Review on 🎶 SUCA-AUDIO Tube-T1 Preamplifier: Mini Hi-Fi Vacuum Tube Amplifier with Treble & Bass Tone Control for Home Audio Player (6K4 Tubes) by Melissa Johnson

A good little product that is worth the money. I use vintage gear (receivers/amps, turntables, speakers) with a modern Sonos connector connected to the system to also play digital streams (Spotify, TuneIn, etc.) through my regular speakers. I bought this mini tube amp primarily to add warmth to digital streams (which it does) and also to use with my turntable (where it definitely adds warmth and detail to vinyl records). But here's the thing: you CANNOT connect an old player directly to this unit. In order for this to work with the old turntable, you still need a *phono stage* (to amplify the signal) between the old turntable and the tube preamplifier. (Unlike newer turntables, which now have a built-in preamp, the older ones didn't have a built-in preamp because that part was usually built into older receivers; this is why your turntable will only work when it's plugged into a PHONO jack connected to an internal preamp). This mini tube amp also doesn't have a built-in preamp for older turntables. So here's a workaround that I (and a few friends) use that not only solves the phono preamp problem, but allows you to run multiple devices (like a turntable, Sonos, or other audio source) with that tube preamp to use: basically you need to ""trick" your system by plugging and unplugging the tube amp into the TAPE jacks and then set the system to Record Monitor or Source. Specifically: TAPE PLAY/OUT ( Receiver) -> AUDIO IN (tube amp) AUDIO OUT (tube amp) > TAPE RECORD/IN (receiver) Essentially you are routing the signal from the receiver to the tube amp and back. back to the receiver so that whatever is connected to the receiver can be processed via the tube amp. And now "listen" to this processed signal with your amp's tape source/monitor. Meanwhile, the turntable remains connected directly to the receiver's PHONO IN (durc h your receiver's built-in phono stage is used before it goes to the tube amp) and the Sonos stays connected to AUX (which also feeds to and from the tube amp). ). . Sounds confusing but works like a charm. I hope this makes sense and helps anyone trying to achieve the same result.