After building the Boozhound Labs (BHL) MM phono stage, with RIAA compensation and finding it a fantastic preamp, I added to it a MC stage. The BHL phono is the best preamp I have built and I have built quite a few. Because I moved to an Ortofon Rondo Blue MC cartridge I required the addition boost of signal from the cartridge. The Le Pacific MC stage (also reviewed on my blog) is simple to build and works well.
Both the MM and MC stage run from their own battery sets and can be turned on individually. There are separate MM and MC RCAs on the back of the preamp to allow a MM and MC TT to be connected. A single switch allows you to chooses between either input. The preamp is housed in a 1U 19" metal case. Both the BHL stage and Le Pacific stage use only Russian PIO military caps which I have also used extensively on other projects always with excellent results.
Bitumanised heavy Al foil lines the base and lid of the case and when the lid goes on a layer of sound deadening Dacron is layered over the cct. brds and fills the enclosure. All hook-up wire is silver plated fine copper wire (wire wrap wire) and ferrite beads are used extensively on all RCA wire connections. The preamp is dead quiet using only 2SK170 JFETs and quality metal film resistors and electrolytics. If you have not tried the BHL kit for the money, they are excellent value and top performers.
