Behringer MICROPHONO PP400 Phono Preamplifier

Behringer MICROPHONO PP400 Phono Preamplifier

The Behringer MICROPHONO PP400 is a compact stereo phono preamplifier that sits between a turntable and an amplifier, mixer or recording device that has no dedicated phono input. A record player cartridge produces a very low-level signal that is also shaped by the way vinyl is cut, so it cannot simply be plugged into an ordinary line input and expected to sound right. The PP400 applies 35 dB of gain and RIAA equalisation, the standard playback curve for vinyl records, and delivers a normal line-level signal that standard inputs are designed to handle. It is a small, single-purpose box that does one job in a vinyl playback chain.

Key features

• Stereo phono preamplifier for moving magnet turntable cartridges
• RIAA equalisation for correct vinyl playback tonal balance
• 35 dB gain with 5.3 mV input sensitivity at 1 kHz
• Stereo RCA input with approximately 47 kilohm impedance
• Line-level output on stereo RCA and a 6.35 mm TRS stereo jack
• Ground terminal for the turntable earth lead
• External 12 V power supply, approximately 1.5 W consumption
• Compact metal case measuring approximately 32 x 103 x 64 mm

Why a phono stage is needed

When a record is mastered, low frequencies are reduced and high frequencies are boosted so that the groove stays manageable and playing time stays practical. Playback has to reverse that process exactly, which is what RIAA equalisation does, while also raising the cartridge output from a few millivolts up to line level. Without that stage, records played through a line input sound thin, quiet and overly bright. The PP400 handles both parts of the job, so a turntable can be used with modern amplifiers, powered speakers, mixers and audio interfaces that offer only line-level inputs. If a turntable already has a built-in phono stage switched on, or an amplifier already provides a phono input, that existing stage should be used instead and the PP400 left out of that path, because applying the correction twice gives an unsuitable result.

Connections and setup

The turntable connects to the stereo RCA input, left and right channels matched, and the turntable ground lead connects to the ground terminal on the PP400, which is the standard way to keep hum out of a vinyl system. The output can be taken either from the stereo RCA sockets or from the 6.35 mm TRS stereo output into a line, CD or tape input on the amplifier, mixer or recorder; Behringer advises using one output connection at a time rather than both together. Input impedance of approximately 47 kilohms is the standard load for moving magnet cartridges, and the maximum input level of -23.5 dBV at 1 kHz with a maximum output level of +11.5 dBV at 1 kHz gives sensible headroom for normal cartridge outputs. Power comes from the external 12 V, 150 mA supply, and the unit itself weighs approximately 0.18 kg, so it tucks behind a turntable or amplifier without rearranging the rack.

Performance and everyday use

Behringer rates total harmonic distortion at 0.06 percent typical at -40 dBu and 1 kHz, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 68 dBu A-weighted, figures that suit everyday home listening, vinyl ripping to a computer through a line input, and casual DJ or listening-bar setups. There are no controls to adjust and no settings to store: once it is wired in and powered, the PP400 simply stays in the chain and does its work every time a record is played. That simplicity is the point of the product. It suits anyone bringing an older turntable back into use with a current amplifier, anyone adding a record player to powered speakers, and anyone whose amplifier upgrade quietly dropped the phono input their previous model had.

For a straightforward vinyl setup that needs a correct, standard phono stage in a very small box, the MICROPHONO PP400 covers the essentials: standard cartridge loading, RIAA correction, sensible gain and both RCA and jack outputs for easy connection to the rest of the system.