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Product: Behringer PP400 - MM phono preamp
Manufacturer: Behringer - Germany
Product: PP400 & PP500 MM phono preamps - manufacturer unknown - China
Approx. price: ±€15-25 (Behringer) - €7-12 (Chinese clones)
Recensore: Lucio Cadeddu - TNT-Audio Italy
Recensito: November, 2025

Foreword

In Part I, I examined the differences under the hood of these three phono preamps. Now it's time to fire up the engines and give them a proper test drive. If you haven't read Part I, let me remind you that the Behringer PP400 and its two apparent Chinese clones are similar only externally, even sharing the same model name and graphics. However, inside, they exhibit significant differences that, realistically, should affect the listening experience. Never judge a book by its cover!

The only real external differences are the power supplies (the Behringer's voltage is the same, but with 150 mA of output, while the clones' have 500 mA) and the fact that the second clone, the PP500, features gold-plated RCA connectors and an adjustable output level. From a price point of view the Chinese clones cost half the Behringer, shipping included.

Let's fire up the engines!

I had actually already conducted a meaningful comparison between the Behringer PP400 and the Argon Phono1 phono preamplifier, which costs quite a bit more - €100 versus €15-20 - though it still qualifies as entry-level. The outcome of the comparison, though not a foregone conclusion, was entirely in favour of the Argon, which sounds decidedly better than the Behringer in EVERY audio parameter we can imagine: bigger sound, better dynamics, less compression, more openness in the highs, and more solid bass. Sure, the price difference is significant, but the sonic difference is even more so. And, in any case, it's not uncommon to find cheaper equipment that puts more expensive ones to shame.

N.B. The three contenders were placed upstream of an analogue system to which they will never realistically be connected, with the aim of identifying and evaluating all their inevitable limitations. Please keep this in mind when reading these listening notes, as the listed flaws may be inaudible when used with entry-level turntables and cartridges, if the amplifier doesn't have a phono input or the turntable itself doesn't have a pre-amplified output.

The three phono preamps were tested with their respective power supplies, but I also tried using the Chinese ones on the Behringer and vice versa.

The first big surprise is the gain, i.e. how much these three phono preamps amplify the cartridge's low level signal. The PP500 and the Behringer have absolutely comparable and standard gain, while the PP400 has a significantly lower output level, at least 3 dB lower (measured). When listening, the effect is very clear: to obtain the same sound pressure level, you need to turn the volume up much higher. That's no big deal, but the problem is that with certain preamps or amplifiers, you may need to go all the way to the limit to achieve a good sound pressure level (N.B.: I always listen at very high SPLs). Since the PP400 and PP500 use the same opamp, this difference in output level surprised me. Evidently, there's some component in the circuit that lowers the voltage.

If the problem of the PP400-clone were only the lower gain, that wouldn't be a big deal. The fact is that the entire reproduced sound seems to lack something: impact, low frequencies, rhythm, and sense of scale. The high range is beautiful and refined, the overall distortion level acceptable, but overall the sound is uninspiring, lacking bite. The soundstage is small, narrow, and shallow. Generally, I wouldn't call it wrong from a tonal point of view, but certainly...inoffensive. I add to this the annoying difficulty of attaching the ground terminal of the turntable cable: the screw that should tighten the cable terminal is very small and it's really hard to turn with your fingers. Honestly, I expected something better, given that it's the one of the three with a significantly more generous power filtering section and that, compared to its brother, the PP500, it doesn't have a volume control, which is always a bottleneck.

With the Chinese PP400 eliminated from the duel, the PP500 and the Behringer PP400 remain in the running. Gain-wise, they're identical, and the output level is decidedly good. With the PP500, you can easily drive a power amplifier, adjusting the volume with the available control.

Sonically, the differences between the original Behringer and the PP500 are there, and while they're dramatic and only noticeable in very high-end systems, they deserve to be emphasized. I say this to reiterate the fact that, realistically, in typical systems where these preamps will be installed, the differences you're about to read about will be mostly inaudible.

I'll say it right away: the Chinese PP500, despite being penalized by the output level adjustment, sounds better overall than the Behringer. The sound is bigger, less compressed, more linear, and tonally more convincing, even harmonically richer. The high range is, in fact, the Behringer's weakest point: at times glassy, ​​unnatural, and even a bit behind the rest of the audio spectrum. The bass range dominates, being even a bit too bloated. It has good impact and depth, which gradually fades as the frequency rises. Already above 100Hz, where the bulk of the percussive component of drums, kick, snare, etc. resides, something is missing, which is instead clearly present in the PP500. The latter, especially in this portion of the audio spectrum, is more convincing, lively, fast, rhythmic, and impactful.

Comparing the midrange, the PP500 again performs better, especially on vocals, which lack the artificiality and glassiness of those reproduced by the Behringer. I note that by reversing the power supplies, this not-so-pleasant characteristic of the Behringer improves somewhat. On the other hand, it seems to worsen the background noise. The Behringer's power supply, tested on the PP500, seems to worsen its overall performance.

Dynamics are all in favour of the PP500, which sounds like nothing I would have expected for a preamp that - including shipping - costs less than €10. Likewise, the richness of the harmonic content is superior, and this is clearly noticeable on cymbals and percussion instruments that operate primarily in the mid and high range. The Behringer limits itself to the fundamentals, so to speak.

The sound-stage reproduced by the two phono preamps is limited in three dimensions, especially in depth, but the PP500 offers something more: the sound is more layered, more present and real, less reproduced.

In summary, I think I can say that, overall, I could live with the PP500 without too many problems, provided I was listening to a budget-friendly system. The Behringer's shortcomings are a bit too noticeable, and every now and then I feel like turning everything off. These phono preamps, as you might expect, don't do full justice to the potential of a good analogue system, so if you're thinking of discovering all the wonders of analogue sound, perhaps it's better to budget a bit more. Let's just say that the PP500, thanks in part to the added bonus of its adjustable output level, is completely adequate. All of this, considering the absurdly low price, is almost a miracle. The Argon Phono1 sounds slightly better than the PP500, though.

Remarks & Complaints

• The PP500 also wins hands down in terms of practicality: thanks to the adjustable output level - as mentioned - it can be connected directly to a power amplifier or active speakers. I've never encountered a phono preamp with this feature, which is incredibly convenient if you only have a turntable. The gold-plated RCA connectors also add a touch of luxury and, above all, resistance to oxidation that you certainly wouldn't expect from such a low-cost product. Just a pair of gold-plated RCAs could cost the price of the entire unit (!!!).
• If you're not careful when installing any of these three phono preamps, the chance of picking up interference and generating various types of noise is high. Therefore, keep them well away from other devices, such as signal cables, power cables, and even the turntable motor.
• The RCA jacks are all very close together, making it almost impossible to use cables with good-sized connectors.
• There's no power button; only an LED indicates whether the device is on or off.

Conclusions

The Behringer preamp is extremely affordable (you can get it for around €15, including the power supply!) and sounds as expected: it has obvious limitations and would be fine in a truly entry-level analogue system. Beyond that, it would be a serious bottleneck. Its PP400 clone is a complete failure, penalized by its low output level and essentially inoffensive sound. Forget about it! The PP500, on the other hand, offers a very good quality/price ratio, because not only does it sound better than the other two but also offers output level adjustment, both on RCA and TRS (when connected to a mixer, for example). It could fit well in a basic system without necessarily being its weakest point.

Ultimately, the initial question we posed remains unanswered: the three devices have different circuits and sound different, so it's unclear “who copied what”. The Chinese company that makes the Behringer PP400 likely used the same cabinet and graphics to create two substantially different phono preamps.

The lesson from this test session is that not only should you not trust appearances, but that sometimes clones can sound better than the originals, even if they cost less. I advise Western companies that, to save money, have outsourced production to China to exercise caution, because you may find similar products on the market...that work better than yours.

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© Copyright 2025 Lucio Cadeddu - editor@tnt-audio.com - www.tnt-audio.com

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