Great, especially for us beginners.
For Muffsy Phono Preamp - Kit
I looked quite a while for a DIY phono stage. I'm a bit OCD at times when picking something new out. This kit flips all the triggers for me, a person trying to learn the DIY audio game. The adjustability built in the kit with gain and impedance settings will help one learn how those factors integrate into a system. The board is set up very well, clear labeling and room left for tinkering with the signal path, something which also helps us newbies learn the trade. Soldering all of the components was helped by very clear and easy to follow directions (read the correct set of instructions, I happened to use an older set until I realized my mistake, completely my fault.) Even after a mistake made in soldering (my fault), the board showed its toughness with my ham-fisted and unskilled attempts at removing one of the screw on terminals. Very quality board, I must say, since after completing the phono kit, along with the PSU and back panel kit, the unit powered up the first time showing no ill effects from my rough ways. No hums or buzzes, even sans the 0905 case (mine is currently sitting uncased on a piece of wood playing just fine).
It is a very clean sounding phono (I have the OPA2134s). It treats all music the same, clean and clear with good separation and definition. Compared to a Bellari tube phono I was using, it is much more neutral and defined. This is where I get the idea that it treats all music the same. The Bellari, for some reason, seemed to play rock, country, and jazz with less enthusiasm/soul than electronica or hip-hop, but it did those last two very well and soulfully. I'm not sure how much system dynamics may have effected that conclusion. As a newbie, I really appreciate this neutrality that I am perceiving. I have another blank board here at home and one more on the way which I am going to populate with different resisitors and capacitors in order to be able to see what kind of changes can be had with the switching of basic parts of a piece of equipment. For the price, general enjoyment of listening to music as well as for learning, I think, would be harder to find in other kits that might even be quite a bit more expensive.
And then there is the customer service. Skrodahl (hope I spelled that right) has been top shelf! He has answered the questions I have emailed him better than I had hoped for. After asking about a certain capacitor on the board and giving him a part number he replied soon after with a link of caps that would work (the one I had sent him would not) as well as another link with brand specific caps that would work that I had missed. He also gave me some advice on what to look out for with regards to what might harm the end result. Like I said, top shelf.
Bottom line, I am not sure how you could go wrong with this kit. Great sound, easy to do if you take care and follow the instructions, customer service is top shelf, and will help you learn aspects of audio in ways I haven't seen in other kits. Thanks again, Havard.
