Phono stage gain settings. Selectable gain for MM or MC 40dB, 46dB, 60dB, 66dB; .

• Phono stage gain settings I love that Zen Phono doesn’t color the sound at all – your cartridge, record player, & other equipment have much more to do with that, but the preamp does provide a competent conduit for your audio to the output stage. Don’t forget to add the cable’s gcph phono stage gain settings. I almost always prefer a slightly lower gain setting to the standard or to a higher gain setting. Now at first pass it would seem that you should then get a 50+ dB phono - stage to use the pro setting on your sound card, however, feeding a 3. 74 mV - the needed gain to achieve an output from the phono to If it's a low output MC cartridge you need a phono stage which can be set to at least 60dB gain. 7367; 1. i have to have the input gain on the back panel turned all the way up to 66, the highest setting, to get decent volume, and even then i have to have the output gain knob on the front of the unit CH Precision P1 Phono Stage: $31,000–$90,850 Each phono input can be set to MC or MM, with gain adjustable from –9dB to +9dB in 3dB steps relative to the default 0dB setting. Since my output voltage is 2. Norwegian-based Hegel’s first phonostage is a winner. Adjust the gain of the phono preamp until you achieve the desired volume level. 8~7. In addition to a 45 second delay with the on button to warm up the unit, it has four gain positions to suit any cartridge I know of. noise floor. If I set the phono preamp to the more normal 42dB gain, all LP's are noticeably quieter than their equivalent CD's. 1 mV cartridges. It makes sense; more signal in = higher FWIW, I use a Benz-Micro M2 with a rated output of 0. You would think with high noise distortion can be hidden but even that is bad enough to show up as second and third harmonics. Phil Thien, Jun 15, 2021 #10. That's how the cartridge output interplays with the phono preamp gain and sensitivity. Although specifically designed to complement the latest Rega range of moving coils you will find full adjustability for gain and loading via dip switches conveniently placed on the rear panel making the Fono MC MK4 compatible with a wide range I'm setting the gain of the phono amp so that it provides a higher level of output than was traditional many years ago. I have variable gain on that phono stage and I had to set it to the lowest possible setting or I would occasionally get a lot of distorsion and nasty clicks and pops while playing records, which is not the case when connecting the phono stage directly to my amplifier. I have used a Rega mm cart with a Rega phono stage for one year. Better I change the phono amp's gain to match the input, where it sounds delightful. Last edited: Feb 27, 2024. For the current crop of CD recorders, 300mV is required for 0dB recording level with the recorder's level control set at max. Hello all, I am looking for some advice on upgrading or enhancing my LOMC phono stage. LFD Phonostage LE phono preamplifier. Ortofon 2M Black specs: The internal gain distribution of a phono stage is very important, the RIAA eq making it especially so, but the overall gain, as being discussed here, is generally of much less importance and mainly a convenience thing ie whether you need to set the vol control hugely differently for phono compared to other sources. @amirm Are we really seeing a 1kHz overload at just 20mV for a typical MM gain set to 40dB? That's unbelievably The Phono DS3 B nails the looks and feature set, making it a rather unique offering in phono stages. 2 mV output) to 45dB with 47K my advice is to buy a phono preamp with a range of gain settings because not all gain is created equally among different brands. With the ability to switch easily between various impedance, capacitance Reason being, more gain in the phono stage may be nosier than more gain from the preamp and power amp. Phono Stage Gain Settings. Hm, I think I have it all out there: the gain is set at 41 dB (phono), the current input sensitivity of the Yamaha receiver is 500 mV. The rest of the set-up is Burmester’s 088/911 The phono preamplifier section in the Phonolith offers extensive setting options for cartridge impedance and four different gain settings, allowing for wide compatibility with most turntable systems. Just be sure you check the specs on the 50 dB phono - stage to check its sensitivity and its overload point. Compatibility: Different phono cartridges may require different levels of gain (amplification). The "proper" gain setting for a given cartridge output spec is a complex question. 5mV, so with the 200mV sensitivity spec on the line stage, that is a gain of 57, or 35dB. Skoll’s gain stage is compound JFET-BJT pair running on massive 64V rails for enhanced linearity and freedom from overload. Technical characteristics to take into account when choosing a phono stage. 5 dB Gain Setting II Input The 72db gain seems to sound more punchy than the 60db level and while some of that is probably just volume and easily adjusted, Rega recommend their Aria phono stage setting at 69db for this cartridge so I figured 72db was safe. Art Dudley | Jun 17, 2011 According to Richard Bews, the NE5534 op-amp chip that provides voltage gain in the Phonostage LE was chosen specifically for its sound quality—and Gain setting The EMT website shows the cart spec as: - You won't break anything (unless you drop the phono stage on the end of the arm whilst changing the setting, obviously) Amber Audio This is the Day. E. The GAIN DIP switches affect both Left and Right channels. Input R is 47K which is more suited to higher gain output devices. How much should I pay, what's the type of sound I want and do I need something future-proof? In order to answer In the analog world, gain staging refers to adjusting the level at each point of amplification to ensure an optimal signal-to-noise ratio, without unusable distortion. 6DJ8, 7308, ECC88 types may be substituted, if tube rolling is your thing. Remember that engaging the switches DOWN on this unit means that the switch is selected ON. 01% Phono gain 56x, 35 dB Volume -31 dB THD 1. I have a pair of KLH Model 3’s for speakers. Like the Phonomena It seems more like a subwoofer crossover than rumble filter for a phono stage. I don't think I've tweaked the gain to final values but my simulations are pointing to around 50dB too. Provided you know what the correct settings should be, it’s easy to I believe that, in theory, it is better to maximise gain at the phono stage for the reason that it improves the effective signal-to-noise ratio of the preamplifier. What happened here? That low frequency noise is hugely high and is setting SINAD to its dismal value. I have a question on utilizing the bass filter settings the preamp affords as well as the optimal gain. The numerous loading options from the XP-15 are all still available and three gain settings to accommodate low output MC to MM cartridges. Buying a record player is not always as easy as acquiring the most expensive turntable you can afford and plugging it into an amp and speakers. My Parasound overloads at 2. In almost all The two-stage tube gain system is the quietest RB has experienced, while at the same time excelling at dynamics and detail. How accurately can it match my cartridge? No two cartridge models are exactly alike, so the ability to fine tune settings (including Gain, Impedance or Capacitance) can make a big difference to the overall sound. Plenty phono stages would clip running a MM cart with MC gain. A parameter that shows the quality of the product is the signal-to-noise ratio: it should be as large as possible. Low level MC gain: 60 dB (*). The output from the subsonic filter is The phono stage’s gain is changed through a series of dipswitches on the underside of the unit, as are the various input capacitance and resistance values. The Rega Fono MM was awarded best phono stage in its price category 2014,2015 & 2018 by What Hi-Fi. 5mV MC carts. Two conventional, fully discrete, voltage sensing MC/MM inputs. For full technical specifications, download Aura - User Manual Multilingual - Ver 3 below. Company even documents it as such saying corner frequency is 50 Hz. 5 dB Gain Setting I 131 μV – 63. 3 mV should work, but 55 dBA of gain is low for a 0. However, I prefer the sound for the most You need to match phono stage gain to the cartridge first. The Luxman’s setting for 0. With more than 10 gain I have a phono stage with a bunch of different resistance loadings and gain settings and a SUT with sockets where I can swap resistors to alter the loading on the secondary of the Hi. It is now discontinued but sold for $6000. This should do away with mains spikes we see in many phono stages. I've found over the years that a lot of guys use phono stage gain settings that are too high. I find this works very well with the low I don't know how long you listened with each setting, I tend to prefer higher load settings, usually 250-500 ohms, but if you haven't, maybe set the load to 220 and listen for a Running your line stage on minimum gain and turning the volume up more is fine as long as you can reach your desired levels of playback. Weight. EJ3 Major Contributor. 6 max output at 5cm/s) is 55db, i. The specs at the Jolida site show 70db gain for moving magnets (which seems like a lot, btw). There are multiple choices for input impedance and adjustable input capacitance for both MC and It's an innate advantage over rival phono stages limited to unbalanced inputs. I meant I wanted to change the impedance setting on my phono stage, knowing that the response of the cartridge would change. In addition to RIAA deemphasis, there are 18 alternate EQ I confirmed that it was in fine working order and then set about to find a reasonably priced MC phono stage. Its discrete implementation allows higher operating voltages than some IC based solutions. The Mani 2 offers 4 gain settings (30, 42, 48 and 60dBs of gain) enough for all but the very lowest output cartridges. 69. The cartridge is legendary for its lack of a cantilever, the fine line diamond attached directly to the coils. Forum Donor Wind and string transients are smooth and naturalistic. Power Up, and Listen On The 505 Hybrid phono stage. In fact, even a 36 db gain phono stage is going to be a little too much. Nice little company too. In particular, a tube-based mc gain stage is very unusual. I currently use a Modwright LS 100 with the optional phono board. This third incarnation of the Trumpet MC Phono Stage is a musical blockbuster. Some of you understood that. Art Dudley | Jun 17, 2011 According to Richard Bews, the NE5534 op-amp chip that provides voltage gain in the Phonostage LE was chosen specifically for its sound quality—and because it can be used to produce the desired DC offset for biasing the preamp's output-coupling capacitor. 4mv MC owners out there, what phono stage settings have you found to work really well with this particular cartridge? I would guess that The phono preamplifier section in the Phonolith offers extensive setting options for cartridge impedance and four different gain settings, allowing for wide compatibility with most turntable Sutherland has done some "design splicing" and come up with this compact-chassis phono stage, lifting the transimpedance input stage directly from the award-winning Little Loco Mk2 and The KAB PHONO PREAMP PARAMETER CALCULATOR at the bottom of the phono preamp page at kabusa. Max gain 68dB, 5 loading settings, 5 gain settings (front panel switchable) and sounds Designing something like the XS phono really helps show what is important. Two trans-impedance current sensing MC inputs. So yeah, it's better to pick the cart first, and then decide on a phono preamp that will work well with it. I set the Oasis at 45 dB gain. 5 mV, the PS Audio operation guide Setting the gain of the phonostage for an output of about 0. Always refer to your cartridge manufacturer's website or Hi all, I'm experimenting with my new Sutherland Ph3D phono stage and finding that going from 40dB of gain (lowest setting) and 47K ohm loading on my Rega Exact-2 MM cart (6. Impedance, Capacitance and Gain settings within the Phono Stage can be set in the following ways: Using resistors and capacitors of varying values to obtain the optimum settings, this method requires the knowledge and skill of soldering. Was curious to get opinions on the phono stage within the WiiM Ultra as there doesn’t seem to be too much discussion of this feature. Too much gain will flatten out the sound and rob the presentation of some nuance. Naturally, using a typical MC gain of 60dB+ would not be suitable for an If I recall KAB had my ideal at 58db, which would be -2dbs on my Mac preamp's MC phono stage (it's supposedly at 60db when flat). 7 x - 0, 0 to - 80 dB Power 28x, 29 dB Phono gain 100x, 40 dB Volume -36 dB to get 1 V out THD 2. Behind this one sentence explanation is a process that is one of the more (Image credit: Vertere) A phono stage at this level demands a suitably talented system. Phono stages by their nature employ very high amounts of gain, making noise suppression of paramount importance. The MM input has a gain of 40dB while the MC input has a gain of 60dB. For the current crop of CD recorders, 300mV is required for 0dB The Phono Box DS2 is a highly adjustable phono preamplifier suitable for a wide variety of MM and MC cartridges. Combining 0. There’s no entirely fixed rule, but generally about 300 to 500mV from the phono stage works pretty well. MM gain: 40 dB (*). At last, our favorite phono stage has been updated to operate with MANLEY POWER® which provides an even quieter blacker black background, yielding quicker sonic extremes over our older linear PSU designs. but wanted to ask what people's experiences have been with the different Loadings, Capacitance and Gain settings. The table below shows typical phono preamp gain levels needed for MC and MM cartridges to reach the standard 316 mV of a line level signal. To set the gain of a phono preamp, follow these steps: Play a test record that you know well. XLR connections are designed to reject noise better than RCA cables. It isn't possible to vibrate a phono cartridge at MHz frequencies. Given the example of an Ortofon 2M Red provided by the phono stage manufacturer, it sounds like you have the settings about right. which sound better with a good PHONO stage. In addition to RIAA deemphasis, there are 18 alternate EQ The Aria is clearly very adept at letting you hear what the cartridge gathers from the groove and its highest gain setting makes this even clearer, it had moved a few more notches up the phono stage scale. Original Mani got lucky with lower mains output which boosted its score (with a different gain setting). 1 Besides being warm sounding and a good match for the Ortofon 2M cartridge series, the Rega Fono MM is a highly regarded phono preamp with good reviews and a huge following in the This Oasis feature is brilliant and should be on every phono stage. I had a slight preference for the 120 pF setting. Aiming for 325mV gives a little margin. At $595 it’s quite a nice phono stage. With an amazing purity combined with near reference definition, the listener will be transported to the event as close as the vinyl allows. This allows more gain with lower noise and distortion. If a correlation Your phono preamp will deliver an output voltage to your integrated depending on the output voltage of your cart and the gain setting in the preamp. 2 mV signal into the 50 dB phono - stage may overload it and produce distortion. Pro-Ject’s Phono Box S2 provides more audio detail with the switchable gain options and versatile cartridge compatibility. although gain is supposed to be linear- the dynamics at the higher gain setting are noticeably improved. A phono preamp that will stand the test of time. It probably wouldn't work for a high The Bard Phono is aimed mainly at MM stages though the higher gain setting will allow some MCs to work. I have been running it for a few weeks with my Fluance RT85 (Ortofon 2M blue) into the phono input of Ultra then to the analog line in of my Yamaha AS501. There have been discussions here that suggest more. I've got the knob around 3 o'clock right now, set at 48 on the rear panel, and it Huei’s advanced design offers (for the first time in a Chord Electronics phono preamp) ultra-low-noise microprocessor control of its main features, including a convenient memory function. In addition to RIAA deemphasis, there are 18 alternate EQ This means when using the unbalanced connections you almost have to go up to the next gain setting to get closer to your target gain. Edit: if that's the NAD M33 you should be able to set the phono input to MC mode. Maximum Input at 45dB gain setting with Skoll is insanely quiet and accurate—and it does this with uber-simple, fully discrete, differential Class A zero feedback gain stages and a fully passive RIAA network. MM phono preamps don’t require that, making the phono stage set-up easier. I have seen a phono pre spec’d at 39dB dB @1kHz. These are for high-end turntables with XLR outputs. Hi all, I'm experimenting with my new Sutherland Ph3D phono stage and finding that going from 40dB of gain (lowest setting) and 47K ohm loading on my Rega Exact-2 MM cart (6. In addition to RIAA deemphasis, there are 18 alternate EQ Some phono stages only work with Moving Magnet (MM) or Moving Coil (MC) cartridges, while others work with both types. or a ball-point pen to change the DIP switch settings. The phono stage offers gain adjustment options to accommodate various Choosing the right phono stage for your setup can be tricky – consider gain, impedance, capacitance settings, and equalization curves. g. 3mV, 2. At the input end, a A few high-end phono stages also give you a set of balanced XLR inputs. As for the bass filter settings, first. The behavior in the audible range is easily tested. The output of your phono preamp would be ~ 1 volt at 7odb, overload is doubtful. Or, in English, there’s not an op-amp in sight. It isn't universal, and phonostages differ in sound enough that there is so much more to it than gain that it can't be applied universally to It seems the consensus is to add gain in the phono preamp stage up to maximum, yet reasonable, levels. The EVO 100 Phono has a proprietary 'SoftStart' warm-up stage with a time of around one minute, ensuring no nasty thumps through the system. Even those on the entry-to-mid-level price range now increasingly let you switch between MM and MC cartridges – although beware that If we mess with the gain settings, we get that on Mani and the resulting SINAD goes up to 81 dB. The instruction manual recommends going with 48 for any MM cart, and I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to go up to the next level, 54. In addition to RIAA deemphasis, there are 18 alternate EQ Denon DP-1200A > Denon DL-103R (stock, . 9mV to 2. So, let's take, say, my Shure M97HE cart, with it's 4 mV output. I am getting a Boulder phono-stage next month and have already determined it sounds best with 220Ω for the Altas SL and 100Ω for the Altas Mono. As reviewed, $48,000 Each phono input can be set to MC or MM, with gain adjustable from –9dB to +9dB in 3dB steps relative to Built in California, the Nova III is the latest version of our larger phono stage with incredible flexibility and performance, delivering the best sound in its price range. Hey guys, just bought a Dynavector MC 20X2L cartridge, and I'm not too sure how to set my phono stage (a Lehmann Black Cube) The cartridge's specs sheet says : "Recommended load : >1000 ohms / 30 ohms" Here are the possible settings for my phono stage (I currently set them to 100 ohms, which was the value I used with my other cartridge): Thank The only variable should be the loading on your phono stage. As for me, I quickly became smitten with the PPA V790. They are designed to handle the voltage output differences for the best sound. CH Precision P1 Phono Stage: $31,000–$90,850 Each phono input can be set to MC or MM, with gain adjustable from –9dB to +9dB in 3dB steps relative to the default 0dB setting. Selecting the 39ohm setting results in a much more recessed presence region, where the 240ohm really opens things up. Solid and Compact Design. It also includes an adjustable filter with three selectable cut-off frequencies to ensure silence in the bass range, where necessary. Or flip both and you get around 200pF. I played with different gain settings on Mani 2 and what I reported above is the best I could get. Vintage amps too had the phono stage gain generally designed with a gain of between 34 to 38db depending on the manufacturer. It sounds the best with 66db of gain. The results are pleasing and clean. The No. Though both designs are based on the INA217, the MX-VYNL has high and low-gain settings vs fixed gain in the M1. This creates a baseline for comparison. Gain: Some Phono stages will offer different GAIN levels to accommodate different cartridges, however, most manufacturers will Experiment with the settings provided by your phono stage and listen carefully to hear how they alter the sound. Using some much more expensive reference phono stages (such as my main reference, the Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Stage at $4300), yielded particularly better results for the high-frequencies, more body in general, and more accurate imaging. An example: Phono stage x pre x power Assume output 1 V Cart 0. Now I can use the pre-amp's volume control and make everything work on the medium 2. Great sounding unit with a lot of gain settings and ample loading options for The phono stage is a modified Jolida JD 9, a tube phono stage. If you can do this, please send me Even more noise than the rogues average phono stage. For your clean records, that won't be a factor and you will hear very neutral tonality courtesy of excellent frequency response. The Aria 3 is a most excellent phono stage, it has plenty of gain for low output MCs and a good range of load adjustability. The Fono MC MK4 is an exceptionally high-quality MC phono stage designed to maximize the potential of any low output MC cartridge. The subsonic filter also helps a lot with my setup. Set at 60 dB output, the Epoch shines. 5 MHz). Given the low 36db gain setting seeming less than ideal, I set it to MC HIGH, which is the same 47k impedance, but with 48db of gain. That means a lower gain setting that then requires a somewhat higher than normal volume control setting on your very good A-S801 will almost always result in comparatively lower The four dots are LED indicators for the four separate gain settings which you can select in the back: View attachment 214693 Power is provided by an ordinary (non-ifi) 5 volt supply. These are sensibly chosen values for the kinds of cartridges this phono stage will likely be partnered with, and Phono Preamps/Moving-Coil Step-up Devices: A+: CH Precision P1 Phono Stage: from $31,000. There are multiple choices for input impedance and adjustable input capacitance for both MC and MM modes. The gain and r-user slots require make before break type to prevent noise. Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl. It does this because a higher phono stage gain setting will need a lower pre-amp volume setting, which, naturally, reduces the pre-amp noise. When using the SUT -- which means there's quite a bit of capacitance (but The Fono MC MK4 is an exceptionally high quality MC phono stage designed to maximise the potential of any low output MC cartridge. I'd guess input sensitivity of around 3. It takes about 22dB of voltage gain to amplify a nominal mc output of 0. Why the spec at that frequency? What does it mean for 30Hz, 18kHz? In other words if a MM phono stage gain is spec’d at 39dB @1kHz, will the gain be higher below 1KHz and lower above 1KHz My Perreaux SXV2 phono stage has 40, 50, 60 and 70db of gain available. How to compute the needed phono gain, given the rated input sensitivity of your next stage and your cartridge output: Input sensitivity / cartridge output; take log of the result; multiply the next result (the log) by 20: 300 mV / 5. You can go from the The maximum gain of this chip is 1000x (or 60dB), so implementations are limited to that amount of gain unless they add more in another gain stage. Though as you say the input C is 47pF which is actually widely recommended for MMs. As you can probably guess, the P-5xe isn't a tweaker's phono stage. A MC phono preamp must have higher gain than a MM phono preamp. Settings block (Right channel). One of our favourite Hifi brands brings you an excellent Phono Pre Amp with exceptional build and sound quality. This surprised me as everyone who has talked about the iFi stage says how quiet it is. Repeat the measurement under different GAIN settings on your phono stage. Also, it delivers clearer space that you haven’t heard before with its dynamics. The output from the subsonic filter is directed to a gain stage, enabling an optional signal amplification from 30 dB to 40 dB. It has two sets of filters - one set prior to the output stage and one following it. , capacitance); plus, there are three gain The internal gain distribution of a phono stage is very important, the RIAA eq making it especially so, but the overall gain, as being discussed here, is generally of much less importance and mainly a convenience thing ie whether you need to set the vol control hugely differently for phono compared to other sources. High level MC gain: 47 dB (*). Hegel V10 $1500. These are sensibly chosen values for the kinds of Hi All, For any VAS Nova Special 0. Gain. Would have been nice if that was spelled out in Amir's reviews and more importantly, in the manual. Raccolta Differenziata/Recycling Info (Version Four independently configurable XLR/RCA phono inputs. Performance generally is very good but suffers from insufficient headroom. With the V10 gain The ZEN Phono 3 supports four MM/MC gain selections from 36 to 72dB and four input impedance settings. These have been set in Gain 1 = L, and Gain 2 = H, which offers 42dB of gain for most moving magnet (MM) cartridges. 5mV nominal output), when I set my phono preamp to 48dB gain it seems like a good match to the output from (unattenuated) CD output. Would you preffer a SUT and a lower gain setting or just the phono stage set So a MC phono preamp will have different characteristics than a MM phono preamp when it comes to gain, impedance/loading, and noise levels. Some phono stage overload specs are defined relative to output levels, rather than input levels, so care has to be used when comparing these They don’t advertise or seek reviews but go a lot on word of mouth. I run my Denon 301mk2 at 60db, which according to this thread might be a little low. The right control chooses from five gain settings all the way to 74dB for the most output-shy MC cartridge. 004 V All stages 1% THD Pre gain 5. All the other filters and processing far outweigh anything that is out there and would make for a bunch of fun tweaking. and I also have heard phono stages with adjustable gain that nicely boost the gain to 50db without Most hi-gain phono stages are "stressed" by using a high input resistance, e. Downloads. 47k input loading 40db of gain 100pf of capacitance lading. Sounds warm and detailed and cart has not even broken in yet. The Skoll is a very flexible phono stage and I love the fact that it has balanced I/O which sharply reduced mains noise in my testing. Good luck! The now discontinued Parasound Halo Integrated had its internal phono stages gain set to give about 300mV with 4mV MM and 0. I'm pretty sensitive to gain, so I work hard to keep whatever combo I use close to spot on. Plenty of mm and mc cartridge loading and gain settings are offered. If you set it at 40 db and you are right about the balanced adding 6 db, then you are in The M8x has three gain stages. Any electrical resonance will be mechanically damped. unfortunately i had to go through (3) different phono preamps to get to where i wanted to be, but it was a learning experience. I've been using an Aqvox Phono 2 CI for about 11 years now. 3 mV output cartridge. When setting loading the phono-stage is also a factor, as they vary in terms of how sensitive they are to loading. Higher gain and finer gain adjustment, with 3dB steps rather than the 5dB increments found on the P1. 3mV (clearaudio virtuoso). 13 kg. Nice phono stage but always thought it sounded way too bright, sometimes harsh to my ears depending on the recording. The optimum gain is based on achieving 325mV rms output at 5 cm/s. 35mV) which sounded excellent with out any distortion. Moreover, gain settings are provided to help you get the most out of any MC cartridge you choose. The Windfeld Manley Labs writes: “Brand new for 2024, The Manley OASIS Phono Stage replaces the CHINOOK. Repeat the measurement under different GAIN settings on your phono stage. Maximum Input at 45dB gain setting with Let's start with our usual dashboard using my preferred XLR Output with gain set similarly to other phono stages: Whoa. 0,4dB Not sure what you mean by having the phono stage set to no gain. It is among the best-sounding and most versatile phono stages that I have ever used. My SPL Phonos phono-stage has gain setting for moving Coil of 57dB, 67dB and 71dB together with enormous headroom which the company make a big thing about with loads of graphs and measurements etc. Hi All, For any VAS Nova Special 0. i just bought a ps audio gcph and i'm using it with an mm cartridge that is rated at 3. Its RIAA equalization is the most perfect I have seen in any phono stage which is the most audible thing. From that view point 49dB may be too much and will distort. "Normal" phono stages designed for MM carts only offer about 40dB gain, resulting in low volume. 3mV) > Denon AU-305 SUT (1:10) > ProJect Tube Box DS (50dB gain setting, subsonic filter on). 54; log 54. 1 or shown on the rear panel of the unit to set the GAIN. With As you move up in price range, tube phono stages with adjustable gain levels become available, providing flexibility to accommodate a wider range of MM cartridges. Alas, distortion rises with level, likely courtesy of "zero feedback gain stages" as the company states. Reduction Phono Preamplifier Kit | Bottlehead micro iPhono2 by iFi audio | MM/MC Phono Stage and Pre-Amplifier I've heard the iFi has had some issues, so I'd proceed with some caution. I had been running 71dB gain with a Rega Ania MC (output voltage 0. I was using at the standard 42dB gain setting but it seems to sound better at the lower gain setting. It sounds fine on my system. 3mV to a mm level of about 4mV. The whole point of this article was to say that the KAB formula does not always optimize gain for a given cartridge and system and that it is recommended to have a preamp with different gain setting options, preferably slightly higher than typical for best results. The M8x has three gain stages. If you’re looking for a great MM-compatible phono stage, the Pro-Ject Phono Box MM is a great place to start. The most important test for a phono stage is how it implements RIAA equalization that is baked into LP format. In my system, the sweet spot was right smack in the middle I've never really messed with gain settings on a phono stage, so I wasn't sure if I should go above the 48 level for gain. I was a bit anxious to get this, as all my previous phono preamps had a multitude of gain settings. It is actually an op amp-based circuit with a tube-buffered output. I think the differences you hear are almost entirely due to the huge change in volume rather than the phono stage doing anything else The medium and low gain settings are 56dB and 52dB, handy if you have a high(er) output MC that ranges from . But "no gain" is absurdly too low -- that would say that on loud passages only about 4mv would Denon DP-1200A > Denon DL-103R (stock, . A lot depends on the pre-amp which the phonostage will be fed into. SandAndGlass and Ingenieur like this. Same Brown Audio SP-1B preamp has an internal MM phono stage with 45 dB gain. As I indicated, 70db phono stage gain for your 4mv cartridge does seem a bit excessive. I was a bit anxious to get this, as all noise floor. The answer is dependent on other components in the system besides the phono preamp. If a correlation My phono amp has three settings for 'sensitivity' (ie gain), expecting respective inputs of 1. The Moonriver Audio 505 phono stage meets all the needs of any demanding audiophile who loves vinyl records, both now and in the future. If I increase the input gain it obviously increases the noise floor to around -66dB or there abouts. So, I'd try it, because there may also be an optimal gain setting CH Precision P1 Phono Stage: from $31,000. The Fono MC MK4 is an exceptionally high quality MC phono stage designed to maximise the potential of any low output MC cartridge. FYI, Rega’s most economical phono stage for MC cartridges Agree, the Pearl is MM so 40dB is more than enough at 5mV, and actually to achieve the desired line level output of about 300mV with 5mV in, you need about 36-38dB of gain at the phono stage. Ive noticed that 10ohm and similar lower resistance values in R-user decrease the input and ultimately the volume from the CH Precision P1 Phono Stage: $31,000–$90,850 Each phono input can be set to MC or MM, with gain adjustable from –9dB to +9dB in 3dB steps relative to the default 0dB setting. 7367 * 20 = 34. That figure includes the capacitance of the wiring between the cartridge and phono stage. Front-panel knobs have multiple settings for resistive load and reactive load (i. 5 dB (Gain Setting II) Dimensions (W x H x D) 350 x 435 x 88 mm. My current phono stage has 57 dB of gain for MC, and it's Rega recommends a 100 ohm impedance setting on the phono stage. My Cartridge is a DV A rule of thumb is that the maximum cartridge output can be 10x the nominal value, so the phono stage needs to handle that whole range of inputs without overload or introducing too much noise. If a correlation can be found, chose the GAIN level which yields the highest Signal to Noise Ratio, look for the highest set of numbers in decibels. But amplifier input sensitivity, and speaker efficiency also play important roles. But who knows, around 36dB gain is pretty common on built-in phono stages. Gain: 10dB - 20dB - 30dB - 40dB - 50dB - 60dB - 70dB. Hand made. You will likely find it necessary to turn up the volume more or you can try the High setting for 0. With multiple options for impedance-matching, eight-stage switchable gain and a switchable rumble filter, Huei’s design offers comprehensive compatibility. Selectable gain for MM or MC 40dB, 46dB, 60dB, 66dB; vintage or reissues like the Beatles in Mono box set or the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Bob Dylan Series, the Mono mode will come as a revelation. there are no ill effects such as increased noise or any harshness. I have a phono stage with a bunch of different resistance loadings and gain settings and a SUT with sockets where I can swap resistors to alter the loading on the secondary of the xformer and the reflected loading on the cart so I can play around with a lot of things. In my experience, this cartridge sounds best with a gain in the 60dB range with an input impedance between 330 and 470 ohms. Increasing the capacitance value reduces the upper hi frequency response creating a slightly dull sound. Have it set to 60db and gain set to 100 as specified by Rega. Designing something like the XS phono really helps show what is important. The two-stage tube gain system is the quietest RB has experienced, while at the same time excelling at dynamics and detail. 8 mV and a c-j P15 phono preamp with a gain of 53 dB. The sound is remarkably detailed, open, and full-bodied. Adjusting The Settings. One gain setting is too low, and another is too high, and what the cart really needs is something in-between. com is pretty much dead on in my experience. 2 mV output) to 45dB with 47K loading produces a very punchy, detailed 3D sound over the standard 40dB load. An SU-7 is Darlington Labs head amp, which acts like an SUT except it is powered and considered active. If I set the input gain on the RME to its lowest setting, the noise floor when nothing is playing looks to be around -76dB. Other gain modes include: Gain 1 and Gain 2 both L: 30dB of gain Gain 1 = H, Gain 2 = L: 48dB of gain Gain 1 and Gain 2 both H: 59dB of gain 2 Load Switches: Use 47 for moving coil (MC), or 47K for MM cartridges If you like what you hear then you don't have to change it, although the phono stage may reach clipping point trying to output so much voltage. Gain: Some Phono stages will offer different GAIN levels to accommodate different cartridges, however, most manufacturers will simply ask you to choose a GAIN level best suited for your ear. 5V is what I aim for. It will improve image stability and generate richer A SUT is used in place usually when the MC side of a phono stage is noisy (or if you only have a MM stage). Physically, this 12kg unit is imposing for a phono stage, closer in presence to models like the 19in rack-mount types, including EAR/Yoshino's 912 or Audio Research's full-width phono amps [HFN Dec '16 This also means that there are more than double the number of parts in the phono stage. Many modern pre-amps from the kabusa calculator I find that the optimum gain for my Delos (0. Together with other input impedance settings without any influence! Input gain: 40 and 43dBB / 60 and 63dBA Noise floor: 94dB (A weighted) at 40dB and 43dB input gain 75dB (A weighted)at 60dB and 63dB input gain THD: <0,01% at 40dB and 43dB input gain <0,05% at 60dB and 63dB input gain RIAA-equalisation curve accuracy: 20Hz - 20kHz / max. 35mV cart (typically you want around 10x the nominal cartridge output voltage for phono preamp input overload margin), but that's about 6V on the output of the phono stage, so that's potentially what the amp would need to handle on the Higher gain at that stage multiples all thru the chain. Simply put, a phono stage adds gain to the output of a turntable so that it can then be received by an amplifier and the signal amplified for use for your speakers. Rega The new MC | MM Preamplifier PHONO-1 MkII L gets the best from any high-quality record player, with maximum dynamic range and supreme detail resolution. Those are indeed very comfortable numbers, as is the 250mv maximum input spec of your Ref Phono2 (although it is not quite clear if that refers to just the low gain setting, or to both gain settings). It has seven capacitance positions though the proper one is 200 In this article, we’ll help you find the best phono preamp for your hi-fi system. Default Input Impedance: 47k Ohms, with no other DIP switches selected. Mix and match gain and loading settings independently of each other with One of these days I'll leverage the gain settings and try a moving coil or iron cartridge, but the lowest gain setting is perfect for the cart I'm using now. 5v, so when using a 5mv cartridge, I set my phono stage at 36db or so. 6mV and 5. You might also find a deal on the Cyrus Phono Signature, nice detail and clarity, up to 4 decks, MC/MM, choice of gain settings, either with or without the PSX R2 power supply unit. 0MB pdf; Environmental Labelling of Packaging. using a 6DJ8 cascode for the first stage and a 6S3P triode mu-follower as the output stage. 2mV. The XP-27 is also notable for its ease of use. The XS gain setting and RIAA solution are applied directly to the XP-17. Here is how Mani 2 performs: Phono stage aside, what are your thoughts regarding using a transformer like the Ortofon st90 with a phono stage that has the option of high and low input settings. You must remember what is asked of a phono stage as far as amplifications goes. The secondary stage runs a higher bias output stage with auto bias. That said, using my favorite Denon DL-110 or DL-160 cartridges (2. Unlike CD, where a preamp job is primarily attenuation, vinyl replay requires both attenuation and active gain and IME, most pre amplifiers have a magic Phono stages typically only have one set of inputs (for the turntable) and one set of outputs (to the amplifier). 1 12V Trigger Input But on the subject of phono gain settingI just got an Elac Alchemy PPA-2 phono preamp that only has 2 gain settings (42 low and 60 high). You can use whatever gain setting on your Vista Phono that you like, and the song doesn't matter - just only change the phono preamp and nothing else. Hope this helps. With your phono preamp having 55 dB gain for its MC stage you could use MC cartridges with mid output (around 0. The new Fono MC MK4 circuit resulted MC phono preamps have adjustable gain and input impedance that you must manually adjust to meet the signal levels of your specific MC cartridge. Gain settings include 40, 43, 46, 49, 60, 63, 66, 69 dB. FYI, Rega’s most economical phono stage for MC cartridges Synopsis: I am looking for a low cost, best bang for the buck, phono stage solution for a Denon DL-301 MkII LOMC cartridge. Aura - User Manual Multilingual - Ver 3 1. As reviewed, $48,500 ★ Each phono input can be set to MC or MM, with gain adjustable from –9dB to +9dB in 3dB steps relative to the default 0dB setting. Besides being warm sounding and a good match for the Ortofon 2M cartridge series, the Rega Fono MM is a highly regarded phono preamp with good reviews and a huge following in the vinyl community. The optimum gain of your phono stage will be calculated. Full Sound Matters review of the Mani 2, here. Use this setting typically for Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges. Don’t get tied up in the integrated’s input sensitivity, which is spec’d at the point where the volume control is WIDE The only variable should be the loading on your phono stage. e. Make no mistake, Halsey is a But it doesn't matter: A phono cartridge is an electromechanical system, not just electrical. The Exact seemed to be too strong in my system, but my phono stage gain is 47 dB. Signal/Noise Ratio at 1 kHz: 80 dB. The same user selectable local/global feedback setting introduced on the L10. It is essential to set the gain of any phono stage correctly in order to get the ideal signal-to-noise ratio from moving-coil and moving-magnet cartridges while at the same time not driving the phono stage into overload, and for this purpose you can adjust the otherwise fixed gain of the PH-1000 (which is 65dB on the moving-coil setting and It can accommodate both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges thanks to gain settings that range from 40dB to 65dB. You can go If you like what you hear then you don't have to change it, although the phono stage may reach clipping point trying to output so much voltage. This will be for my secondary turntable specifically for playing less than pristine records, many with significant Atoll PH200 Phono Stage available in Black or Silver. Its wide range of impedance/capacitance adjustments and gain settings make it the master of every situation. for both resistance and capacitance along with two different gain settings located on the back panel making the Fono MC MK4 compatible with most low output MC cartridges. one phono preamp sounded excellent at 66db gain while another one sounded overloaded and non-linear at 64db gain, same cartridge, turntable and amplifier. The The optimum gain of your phono stage will be calculated. 8 mV) in your system. As you can probably guess, the P-5xe isn't a tweaker's It can accommodate both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges thanks to gain settings that range from 40dB to 65dB. The Parasound also has a mono switch, which is a nice touch on a phono stage. I am fairly new to vinyl. I have an external phono stage connected to the line-in of my Ultra. Passive RIAA uses 2% film caps and 0. For the first two months I used the DS at the 40dB gain setting and have now had it set at 50dB for about a month. You no longer have to adjust LFD Phonostage LE phono preamplifier. This frankly sounded incredible. This takes the gain from 48db to 63db. It is much warmer and richer sounding - it does a great job on mid and high without fatiguing my ears. From the user manual: DIP-Switches 3/4 (filter before the output stage): 2 On - corner frequency of 23Hz I confirmed that it was in fine working order and then set about to find a reasonably priced MC phono stage. more or less the value I set 'by ears' (the exact value depending I tend to design my phono stages for about 2 - 3Vrms out from a 5mV @ 5cm/sec cartridge, this equates to 52 - 56dB of gain @ 1kHz. Make no mistake, Halsey is a Ask audio industry insiders and audiophiles alike about Joachim Gerhard, and chances are that they mention the many high performance speakers he designed over the years, initially for Audio Physic, currently for Along with your cartridge, perhaps consider a Hagerman Trumpet MC phono stage. A solid upgrade for anyone stepping up from a built-in phono stage (either on your amplifier or turntable) the Schiit Mani can All vintage amps and new TT"s like the AT range or Technics SL-1500C come with 36db gain. I get plenty of volume when I play records in my system. Aug 7, 2023 #4 Calculator here - 50bB so you're ballpark. The gain settings are changed on this by substituting a 12au7 tube with a 12ax7. Specs for both phono stages are available online : StudioPhono UltraPhono StudioPhono $249. The cartridge is legendary for its lack of a cantilever, The Rega Fono MC MK4 is their next generation affordable MC phono stage designed to be used with their own cartridges and low output MCs from other brands. I inserted the Zen Phono in place of the Jolida and set the gain to MC V Low with a Denon 103R friendly 110 ohm load. , 47K ohms, rather than using a conservative 100R with a typical LOMC. Phono stages are inherently noisier than line stages, in general. 1 12V Trigger Input Manley Labs writes: “Brand new for 2024, The Manley OASIS Phono Stage replaces the CHINOOK. Now I have upgraded to a phono stage in which I can choose all the settings. 2mV with 57. There’s a calculator for conversion to and from dB here - Schiit has also simplified the overall circuit, eliminating a couple of gain stages. Build quality and shielding are also important There are three key considerations to make when purchasing a phono stage. Listen to the test record carefully and make sure that This phono stage is replacing an integrated preamp with a phono stage and no adjustment on gain. The gain control is a top-mounted knob. We use our reference Technics SL-1000R record player with a number of different cartridges, including Kiseki’s Purpleheart moving coil and two moving magnets in the form of Vertere’s very own Sabre and the Goldring 2500. CH Precision P1 Phono Stage:$31,000—$90,850 Each phono input can be set to MC or MM, with gain adjustable from –9dB to +9dB in 3dB steps relative to the default 0dB setting. The EVO 100 accepts both mm and low-output mc cartridges, and both gain stages are tube based. A phono stage (internal) or an external phono pre-amp are the exception--they must provide both the RIAA equalization to "decode" the signal from the recorded album, and multiply (add gain/amplification) of the signal to achieve typical line-stage output levels. ” A tubed phono stage, the Chinook employs two 6922 tubes (gain stage) and two more 6922s (output stage). But at $579 no 1 Gain Switches. Listening to the Evo 100 phono stage, I’m quickly struck by a smooth, liquid and well-layered midrange while listening to Clementine on Halsey’s (Ashley Nicollet Fragipane) Manic album. The crazy thing is that in Rega recommends a 100 ohm impedance setting on the phono stage. My previous phono stage was a Rega MM MK3. In this article I will guide the prospective purchaser through the minefield of phono stages, since upgrading the phono stage can provide one of the most dramatic improvements to Switchable Input Impedance, Gain, and Capacitance Settings. The XP Phono Stages also adjust gain for Moving Magnet (MM) and Moving Coil (MC) cartridges. I had an Ortofon Windfeld Ti MC cartridge set up on my turntable. In this case, PrimaLuna’s response is positively yes. Best bet is mess around cos what sounds best to you is the right setting The only variable should be the loading on your phono stage. Bob_in_OKC , May 21, 2018 Designed with a split EQ network like the XP 25 and XS Phono that is more accurate and can handle greater signal levels. 12 gain settings (6 for MM and 6 for MC), 5 MM capacitance settings, 5 MC load settings, including a custom option, 3 MM load settings and EQ choice for RIAA, Decca or Columbia Phono stages with 40 dB gain or less are prevalent and seem to me like the best options for Rega cartridges. Atoll PH200 Phono Stage available in Black or Silver. 4mv MC owners out there, what phono stage settings have you found to work really well with this particular cartridge? I would guess that this is all very different based on different phono stages used etc. I like mine a lot. The input section is a simplified version of the XS and XP-27. Power Up, and Listen On You cannot really extrapolate from one system to another to estimate the needed phono stage gain, especially if the line stage is passive. A set of four electromagnetic relays facilitates the activation or deactivation of the phono and equalizer stages, allowing users to select one, the other, both, or neither. fans of ultra-low-output mc cartridges. I have that same cartridge and my Pro-Ject Phono Box DS has a min gain setting of 40 dB. Anyway, the OP cannot break anything by trying different gain settings. Before learning about the issues of preamp gain discussed in this thread, I invested a very reasonable sum ($179) in purchasing a Music Fidelity V90-LPS phono stage, which I had seen had very good reviews overall, and handles both mm and mc. 1% thin-film resistors. 5dB gain, nets you around 150mV in output from the phono stage. With 1mV output you would then be looking for a gain ratio of something like 400x. Usually MM cartridges are going to be on the lower gain settings, like around 40dB of gain in a phono stage, and MCs on the higher gain settings, like around 60dB of gain. Although specifically designed to complement the latest Rega range of moving coils you will find full adjustability for gain and loading via dip switches conveniently placed on the rear panel making the Fono MC MK4 compatible with a wide range The medium and low gain settings are 56dB and 52dB, handy if you have a high(er) output MC that ranges from . Plenty phono stages would So if we have a "flat" amplifier with 40db gain (as we might use in a passive EQ Phono Stage) we have for an Op-Amp with 120db open loop gain and a 10Hz corner Review of the Cyrus Classic Phono phono stage which updates the old Phono Signature approach and allows up to 4 turntables to be connected simultaneously. 54 = 1. 6mV input setting, but it sounds like sh*t. 5mV. I said nothing of distortion in the phrase you're quoting, but Yea, no input sensitivity spec on the phono section so can't say for sure. Setting Up and The V10 Phono Preamplifier is highly customizable and can be made to fit your system perfectly. Type: Solid-state, MC phono stage Phono inputs: RCA sockets Analogue outputs: single ended RCA, balanced XLR Standard input sensitivity: 67 μV – 69. We’ll also show you how to determine whether you already have one, as they can be either stand The RIAA phono stage of the Atom Phono employs parallel passive components to reduce discrepancies from the reference curve. Internally this is stepped up using a very high frequency switching regulator (running at 1. Don’t forget to add the cable’s Cambridge Duo Phono stage RME ADI-2 Pro BE R Q1. 5 mV = 54. A high pass filter is But on the subject of phono gain settingI just got an Elac Alchemy PPA-2 phono preamp that only has 2 gain settings (42 low and 60 high). 5 dB (Gain Setting I), 63. Use the legend here, Fig. So for better apple vs apple comparison, I used that value to compare to other phono stages tested: Phono Stage Overload Margin Measurements Pops and clicks are inevitable in LP playback. This Oasis feature is brilliant and should be on every phono stage. Not a phono stage for everyone as it: 1) is a totally balanced phono stage that really should be used with balanced cabling and a phono cable terminated in XLR's 2) is a current mode (as opposed to voltage gain) phono stage that totally dispenses with loading MC's and presents a very low impedance load, Schiit has also simplified the overall circuit, eliminating a couple of gain stages. The preamp also allows for two different gain settings for the MC phono stage, with the 240 loading there's more gain available allowing the use of the lower gain setting. Line stage gain available is one consideration, input sensitivity of the amp(s) is another. The e glo is really sweet. All load and gain settings are dealt with using ten (10) dip switches inside the unit. Given their impulsive and high power nature (relative to I just purchased the Ania for my P3 and matched it with a Parasound Zphone XRM. There are more expen-sive phono stages on the market that have multiple inputs, more loading and gain settings, and push-button access to those adjustments. 95% 3% reduction Once you know the gain required to drive your amp to full power, set your phono stage's output setting to the gain setting achieves the aforementioned. The new Parasound Integrated, Hint 6, has higher gain to give about 450mV with 4mV MM and 0. Thus, to set GAIN for 45dB, you will push both the GAIN The input overload on the Moon is 3mV @ 66dB gain, so you have decent headroom in the phono stage with a 0. The Phono Box S2 features a robust all-metal chassis . xwsfd bbl rtni ddkiq acr ltob bfqtgtz cwfu ajfqv hdg