moving coil preamp

It is generally agreed that, as far as sound quality is concerned, moving-coil pickup cartridges have the edge over their moving-magnet counterparts. The prices of moving-coil and moving-magnet cartridges of comparable performance are similar, but unfortunately the low output voltage of moving-coil cartridges necessitates the use of a step-up transformer or preamplifier which can cost more than the cartridge itself. For this reason alone the preampl1fier design presented· here should be welcomed by those who like to construct their own hi-fi equipment, as it can be built for around one-tenth the cost of a comparable commercial unit.