the cart is 47K.Playback from the Mani was a nice slightly brighter high end and very good bass. The stereo separation seems a lot more noticeable than the vintage 70's Phoenix box.I returned a Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra. Twice the price of the Mani. High-end audio was even more prevalent in the Pro-Ject box and much less bass. Maybe a bad match to my MM cart.

Don't even hesitate if you are needing to upgrade your built-in phono pre. This one is affordable and sounds amazing. Several levels of adjustable gain to match your cartridge and or system. Sound is warm and clean. An enormous upgrade from the built-in pre in my turntable, and receiver. Recommended.

I don’t own or have tested other phono preamps but in my humble system (AT X120 w/VM95E cartridge and Klipsch R41 PM) it has been an impressive upgrade. The clarity throughout is evident. I can even up the volume w/o the discomfort/fuzziness I sensed before. Great mid section and upper bass clarity. Can’t wait to hear the results with my recently ordered Audio Technica VM95ML cartridge.

Did not work for my ear. Nice solid construction but never added much to my listening joy.

I read great reviews about this little phono preamp so I bit the bullet and purchased one. I have a Rega P3 with an Ortofon 2m Bronze and Yamaha A-S1100 integrated amp which has a decent phono stage. That combination sounded great but I wanted to see if the Mani could make an improvement. I was pleasantly surprised much more detail and an overall airy sound.