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Replace a 0.5 mV Grado Reference Sonata 1 for a Dynavector-DV20X2-H 2.8 mV ???

I'm using an Oracle Delphi mkII, with a Rega RB-300 arm (modified), wired with Discovery's lockable interconnects, into a 2 box Audion pre-amp (built in phono stage) using 4 Siemens E88CC 6922 tubes.

Lets start with the Grado hum (which I may add IMHO the support at Grado was virtually "Zero").                          

The hum is faint, but still audible, especially considering that with tax & installation the better part of a grand Canadian went out the window; so lets just say the hum is totally unacceptable. Which is too bad, because outside of the faint hum & gutless gain (more on that to come), it's a flippin nice sounding cartridge.

The other beef is that my set-up guy selected the wrong Grado to pair with my Audion pre-amp. Apparently the Reference Sonata 1 came with either a 4.8 mV gain, or a 0.5 mV gain. His reasoning was that the 0.5 would be quieter, and it is, but the problem is I have to turn up the volume to 3 o'clock to get the gain I want.

Qu #1: Does anyone out there know the specific gain difference in % between a 0.5 moving iron Grado & a 2.8 MC.

Qu #2: Anyone ever experience "HUM" with a Dynavector-DV20X2-H 2.8 mV on a Rega Tonearm?

Qu #3: Does anyone out there have experience using Dynavector-DV20X2-H 2.8 mV with a tube pre-amp? What are your thoughts?


 

 

 

 



thehorn
invictus005
597 posts
 
My vote is for 2M Black. My favorite modern cartridge. 
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
2,678 posts
 
Give Grado a call and see if they will take an exchange for the correct cartridge! .5 mv is way too low for that preamp! That preamp has an input sensitivity of 2 mv. Any cartridge with more than 2 mv output will work fine.
noromance's avatar
noromance
1,780 posts
 
What yogiboy said. Looks like you are using a low output moving coil in an amp designed for high output moving magnet/iron. The idea of LOMC is that the few turns of wire that generates the signal are lighter and more sensitive.

thehorn OP
34 posts
 
Sonata 1 Matt M,
great input, some real relevance to your reply, but I'm a bit uncertain with your reponse - " I own both these cartridges ".
Buy that do you mean a Sonata 1 & a  20x2 (low) or, did you mean Dynavectors....10X5 (high) & a 20x2 (low)?

Thx for adding that you're using a Manley Chinook. I've heard people's issues with tubes, so that's covered.
Are you using a Rega arm?
gasbose's avatar
gasbose
48 posts
 
Thehorn,

What yogiboy and noromance said.  You have a low-output cartridge with a preamp designed for high-output devices. Maybe Grado will agree to exchange. Or you could look at getting a step-up transformer to enable your exiting cartridge and preamp to work together. This is an expensive option.

I used the Dynavectot 10X5 myself and love it. Haven't used the 20X2H but it should work fine. I don't see any problems with a tube preamp.

Good luck!

Gasbose
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