Tindie
muffsy
Overall Rating:
All Reviews
Trygve | Oct. 5, 2017
Super
With very little soldering experience, I managed to assemble the kit easily over a couple of Sundays. Take your time, follow the instructions and you will be rewarded with a very good MM phono stage. I will be ordering the MC Headamp too!
Felix | Sept. 21, 2017
I built this power supply this afternoon with no problems
For Muffsy Hifi Dual Power Supply V4 -Kit
With an hour or so to spare this afternoon I put the Muffsy split rail power supply kit together with no problems except for a couple of dumb assembly mistakes which were easily rectified. Nice, clean and steady 14.8 VDC on each output rail. I've placed it into service powering one of my DIY phono stages and it's working beautifully. Many thanks! Regards, Felix.
Felix | July 6, 2017
A high performance kit!
G'day there, I recently completed successful construction of this kit, and I've been listening to it extensively for some days now on my system in here with my Marantz TT1200 turntable and OEM stylus Shure M97xE moving magnet cartridge.
The kit was easy to build although the board is small and I have an aversion to double sided boards which makes component change and/or removal next to impossible once soldered in.
I also consider the input impedance switching of very little value, and I also found one of the switches on one bank failed completely with very little use. I was 'disappointed' at that. Sonically though, it is a superb MM cartridge phono stage and equal to any of my other high performance phono stages.
I regard passive RIAA equalisation as the preferred approach to optimum sonic quality with RIAA playback correction! I have my 'Muffsy' strapped for maximum gain (a very nice touch). I am using the supplied NE5532 op amps, which I regard very highly. Regards, Felix Scerri, Queensland, Australia.
The kit was easy to build although the board is small and I have an aversion to double sided boards which makes component change and/or removal next to impossible once soldered in.
I also consider the input impedance switching of very little value, and I also found one of the switches on one bank failed completely with very little use. I was 'disappointed' at that. Sonically though, it is a superb MM cartridge phono stage and equal to any of my other high performance phono stages.
I regard passive RIAA equalisation as the preferred approach to optimum sonic quality with RIAA playback correction! I have my 'Muffsy' strapped for maximum gain (a very nice touch). I am using the supplied NE5532 op amps, which I regard very highly. Regards, Felix Scerri, Queensland, Australia.
Response from muffsy | July 9, 2017
Thanks for the nice review Felix,
A new kit has been sent to you since the original one had a faulty component.
A new kit has been sent to you since the original one had a faulty component.
Tonghai | June 30, 2017
Muffsy
This amp arrived 2 weeks since the order. power connector was missing but that's no big deal as everything else was fine. very easy to build, layout of pcb is very neat. documentation is quite well explained. I spent 2 nights for it although I could had got it done in one night.
Sound wise the amp is smooth with quiet back ground. I believe it has low noise floor as i couldnt hear any noises through my headphones.I part it with bottle head crack head amp for some hd600s/hd650s. they sound so sweet.
Thanks to the owner of muffsy who is a nice guy and is easy to communicate with.
Sound wise the amp is smooth with quiet back ground. I believe it has low noise floor as i couldnt hear any noises through my headphones.I part it with bottle head crack head amp for some hd600s/hd650s. they sound so sweet.
Thanks to the owner of muffsy who is a nice guy and is easy to communicate with.
Robert-Jan | June 20, 2017
Fantastic product, great fun and the best customer service.
What A fantastic phono kit it is, high quality components and due to the extensive documentation even for a novice like me a piece of cake to build it.
Unfortunately my power button was broken but was being replaced in a blink with a new one.
Hard to express why you should buy this kit but everybody who is looking for a high quality phono pre and want to have some fun with DIY, go for it....
And yes....it does sound better when you have build it yourself 😉
Robert
Unfortunately my power button was broken but was being replaced in a blink with a new one.
Hard to express why you should buy this kit but everybody who is looking for a high quality phono pre and want to have some fun with DIY, go for it....
And yes....it does sound better when you have build it yourself 😉
Robert
Michi | June 19, 2017
Really Happy!
I had been looking around for a phone pre for some time and finally settled on this kit. The great reviews and the quick responses of the seller even before buying made the decision fairly easy. The kit arrived much quicker than anticipated - I believe within 2 or 3 days. Everything was nicely packaged and labeled. The PCBs look really nice and are clearly above all the others I have used since. With the detailed instructions from the website the build process was really straightforward. I had never soldered before but there are even instructional videos for that on the website and it was really easy to learn. I've been using the amp for a few weeks now and I couldn't be happier. The sound is really clear and I believe it picks up a bit more detail than my previous phono preamps.
I had some questions for the seller along the way - considering this kit and also on how to integrate the phono stage into another project I am working on. He was super helpful all along the way, responded instantly and I learned a great deal. Thank you!
I can recommend this kit to anyone looking for a great phono preamp!
I had some questions for the seller along the way - considering this kit and also on how to integrate the phono stage into another project I am working on. He was super helpful all along the way, responded instantly and I learned a great deal. Thank you!
I can recommend this kit to anyone looking for a great phono preamp!
Callum | June 13, 2017
A few issues with shipping but to no fault of the seller
I ordered the Phono Preamp kit to try and get some good sound out of my records at a great price. The $20 one from the local electronics store was not appropriate for my love of music. I gave the product 5 stars but I haven't built it yet (it just arrived). This review is more to talk about my experience with the seller, Skrodahl.
I was told 15 business days was the typical shipping time for delivery to North America. When my kit didn't arrive after a month, he sent me another one with tracking. After another month Skrodahl inquired if the kit had arrived yet. It had not, and he discovered the shipping company was having issues sending the product to Canada. He offered me a full refund on the product and sent yet another kit with a different shipping company complete with tracking info. The day after he sent the third kit the original kit arrived at my door, two months later.
Despite the shipping issues (which I'm sure were an anomaly), my experience was quite positive. All the components arrived accounted for and intact. Communication with Skrodahl was constant. I never doubted that I would receive the kit. I can't yet speak for the product itself, but the components appear to be high quality and the instructions/resources are excellent.
I was told 15 business days was the typical shipping time for delivery to North America. When my kit didn't arrive after a month, he sent me another one with tracking. After another month Skrodahl inquired if the kit had arrived yet. It had not, and he discovered the shipping company was having issues sending the product to Canada. He offered me a full refund on the product and sent yet another kit with a different shipping company complete with tracking info. The day after he sent the third kit the original kit arrived at my door, two months later.
Despite the shipping issues (which I'm sure were an anomaly), my experience was quite positive. All the components arrived accounted for and intact. Communication with Skrodahl was constant. I never doubted that I would receive the kit. I can't yet speak for the product itself, but the components appear to be high quality and the instructions/resources are excellent.
Petri | May 15, 2017
Absolutely nice preamp
Well i did build this and it was pretty easy to make. The PCB's look absolutely professional. There were at least mistake in the documentation what i was wonder about. The picture of the RCA connectors there were only 2 of them getting the earth pin in the picture. I did it like it was in the picture. When i did get it done, the amp i mean. First test was promising. Sound quality was very good actually. I think better than Bugle 2. Only problem was the buzz. Then i was starting to look what the problem is. And i found the problem or should i say solution. A little extra wire coming from the gnd pin of the psu to the case. The buzz was totally gone. I attach a little picture of that:
https://ibb.co/iMH3bQ
What do designer think about this solution?
https://ibb.co/iMH3bQ
What do designer think about this solution?
Response from muffsy | May 17, 2017
Thanks for the nice review Petri.
The there are tracks inside of the back panel that connect the RCAs and ground screw together. It's important NOT to use the plastic shims on the inside, or there will be no grounding.
The grounding that you did is essentially the same as the one shown here: https://www.muffsy.com/eliminate-hum.html
The there are tracks inside of the back panel that connect the RCAs and ground screw together. It's important NOT to use the plastic shims on the inside, or there will be no grounding.
The grounding that you did is essentially the same as the one shown here: https://www.muffsy.com/eliminate-hum.html
Jacco | April 9, 2017
Great product, very good pcb's an quality of the components.
The quality of the pcb's and components are the best. The HeadAmp has a very nice dc-coupled amplifier with dc compensation. Very good design! Also the power-supply with the LM317/337 are great. Very low noise power supply with extreme ripple-rejection.
However, I have some recommendations:
- MC-elements tends to have different levels of output (0.09..0.5 mv), dependend of type and mark. In order to compensate that to the 5mv needed, the amplification should vary from 10 to 60 times. This is now not provided with switches. At this moment you have to calculate it yourself and change a resistor.
- The noise is very low at this point, but can be enhanced by using 2, 3 or more low-noise opamps tied together with input and output (via 100 ohm resistors) and using the same amplification (0.1% resistors). This can enhance the noice-floor by 2...4 db.
Best regards,
Jacco de Groot
+31 6 4716 2780
However, I have some recommendations:
- MC-elements tends to have different levels of output (0.09..0.5 mv), dependend of type and mark. In order to compensate that to the 5mv needed, the amplification should vary from 10 to 60 times. This is now not provided with switches. At this moment you have to calculate it yourself and change a resistor.
- The noise is very low at this point, but can be enhanced by using 2, 3 or more low-noise opamps tied together with input and output (via 100 ohm resistors) and using the same amplification (0.1% resistors). This can enhance the noice-floor by 2...4 db.
Best regards,
Jacco de Groot
+31 6 4716 2780
Response from muffsy | April 12, 2017
Hi Jacco, and thanks for the great review. The Muffsy MC Head Amp is primarily meant as a companion to the Muffsy Phono Preamp, which has variable gain from 36 to 46 dB and can handle up to 30 mV input at 1 kHz. This will cover all MC outputs from ~0.1 to 1 mV.
I aimed for an SNR of 70 dB or better with a 0.3 mV input, at a certain price point, board size, power requirements and ease of build. I was able to meet these goals.
The more detailed story about the design goals and how I got there can be found here: https://hackaday.io/project/12483-muffsy-mc-head-amp
I aimed for an SNR of 70 dB or better with a 0.3 mV input, at a certain price point, board size, power requirements and ease of build. I was able to meet these goals.
The more detailed story about the design goals and how I got there can be found here: https://hackaday.io/project/12483-muffsy-mc-head-amp
John | April 9, 2017
Marvellous DIY kit. Highly recommended. Sounds superb.
The kit arrived promptly, well packaged and clearly labelled.
The instructions on Muffsy's website could not be clearer. The links to "learn how to solder" were invaluable - I've not soldered anything in decades.
The last few bits of assembly are fiddly and frustrating, but that's a function of cramming so much into a nice small form factor.
My only advice would be - order the third party case well in advance of completing the kit. I finished the kit before the case arrived from China. Nobody's fault but my own.
Just spent an hour listening and being proud of myself.
Many thanks.
The instructions on Muffsy's website could not be clearer. The links to "learn how to solder" were invaluable - I've not soldered anything in decades.
The last few bits of assembly are fiddly and frustrating, but that's a function of cramming so much into a nice small form factor.
My only advice would be - order the third party case well in advance of completing the kit. I finished the kit before the case arrived from China. Nobody's fault but my own.
Just spent an hour listening and being proud of myself.
Many thanks.
Rob | March 30, 2017
Easy and fun to build MC Head Amp.
I needed extra amplification for my Muffsy Phono Stage, Muffsy already proved a significant upgrade from my Luxman L430 onboard MM/MC stage, however I wanted to fit my new Paradox Pulse Denon DL103 Maroon MC cartridge. When I ordered the kits, I was smart enough to order Muffsy as well as the MC Head Amp from Skrodahl, so I had everything in stock, waiting to be built.
Building these kits from Skrodahl is so much fun, incredible, but do it only when you feel like it. Do not touch a soldering iron when you feel stressed or after enjoying a fine glass of whisky. I built both the PSU and MC Head Amp in a weekend, relaxed with time to concentrate on what you are doing.
Check and measure before connecting everything and flicking the switch hoping all is well. Make sure all is well and you will be rewarded with a fantastic piece of equipment!!
Yesterday I installed and set up the new cartridge and since I had no means of testing the new MC Head Amp other than to connect an MC cartridge to it, this was kind of exciting. But both the cartridge and MC Amp sang.
The sound was better than I could have imagined, realism in strings and voices, full low but still tight controlled bass. Truckloads full of musical enjoyment!!
If you already own Muffsy and plan to use an MC cartridge in the future, do yourself a big favor and order yourself an MC Head Amp and PSU. I guarantee you will not regret this.
Pro's and con's:
1) Skrodahl is a nice guy he offers relentless Customer Service, which is amazing in this day and age. He even noticed one of the input cables being close to making a short to ground. I sent him the pictures to show the result and he scrutinized them and noticed a possible issue. Fantastic and a big thumbs up to Skrodahl.
2) The kits are easy to build and complete.
3) The website offers step to step instructions and clear pictures, if you follow these steps, nothing can go wrong.
4) The equipment works and performs way above expectation, mine anyway.
5) If you use or plan to use an MC cartridge in the near future, do yourself a big favor, buy Muffsy as well as the MC Head Amp.
6) At the price Skrodahl is asking, buying the equipment is almost mandatory.
Con's
1) None actually.
Building these kits from Skrodahl is so much fun, incredible, but do it only when you feel like it. Do not touch a soldering iron when you feel stressed or after enjoying a fine glass of whisky. I built both the PSU and MC Head Amp in a weekend, relaxed with time to concentrate on what you are doing.
Check and measure before connecting everything and flicking the switch hoping all is well. Make sure all is well and you will be rewarded with a fantastic piece of equipment!!
Yesterday I installed and set up the new cartridge and since I had no means of testing the new MC Head Amp other than to connect an MC cartridge to it, this was kind of exciting. But both the cartridge and MC Amp sang.
The sound was better than I could have imagined, realism in strings and voices, full low but still tight controlled bass. Truckloads full of musical enjoyment!!
If you already own Muffsy and plan to use an MC cartridge in the future, do yourself a big favor and order yourself an MC Head Amp and PSU. I guarantee you will not regret this.
Pro's and con's:
1) Skrodahl is a nice guy he offers relentless Customer Service, which is amazing in this day and age. He even noticed one of the input cables being close to making a short to ground. I sent him the pictures to show the result and he scrutinized them and noticed a possible issue. Fantastic and a big thumbs up to Skrodahl.
2) The kits are easy to build and complete.
3) The website offers step to step instructions and clear pictures, if you follow these steps, nothing can go wrong.
4) The equipment works and performs way above expectation, mine anyway.
5) If you use or plan to use an MC cartridge in the near future, do yourself a big favor, buy Muffsy as well as the MC Head Amp.
6) At the price Skrodahl is asking, buying the equipment is almost mandatory.
Con's
1) None actually.
Rob | March 29, 2017
Easy and fun to build Phono Stage + MC Head Amp.
I needed a separate Phono Stage, I hoped to upgrade from my Luxman L430 onboard MM/MC stage, moreover I needed a standalone unit to connect to my tube amplifiers/dedicated headphone amplifier that lacked a Phono Stage.
Building Muffsy and the PSU was a dream, the circuitboards were perfectly finished.
I decided to order the kit complete with all components, to make sure that everything would fit (which it did) and I did not have to hunt for parts, I am glad I did, I could start building straightaway.
I also ordered the housing Skrodahl advised, the circuitboards were a perfect fit.
Everything was included in the kit even the wiring and a length of solder, fantastic.
My Muffsy played without issues from the start, it was perfectly silent without hum.
Skrodahl was not sure if he could call Muffsy High End, I think he can.
Last weekend I finished the MC Head Amp and fitted a Paradox Pulse Denon DL 103, this combination blew my socks off, realistic sounding instruments and voices that became tangible. Lower bass than I had experienced before, but tight and clean.
Overall the Muffsy + Head Amp are very enjoyable units, being a lover of tube amplifiers, I always fear solid state equipment and the harshness that sometimes comes with it. Muffsy sounds neutral with a touch of warmth, you can listen to it for hours without listening fatigue, but it is certainly not lacking in detail.
I feel Skrodahl is doing the Vinyl community a favor by supplying such a fantastic piece of kit, for such a nice price.
Pro's and con's:
1) Skrodahl is a nice guy he offers relentless Customer Service, which is amazing in this day and age.
2) The kits are easy to build and complete.
3) The website offers step to step instructions and clear pictures, if you follow these steps, nothing can go wrong.
4) The equipment works and performs way above expectation, mine anyway.
5) If you use or plan to use an MC cartridge in the near future, do yourself a big favor, buy Muffsy as well as the MC Head Amp.
6) At the price Skrodahl is asking, buying the equipment is almost mandatory.
Con's
1) None actually.
Building Muffsy and the PSU was a dream, the circuitboards were perfectly finished.
I decided to order the kit complete with all components, to make sure that everything would fit (which it did) and I did not have to hunt for parts, I am glad I did, I could start building straightaway.
I also ordered the housing Skrodahl advised, the circuitboards were a perfect fit.
Everything was included in the kit even the wiring and a length of solder, fantastic.
My Muffsy played without issues from the start, it was perfectly silent without hum.
Skrodahl was not sure if he could call Muffsy High End, I think he can.
Last weekend I finished the MC Head Amp and fitted a Paradox Pulse Denon DL 103, this combination blew my socks off, realistic sounding instruments and voices that became tangible. Lower bass than I had experienced before, but tight and clean.
Overall the Muffsy + Head Amp are very enjoyable units, being a lover of tube amplifiers, I always fear solid state equipment and the harshness that sometimes comes with it. Muffsy sounds neutral with a touch of warmth, you can listen to it for hours without listening fatigue, but it is certainly not lacking in detail.
I feel Skrodahl is doing the Vinyl community a favor by supplying such a fantastic piece of kit, for such a nice price.
Pro's and con's:
1) Skrodahl is a nice guy he offers relentless Customer Service, which is amazing in this day and age.
2) The kits are easy to build and complete.
3) The website offers step to step instructions and clear pictures, if you follow these steps, nothing can go wrong.
4) The equipment works and performs way above expectation, mine anyway.
5) If you use or plan to use an MC cartridge in the near future, do yourself a big favor, buy Muffsy as well as the MC Head Amp.
6) At the price Skrodahl is asking, buying the equipment is almost mandatory.
Con's
1) None actually.
Mike | March 7, 2017
Easy to build. Great sound quality.
I was in the market to upgrade my Rega A2D fono preamp and was researching the best possible phono preamp for the money. Then I read about the CNC phono preamp on Audiokarma and with such positive feedback on its performance I decided I was going to build one. It is then I discovered Muffsy and was impressed with the professional PCB build and supplied with all the components required. The kit arrived within a week and took several hours to build. A nice touch was the resistors had values stamped so didn't have to decode the colour codes. The kit was easy to build with full step by step instructions on the Muffsy website. I bought the full kit with PSU and backpanel and it all worked first time and heard very little background noise. At full volume there was a slight hiss but no hum at all. After a few hours use, I compared it to my Rega A2D and can confidently say the Muffsy sound quality was noticeably better, I'm well pleased. Also Skrodahl replied to all my queries very promptly and in full, and gave confidence with his knowledge of his products.
In summary the Muffsy preamp sounds great equivalent to any other costing at least £200, with great support from Skrodahl.
In summary the Muffsy preamp sounds great equivalent to any other costing at least £200, with great support from Skrodahl.
Tomasz | March 1, 2017
It's a great little phono preamp!
I've bought Muffsy phono preamp with back panel and Muffsy power supply.
All fitted nicely in b0905 case.
The package came very quickly (around 1 week from Sweden to Poland) The packaging was very good, all elements were sorted and marked with proper stickers. It was a pleasure to build as the pcb is marked superbly.
The sound quality is very good, there is no hum or weird noise. My Vinyl collection is alive again :)
Definitely worth the money!
All fitted nicely in b0905 case.
The package came very quickly (around 1 week from Sweden to Poland) The packaging was very good, all elements were sorted and marked with proper stickers. It was a pleasure to build as the pcb is marked superbly.
The sound quality is very good, there is no hum or weird noise. My Vinyl collection is alive again :)
Definitely worth the money!
Json | Feb. 27, 2017
Great, especially for us beginners.
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.
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.
Adam | Feb. 26, 2017
great
Everything went along smoothly when assembling it. the screw terminals were a little tricky for me, make sure to strip the wires short so that the terminals have some insulation to grab on or you'll be doing it again and again as the wires keep slipping out.
Mark | Feb. 21, 2017
Awesome preamp
First a quick rundown of my current equipment - Project Debut carbon with acrylic platter, Ortofon OM30, Art DJ Pre II (now retired), Denon X1300W.
After researching preamps for the last couple of weeks, and almost buying the Hagerman Bugle 2, I came across the CNC which then led me to the Muffsy which I decided to try - mainly due to the separate power supply and the clear instructions on how to build it. I opted for the preamp, power supply, back panel, and the stock 5532 op-amps.
Shipping took about 10 days to east coast Australia, upon opening I found everything to be clearly labelled. I seen some reviews that mention a small amount of solder coming with the kit, mine did not have this but I have plenty of solder so wasn't fussed.
Assembly took about 4.5 hours for the preamp, power supply and back panel. My soldering skills are pretty decent but this is definitely the biggest kit I've done. I had a bit of a mix up with the regulators on the power supply as I didn't notice they were all different and was a bit too eager to get everything done, so I mixed up 2 of them and it was quite a challenge to get them out. Luckily I realised before connecting the power.
The instructions are very well done, the only thing I would add is when stripping the audio wires, it would be good to specify the 3cm ends go to the back panel.
Once powered up, there was an instant lack of hum or buzz. I thought for a minute it wasn't working, until I put a record on. My first thoughts were WOW, this thing is amazing. Bass presence was there but not overwhelming, mids were clear and highs were crisp. The overall soundstage feels very realistic, every instrument has it's own voice and placing.
After a few hours of bliss and annoying the neighbors, I couldn't help but to start tinkering. First I had a look at my OM30 specs, which note that the output is 4mV. From there I found an online preamp calculator at kabusa.com/pregain.htm which says the ideal gain for 4mV is 38db. So I set the Muffsy at 36db gain (was at 40db), and found just a slight hint of more dynamics. This was then confirmed when I did a couple of needledrops in audacity at 36 and 40db. At 40db the highest peaks were smoothed off but did not look distorted as such, whereas at 36db those same peaks were very sharp - imagine ( vs <
I also played around with the loading but found 47K sounded the best to my ears, I don't think I'll play with capacitance loading but it's great to have that option too. Next up is to test out a couple of other op-amps. The great thing about the Muffsy being so easy to modify is also a bad thing for people like me who just can't stop messing with it.
After researching preamps for the last couple of weeks, and almost buying the Hagerman Bugle 2, I came across the CNC which then led me to the Muffsy which I decided to try - mainly due to the separate power supply and the clear instructions on how to build it. I opted for the preamp, power supply, back panel, and the stock 5532 op-amps.
Shipping took about 10 days to east coast Australia, upon opening I found everything to be clearly labelled. I seen some reviews that mention a small amount of solder coming with the kit, mine did not have this but I have plenty of solder so wasn't fussed.
Assembly took about 4.5 hours for the preamp, power supply and back panel. My soldering skills are pretty decent but this is definitely the biggest kit I've done. I had a bit of a mix up with the regulators on the power supply as I didn't notice they were all different and was a bit too eager to get everything done, so I mixed up 2 of them and it was quite a challenge to get them out. Luckily I realised before connecting the power.
The instructions are very well done, the only thing I would add is when stripping the audio wires, it would be good to specify the 3cm ends go to the back panel.
Once powered up, there was an instant lack of hum or buzz. I thought for a minute it wasn't working, until I put a record on. My first thoughts were WOW, this thing is amazing. Bass presence was there but not overwhelming, mids were clear and highs were crisp. The overall soundstage feels very realistic, every instrument has it's own voice and placing.
After a few hours of bliss and annoying the neighbors, I couldn't help but to start tinkering. First I had a look at my OM30 specs, which note that the output is 4mV. From there I found an online preamp calculator at kabusa.com/pregain.htm which says the ideal gain for 4mV is 38db. So I set the Muffsy at 36db gain (was at 40db), and found just a slight hint of more dynamics. This was then confirmed when I did a couple of needledrops in audacity at 36 and 40db. At 40db the highest peaks were smoothed off but did not look distorted as such, whereas at 36db those same peaks were very sharp - imagine ( vs <
I also played around with the loading but found 47K sounded the best to my ears, I don't think I'll play with capacitance loading but it's great to have that option too. Next up is to test out a couple of other op-amps. The great thing about the Muffsy being so easy to modify is also a bad thing for people like me who just can't stop messing with it.
Response from muffsy | Feb. 21, 2017
Thanks for the great review Mark.
The solder wire has been removed from the kit, as it contains lead. I have edited the documentation so it says which end of the shielded cables go where.
The solder wire has been removed from the kit, as it contains lead. I have edited the documentation so it says which end of the shielded cables go where.
Jesper | Dec. 9, 2016
One word: Amazing!
Previously I hade a Pro-ject Phonobox DS and my vinyl-sound was just plain boring. I decided to order and build the Muffsy Phono Preamp kit, and the end result is amazing! Suddenly it is fun listening to my vinyls!
The shipping was extremely fast, and the documentation was perfect. And I had a question about an AC/AC adapter I found, and got answered almost immediatly!
Highly recommended!
/Jesper
The shipping was extremely fast, and the documentation was perfect. And I had a question about an AC/AC adapter I found, and got answered almost immediatly!
Highly recommended!
/Jesper
Hardijs | Dec. 5, 2016
Prefect
Very nice pre amp and psu, excellent sound.
I was very positively surprised that the kit included soldering wire.
Everything was packed in small plastic bags, with labels
I have some experience in soldering but not with so small components.
But on the muffsy site it's very well explained with text and pictures how to
put it together.
If you have any questions feel free to ask Skrodahl.
Responses from Skrodahl are excellent, BEST costumer service ever! Seriously!
I was very positively surprised that the kit included soldering wire.
Everything was packed in small plastic bags, with labels
I have some experience in soldering but not with so small components.
But on the muffsy site it's very well explained with text and pictures how to
put it together.
If you have any questions feel free to ask Skrodahl.
Responses from Skrodahl are excellent, BEST costumer service ever! Seriously!
Martin | Nov. 27, 2016
Excellent
Having bought the excellent power supply and front panel I reciever the preamp quickly and well packaged. The parts are of high quality and construction is straightforward as long as you follow the online instructions which are clear and consise. It is pointed out in them to check and double your component placement with the photos and diagrams before soldering ... an important piece of advice. Any problems or questions were answered quickly, such as post build checks.
The finished kit looks good and professional. The results confirm the high standard of design and componant choice and sound quality is excellent.
The finished kit looks good and professional. The results confirm the high standard of design and componant choice and sound quality is excellent.
Martin | Nov. 20, 2016
Excellent
For Muffsy Phono Preamp Back Panel
Well made High quality parts make an excellent product.
Clear and concise instructions.
Fast delivery and very good customer service
Clear and concise instructions.
Fast delivery and very good customer service
Martin | Nov. 6, 2016
Excellent
For Muffsy Hifi Dual Power Supply V4 -Kit
From ordering to building and testing this product is excellent.
The online build instructions are clear and concise.
Any questions I had were answered quickly.
The quality of the circuit board is excellent.
I would recommend this product
The online build instructions are clear and concise.
Any questions I had were answered quickly.
The quality of the circuit board is excellent.
I would recommend this product
Justin | Oct. 27, 2016
Lovely little preamp
Shipping to Western Australia took just under three weeks (Australia Post has gotten pretty slow lately).
Took me maybe four hours to populate and solder the boards, mostly since it's my first project in a while and I wanted to take my time. Helpful to have the resistor values written on the strips, too, since I'm always forgetting the stripe colours.
Nice tight and tidy layout on the boards, values labelled on the top side making stuffing the board easy as pie. Plenty of impedance and gain options for future proofing, plus fitting tidily into absurdly affordable yet aesthetically pleasing 0905 enclosure means it doesn't look out of place next to my turntable and will probably reside there for quite some time.
As for the sound, it's clearly miles ahead of my other phono stage (integrated into an old but good 2ch amp) and for the handful of albums I own on both CD and vinyl the sound quality is near indistinguishable bar the expected vinyl surface noise, clicks and pops.
Tiny bit of mains hum which is due to my rather messy entertainment cabinet - I'm yet to try the suggested enclosure grounding (it's been playing music basically since I finished it), but in any case it's only really noticeable at enormously loud volumes.
Great work mate.
Took me maybe four hours to populate and solder the boards, mostly since it's my first project in a while and I wanted to take my time. Helpful to have the resistor values written on the strips, too, since I'm always forgetting the stripe colours.
Nice tight and tidy layout on the boards, values labelled on the top side making stuffing the board easy as pie. Plenty of impedance and gain options for future proofing, plus fitting tidily into absurdly affordable yet aesthetically pleasing 0905 enclosure means it doesn't look out of place next to my turntable and will probably reside there for quite some time.
As for the sound, it's clearly miles ahead of my other phono stage (integrated into an old but good 2ch amp) and for the handful of albums I own on both CD and vinyl the sound quality is near indistinguishable bar the expected vinyl surface noise, clicks and pops.
Tiny bit of mains hum which is due to my rather messy entertainment cabinet - I'm yet to try the suggested enclosure grounding (it's been playing music basically since I finished it), but in any case it's only really noticeable at enormously loud volumes.
Great work mate.
Robert | Oct. 20, 2016
Truly impressed.
I used to wear my Sheffield Labs "STOP DIGITAL MADNESS" T- shirt with pride. That said, when audio engineers finally figured out how to actually take advantage of what the digital medium had to offer....well let's say the t-shirt eventually ended up in the rag drawer, and the turntable was more eye candy for my generation and proof to my children that there father was as much an antique as his record collection.
Still...always have had a love for vinyl....(To heck with the kids!)...slapping an album down on the platter occasionally for old times sake. Recently my old phono preamp had decided that noise floor should be somewhere barely south of audio output. Fix? Replace? I remembered the fun I had with the old Heathkits. I was rarely successful, but in that my frontal lobe was poorly developed when Heathkit existed, I thought I might have better luck this time.
Doing the research (frontal lobe fully engaged) I discovered the Muffsy web site. I couldn't believe how incredibly well documented and intuitive the directions were. The reviews sold me. Everything was delivered well packaged and in a timely manner...The case from China and the Muffsy preamp/power supply kits actually came the same day.
Build was relatively easy. The recommended videos on soldering technique are a hoot, and worth watching even if you are an old hand. I was soon soldering away like it was second nature, starting with the PSU because it seemed like the easier task for someone who's soldering skills were a bit rusty. The biggest issues I had was bringing it all together in the end. The whole unit is quite small, and for those of us who are ham fisted and fat fingered, getting those wires into those tight places is a bit of a challenge. Without question, wire the blocks prior to soldering them onto the pcb, otherwise you are going to hate yourself. Also, when I wired the input/output jacks, I tinned the ground shield and made it shorter then the positive/ negative 24 gauge wires, so that the ground could act as a stress relief...as getting the PSU and the Preamp wired together and in the box can be a little rough on 24 gauge wire connections. Then again, I am fat fingered and ham fisted, so delicacy is not my forte. My way of saying, if I can build this kit...anyone can.
Hooked everything up, and with a certain trepidation, turned on my system. Instead of the expected fireball and suffocating smoke, I got nothing. No noise. No hum. Put on an album. Whoa! Seriously? This pre sounds great! My old worn out crappy albums sound worn out and crappy still, but my good, carefully preserved recordings (those purchased after the frontal lobe decided to show up) sounded amazing. I had no idea how much clear, tight bass existed in those records. Separation and stage depth...all those things that "audiophiles" comment on while sipping their tea with extended pinkies was really evident.
Bottom line, this is a wonderfully crafted, well designed, incredibly versatile and exceptionally well documented kit. If you have reservations about your skillset, put those aside and take the plunge. You'll be glad you did.
How about Muffsy line stage preamp and power amplifier kits in the future? ...Just planting the seed! ; ~ )
Still...always have had a love for vinyl....(To heck with the kids!)...slapping an album down on the platter occasionally for old times sake. Recently my old phono preamp had decided that noise floor should be somewhere barely south of audio output. Fix? Replace? I remembered the fun I had with the old Heathkits. I was rarely successful, but in that my frontal lobe was poorly developed when Heathkit existed, I thought I might have better luck this time.
Doing the research (frontal lobe fully engaged) I discovered the Muffsy web site. I couldn't believe how incredibly well documented and intuitive the directions were. The reviews sold me. Everything was delivered well packaged and in a timely manner...The case from China and the Muffsy preamp/power supply kits actually came the same day.
Build was relatively easy. The recommended videos on soldering technique are a hoot, and worth watching even if you are an old hand. I was soon soldering away like it was second nature, starting with the PSU because it seemed like the easier task for someone who's soldering skills were a bit rusty. The biggest issues I had was bringing it all together in the end. The whole unit is quite small, and for those of us who are ham fisted and fat fingered, getting those wires into those tight places is a bit of a challenge. Without question, wire the blocks prior to soldering them onto the pcb, otherwise you are going to hate yourself. Also, when I wired the input/output jacks, I tinned the ground shield and made it shorter then the positive/ negative 24 gauge wires, so that the ground could act as a stress relief...as getting the PSU and the Preamp wired together and in the box can be a little rough on 24 gauge wire connections. Then again, I am fat fingered and ham fisted, so delicacy is not my forte. My way of saying, if I can build this kit...anyone can.
Hooked everything up, and with a certain trepidation, turned on my system. Instead of the expected fireball and suffocating smoke, I got nothing. No noise. No hum. Put on an album. Whoa! Seriously? This pre sounds great! My old worn out crappy albums sound worn out and crappy still, but my good, carefully preserved recordings (those purchased after the frontal lobe decided to show up) sounded amazing. I had no idea how much clear, tight bass existed in those records. Separation and stage depth...all those things that "audiophiles" comment on while sipping their tea with extended pinkies was really evident.
Bottom line, this is a wonderfully crafted, well designed, incredibly versatile and exceptionally well documented kit. If you have reservations about your skillset, put those aside and take the plunge. You'll be glad you did.
How about Muffsy line stage preamp and power amplifier kits in the future? ...Just planting the seed! ; ~ )
Fred Arne | Oct. 1, 2016
surprisingly easy to build
I was surprised twice with this product, amazingly easy to build even for a novice like myself.
But the real surprise came when I connected the riaa to my stereo ,and I was hoping to hear
some difference between the NAD PP 3i and the Muffsy.
Well it was no match at all , the Muffsy outperformed it , everything got better.
Music listening is now again a real pleasure .
Regards Fred.
But the real surprise came when I connected the riaa to my stereo ,and I was hoping to hear
some difference between the NAD PP 3i and the Muffsy.
Well it was no match at all , the Muffsy outperformed it , everything got better.
Music listening is now again a real pleasure .
Regards Fred.
Adam | Aug. 9, 2016
Great product and great fun!
It took some time to submit this review since the purchase, but we wanted to have our Beogram 4002 restored to test the preamp where it belongs :)
First of all, the assembly was fun and flawless – Skrodahl provided great assistance and the product shines of quality (we opted for OPA2134PA version). We can also second the suggestion of securing the wires in connectors before soldering them – it’s much easier and more precise that way. The preamp worked from the first run, no difficulties whatsoever.
Then we've done the tests with our friend's turntable (an old Thorens turntable with new MM cartridge coupled with Sony stereo amp), and the results were stellar. No hum at all and concerning a comparison between his Sony-integrated preamp and Muffsy, well - there was no comparison - on multiple UFO, Mike Oldfield, Dire Straits discs the sound was whole, never lacking detail and getting the best of his equipment.
Now, it was B&O time (coupled with Denon amp and B&W 604s3 speakers) and this is where this preamp belongs. On MMC20EN moving iron cartridge that outputs ~3 mV @ 1 kHz the suggested gain set at 40 dB and 47 Kohm input impedance were spot-on. Even on dynamic-lacking discs all the details were there, but then, starting from JM Jarre through Vangelis, Abba, Elton John, Dire Straits and Vladimir Vysotsky included it was all pleasure and nothing lacking from the sound.
Concluding: fantastic product, great experience and precious support – we can only recommend it all :)
First of all, the assembly was fun and flawless – Skrodahl provided great assistance and the product shines of quality (we opted for OPA2134PA version). We can also second the suggestion of securing the wires in connectors before soldering them – it’s much easier and more precise that way. The preamp worked from the first run, no difficulties whatsoever.
Then we've done the tests with our friend's turntable (an old Thorens turntable with new MM cartridge coupled with Sony stereo amp), and the results were stellar. No hum at all and concerning a comparison between his Sony-integrated preamp and Muffsy, well - there was no comparison - on multiple UFO, Mike Oldfield, Dire Straits discs the sound was whole, never lacking detail and getting the best of his equipment.
Now, it was B&O time (coupled with Denon amp and B&W 604s3 speakers) and this is where this preamp belongs. On MMC20EN moving iron cartridge that outputs ~3 mV @ 1 kHz the suggested gain set at 40 dB and 47 Kohm input impedance were spot-on. Even on dynamic-lacking discs all the details were there, but then, starting from JM Jarre through Vangelis, Abba, Elton John, Dire Straits and Vladimir Vysotsky included it was all pleasure and nothing lacking from the sound.
Concluding: fantastic product, great experience and precious support – we can only recommend it all :)
Peter | July 3, 2016
Great kit, superb sound and excellent support.
Came across this kit whilst building my new Power and PreAmps, it seemed exactly what I needed to complete my setup.
The kit was easy to build with clear instructions and excellent support.
As I wanted to include this phono stage within my PreAmp I decided to change the input connector to a Mini Din and fit the board into an Edeystone diecast box. Also, as the cable Mini Din connector had limited reach I decide to remove the end of the box and use the PreAmp back panel to 'close' it. The box only needed two fastners to secure it to the panel, with one of those screws reversed to provide a terminal for the turntable earth.
I am very pleased with the results and it has given my old vinyl collection a new lease of life!
The kit was easy to build with clear instructions and excellent support.
As I wanted to include this phono stage within my PreAmp I decided to change the input connector to a Mini Din and fit the board into an Edeystone diecast box. Also, as the cable Mini Din connector had limited reach I decide to remove the end of the box and use the PreAmp back panel to 'close' it. The box only needed two fastners to secure it to the panel, with one of those screws reversed to provide a terminal for the turntable earth.
I am very pleased with the results and it has given my old vinyl collection a new lease of life!
Jeffrey | June 25, 2016
5 Stars
Excellent kit. Almost too easy for anyone with basic soldering skills. How too tutorial is spot on. Thanks for this great kit!
David | June 23, 2016
Value for money
Built this recently and have had it in my system for a week or two now. Right, let's do this review in two parts then.
First, how does it sound, as that is the most important part. That's simple. Very good. I got this so I could have a second phono amp for a second system. It is better, to my ears, than my Rega Fono Mk2. The Rega has been shifted to the second system.
Building it. Easy. Very straightforward. Did it in less than a day, with interruptions, and meeting a friend for lunch.
Parts came in well marked bags, website had all I needed and a couple of questions that I asked before building it were answered very promptly.
If you are thinking you need a lot of skill to do this, you don't. A bit of practice with a soldering iron and you are good to go.
Build. Enjoy.
First, how does it sound, as that is the most important part. That's simple. Very good. I got this so I could have a second phono amp for a second system. It is better, to my ears, than my Rega Fono Mk2. The Rega has been shifted to the second system.
Building it. Easy. Very straightforward. Did it in less than a day, with interruptions, and meeting a friend for lunch.
Parts came in well marked bags, website had all I needed and a couple of questions that I asked before building it were answered very promptly.
If you are thinking you need a lot of skill to do this, you don't. A bit of practice with a soldering iron and you are good to go.
Build. Enjoy.
Arno | May 22, 2016
The "Muffsy" experience.
The "Muffsy" phono stage review
-------------------------------
-The Why:
Did I need a new phono stage? Well perhaps not.
But as I was looking at the CNC phono stage thread on Audio Karma something caught
my attention.The "Muffsy" by user Skrodahl.
Looking at the pictures one of the first things that got me interested was the size.
I was thinking.....maybe I should look into it.
On to the Muffsy site it was :-)
To my surprise Skrodahl was offering a complete kit and the only things needed
to get yourself were an AC-AC adaptor and an enclosure in which the PCB's would
fit like a glove.
And since its much fun building stuff I ordered one.
-Building it:
Only a few days later the small package arrived and a few days later the AC-AC
wallplug and enclosure arrived as well.
Lets build it !
On the Muffsy site its very well explained in text and pictures how you should
put it together. Since I have soldering experience it was a breeze putting it together.
Tripple checked if I had put everything in the correct spot.
Also checked the output voltage of the dual power supply.....no problem there :-)
-Just one thing:
Time to put it to the test!
Before I go into detail I had a hum at first but that problem was fixed by adding a
ground wire from the groundlug on the back of the Muffsy (which is made of PCB
material and therefore non conductive) to the enclosure. No hum or noise after
that little mod.
Also see: http://www.muffsy.com/blogs/
-The sound:
Well I could just use one word and that word would be "Excellent".
Audio is crystal clear. Very nice to listen to.
I use a Thorens TD-147 with an Audio Tecnica AT440MLA cartridge and the Muffsy
paires excellent with it.My other phono stages are a CNC and a Musical Fidelity X-LPSv3.
The Muffsy performs audible slightly better than the CNC (the Muffsy has it roots in
the CNC but still performs a bit better).
The biggest difference in my case is when I compare it to the Musical Fidelity.
The MF sounds a bit cold where the Muffsy sounds alive and kicking and very detailed.
I ordered the Muffsy with the OPA2134 but for those who like opamp rolling thats
not a problem.
Just be aware that some opamps need less than the standard +/-15V (which can be
altered using different resistors on the power PCB, more info on that on the Muffsy site).
So check before rolling opamps !!
-Why should you buy a Muffsy?
-Anyone can build one. Beginners might have to practise their soldering skills first.
-Well designed and very compact PCB layout.
-Kit comes well packaged and organized.
-Nothing beats that "I've build it myself" feeling :-)
-Communication with Skrodahl is excellent.
-You can't get a better phono stage for that money !
-Easily change impedance and capacity values to accommodate any cartridge.
Now thats something you can't find on every phono stage.
-Perfect for people who like to build or are (re)discovering vinyl and find out their
current amplifier have no phono pre-amp build in as they used to have in the "old" days.
-So whats next? :
Well obviously go get one and start playing those records :-)
-------------------------------
-The Why:
Did I need a new phono stage? Well perhaps not.
But as I was looking at the CNC phono stage thread on Audio Karma something caught
my attention.The "Muffsy" by user Skrodahl.
Looking at the pictures one of the first things that got me interested was the size.
I was thinking.....maybe I should look into it.
On to the Muffsy site it was :-)
To my surprise Skrodahl was offering a complete kit and the only things needed
to get yourself were an AC-AC adaptor and an enclosure in which the PCB's would
fit like a glove.
And since its much fun building stuff I ordered one.
-Building it:
Only a few days later the small package arrived and a few days later the AC-AC
wallplug and enclosure arrived as well.
Lets build it !
On the Muffsy site its very well explained in text and pictures how you should
put it together. Since I have soldering experience it was a breeze putting it together.
Tripple checked if I had put everything in the correct spot.
Also checked the output voltage of the dual power supply.....no problem there :-)
-Just one thing:
Time to put it to the test!
Before I go into detail I had a hum at first but that problem was fixed by adding a
ground wire from the groundlug on the back of the Muffsy (which is made of PCB
material and therefore non conductive) to the enclosure. No hum or noise after
that little mod.
Also see: http://www.muffsy.com/blogs/
-The sound:
Well I could just use one word and that word would be "Excellent".
Audio is crystal clear. Very nice to listen to.
I use a Thorens TD-147 with an Audio Tecnica AT440MLA cartridge and the Muffsy
paires excellent with it.My other phono stages are a CNC and a Musical Fidelity X-LPSv3.
The Muffsy performs audible slightly better than the CNC (the Muffsy has it roots in
the CNC but still performs a bit better).
The biggest difference in my case is when I compare it to the Musical Fidelity.
The MF sounds a bit cold where the Muffsy sounds alive and kicking and very detailed.
I ordered the Muffsy with the OPA2134 but for those who like opamp rolling thats
not a problem.
Just be aware that some opamps need less than the standard +/-15V (which can be
altered using different resistors on the power PCB, more info on that on the Muffsy site).
So check before rolling opamps !!
-Why should you buy a Muffsy?
-Anyone can build one. Beginners might have to practise their soldering skills first.
-Well designed and very compact PCB layout.
-Kit comes well packaged and organized.
-Nothing beats that "I've build it myself" feeling :-)
-Communication with Skrodahl is excellent.
-You can't get a better phono stage for that money !
-Easily change impedance and capacity values to accommodate any cartridge.
Now thats something you can't find on every phono stage.
-Perfect for people who like to build or are (re)discovering vinyl and find out their
current amplifier have no phono pre-amp build in as they used to have in the "old" days.
-So whats next? :
Well obviously go get one and start playing those records :-)
Bruce | May 14, 2016
An Excellent quality kit, pcb first rate, components top cla
Very easy to build, first class pcb, components top quality, using this amp to review my existing vinyl collection. I would recomend this pre-amp for it`s top quality performance and outstanding value for money,
Alaisdair | May 2, 2016
An excellent phono preamp and service to match.
I recently bought a replacement for my amp and required a Turntable Preamp. After some investigations came across the Muffsy Phono Preamp - Kit. This looked like the best option. I was not disappointed. What follows is a short review of the whole process from ordering to receipt, build and use.
kit was well packaged and all components for each unit (pre-amp, power unit and back panel) were in clearly labelled packets. What was really helpful was that all resistors were clearly labelled which made it easy to identify the correct item. The kits were very comprehensive containing everything you needed including solder and wire as required. What was really great was that once you started to build the unit there was no need to look anywhere else for material to complete each unit. The only other additional items required are a case for the preamp and AC adaptor. Again options are detailed on the web site and can be purchased prior to building the kit.
The build itself was very easy and straightforward as the instructions and pictures on the web were very clear and effective. Where there was a
Ordered this via Tindie on a Thursday and had received this within less than a week which is impressive considering it came from Sweden. The need to insert components in a certain orientation the instructions clearly stated the correct method. I choose to solder all connections between boards rather than use the terminal blocks. On hindsight I would recommend the use of the blocks for the power supplies and only solder the phono in and out.
I have only just started to use this and so far I am very impressed with the sound.
The service I have received from Skrodahl has been excellent. Any question asked of him have been answered very quickly. His attention to detail from start to finish has been exceptional.
Overall it was a pleasure to build the preamp and I have no hesitation on recommending this kit and the service I have received. Once again thanks.
Regards,
Alaisdair.
kit was well packaged and all components for each unit (pre-amp, power unit and back panel) were in clearly labelled packets. What was really helpful was that all resistors were clearly labelled which made it easy to identify the correct item. The kits were very comprehensive containing everything you needed including solder and wire as required. What was really great was that once you started to build the unit there was no need to look anywhere else for material to complete each unit. The only other additional items required are a case for the preamp and AC adaptor. Again options are detailed on the web site and can be purchased prior to building the kit.
The build itself was very easy and straightforward as the instructions and pictures on the web were very clear and effective. Where there was a
Ordered this via Tindie on a Thursday and had received this within less than a week which is impressive considering it came from Sweden. The need to insert components in a certain orientation the instructions clearly stated the correct method. I choose to solder all connections between boards rather than use the terminal blocks. On hindsight I would recommend the use of the blocks for the power supplies and only solder the phono in and out.
I have only just started to use this and so far I am very impressed with the sound.
The service I have received from Skrodahl has been excellent. Any question asked of him have been answered very quickly. His attention to detail from start to finish has been exceptional.
Overall it was a pleasure to build the preamp and I have no hesitation on recommending this kit and the service I have received. Once again thanks.
Regards,
Alaisdair.
John | March 17, 2016
A very excellent phono preamp in kit form for the money
I decided to not just buy a new phono preamp, but decided to build one and in my initial research, stumbled onto the Muffsy as well as some others, such as the Boozehound Labs unit, and 2 ready built units from eBay Hong Kong and most of the kits I found either looked hokey or inadequate, or left too much out of the kit, forcing the builder to not only buy the kit, but the majority of the parts to assemble it separately through their own sources, such as through Mouser or DigiKey or whatever.
the kits themselves come fully self contained as a preamp, a power supply unit, and a back panel with all the components needed to build each kit included, outside of the case and power adapter and good news there is Skrodahl even now has the sources for both the recommended enclosure (necessary if you buy the back panel kit) and the wall adapter, both for 120V and 220V countries, so even that is a no brainer to get, and yes, they do add to the cost, but when you add in the whole kit it's $110 US and the recommended enclosure cost me $9 US, excluding shipping, the recommended wall adapter $12 US, also excluding shipping for a total of $131 US, not bad when you consider the ready made Shitt Mani is abut the same price, as is other units of similar quality, and other kits aren't much less and are less complete as a kit, and you'd have to source a PSU from someone else if you wanted to go the AC route in many cases, and they may not be as easy to do as they may require torroidal transformers to step down the AC and then have the power supply board rectify and convert to DC, and you are at that point, dealing with full AC mains and ground loops, which may be over the heads and skills of the more novice kit builders out there.
I do have a smattering of electronics knowledge, in that I can kind of sort of read a schematic, and had basic soldering skills and a decent little soldering station so that helped, but the kit is designed for those with even less but want to build this kit anyway.
The circuit boards are small, but not difficult to work on, if you have what is called a third hand apparatus. It's essentially clamp that you can clip your board to and tilt it, flip it etc and will keep the board in place while you solder and the board is very easy to solder to, using even if regular ol' leaded rosin core solder like I used.
Since I've built the kits, there have been some changes to the instructions and one of them was with the power regulators on the PSU. In the instructions I had, there was no mention for those not in the know to ensure that not only do you get them in the correct spot, but oriented the right way. There is now those instructions as I've contributed that and several other suggestions where improvements were needed in the documentation and Skrodahl was quick to make those changes. Otherwise, I'd give his documentation a 5 star rating, but it is how one improves things. :-) Thankfully he is quick to making changes where necessary and that is a sign of good customer service, and something you don't always get with most kits.
Overall, the build experience was great even though I had to redo the power supply board due to the lack of the knowledge to get the power regulators oriented correctly and my wall adapter came DOA and had to RMA and thankfully, Jameco was quick to rectify that so now I can enjoy the preamp without worrying about the two 9V batteries dying every 3-4 days.
I bought the Burr Brown (OPA2134PA) OpAmps as I am familiar with Burr Brown and their sound and am glad I did it lends a warmth that you don't always get with solid state devices, and my SHURE cart is also warm sounding but with also a rolled off top end and I love how this kit has variable loading options along with variable gain options. Currently, I run the cart at 53K Ohms, gain at 36dB and that seems to be a good setting with my current, but crappy interconnects and the cart.
Overall the sound is much fuller than my stock Sherwood receiver's phono preamp, and while I got good bass with the SHURE M97xE cartridge with that preamp, the Muffsy brings out even more bass and I get great detail and clarity and a wide stereo separation/sound stage. There is also much greater dynamics and punch to the overall sound too, making music sound much more alive than it ever had before.
I'm using this as a personal preamp in my stereo and the turntable is a very humble and vintage Kenwood turntable, model KD 12-RB that my late parents originally bought new in 1985. As a table, it's nothing to write home about, but it performs more than adequately, and with the SHURE cart and the Muffsy preamp, it punches well above its weight class as a result.
Overall, I'd buy this kit again, and now that I know a little bit more, I'd probably mod it a little and hope he can in the future look into a mono switch, something that is woefully missing in so many preamps of this price point as there are lots of vintage mono recordings out there that benefit from being played in mono and not in stereo for a cleaner sound and imaging.
the kits themselves come fully self contained as a preamp, a power supply unit, and a back panel with all the components needed to build each kit included, outside of the case and power adapter and good news there is Skrodahl even now has the sources for both the recommended enclosure (necessary if you buy the back panel kit) and the wall adapter, both for 120V and 220V countries, so even that is a no brainer to get, and yes, they do add to the cost, but when you add in the whole kit it's $110 US and the recommended enclosure cost me $9 US, excluding shipping, the recommended wall adapter $12 US, also excluding shipping for a total of $131 US, not bad when you consider the ready made Shitt Mani is abut the same price, as is other units of similar quality, and other kits aren't much less and are less complete as a kit, and you'd have to source a PSU from someone else if you wanted to go the AC route in many cases, and they may not be as easy to do as they may require torroidal transformers to step down the AC and then have the power supply board rectify and convert to DC, and you are at that point, dealing with full AC mains and ground loops, which may be over the heads and skills of the more novice kit builders out there.
I do have a smattering of electronics knowledge, in that I can kind of sort of read a schematic, and had basic soldering skills and a decent little soldering station so that helped, but the kit is designed for those with even less but want to build this kit anyway.
The circuit boards are small, but not difficult to work on, if you have what is called a third hand apparatus. It's essentially clamp that you can clip your board to and tilt it, flip it etc and will keep the board in place while you solder and the board is very easy to solder to, using even if regular ol' leaded rosin core solder like I used.
Since I've built the kits, there have been some changes to the instructions and one of them was with the power regulators on the PSU. In the instructions I had, there was no mention for those not in the know to ensure that not only do you get them in the correct spot, but oriented the right way. There is now those instructions as I've contributed that and several other suggestions where improvements were needed in the documentation and Skrodahl was quick to make those changes. Otherwise, I'd give his documentation a 5 star rating, but it is how one improves things. :-) Thankfully he is quick to making changes where necessary and that is a sign of good customer service, and something you don't always get with most kits.
Overall, the build experience was great even though I had to redo the power supply board due to the lack of the knowledge to get the power regulators oriented correctly and my wall adapter came DOA and had to RMA and thankfully, Jameco was quick to rectify that so now I can enjoy the preamp without worrying about the two 9V batteries dying every 3-4 days.
I bought the Burr Brown (OPA2134PA) OpAmps as I am familiar with Burr Brown and their sound and am glad I did it lends a warmth that you don't always get with solid state devices, and my SHURE cart is also warm sounding but with also a rolled off top end and I love how this kit has variable loading options along with variable gain options. Currently, I run the cart at 53K Ohms, gain at 36dB and that seems to be a good setting with my current, but crappy interconnects and the cart.
Overall the sound is much fuller than my stock Sherwood receiver's phono preamp, and while I got good bass with the SHURE M97xE cartridge with that preamp, the Muffsy brings out even more bass and I get great detail and clarity and a wide stereo separation/sound stage. There is also much greater dynamics and punch to the overall sound too, making music sound much more alive than it ever had before.
I'm using this as a personal preamp in my stereo and the turntable is a very humble and vintage Kenwood turntable, model KD 12-RB that my late parents originally bought new in 1985. As a table, it's nothing to write home about, but it performs more than adequately, and with the SHURE cart and the Muffsy preamp, it punches well above its weight class as a result.
Overall, I'd buy this kit again, and now that I know a little bit more, I'd probably mod it a little and hope he can in the future look into a mono switch, something that is woefully missing in so many preamps of this price point as there are lots of vintage mono recordings out there that benefit from being played in mono and not in stereo for a cleaner sound and imaging.
Nils Ole | March 11, 2016
Superb riaa
A great Product it smashed my 90" sony riaa. I take it to a friend for a test, and he not let me take it with me back home.Soo i have buy 2 kit :)
Sound: Bass: very good and tight middel woofer: give me lots of detail i never hear before on my vinyl. Tweeter:Crystal Clear.
Seller is very active and aswer very fast if it is somthing i ask about. Instruction is exelent.
Quality of the Component in the kit is the best i have ever seen.
Thank you for the best sound improvment both me and my friend ever had by just change 1 Component. Best Nils
Sound: Bass: very good and tight middel woofer: give me lots of detail i never hear before on my vinyl. Tweeter:Crystal Clear.
Seller is very active and aswer very fast if it is somthing i ask about. Instruction is exelent.
Quality of the Component in the kit is the best i have ever seen.
Thank you for the best sound improvment both me and my friend ever had by just change 1 Component. Best Nils
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