Threshold FET 10/e cartridge amp questions

I don't own one, but I've often wondered how it stacks up against some of the other high end now vintage solid state phono stages, like Klyne and Vendetta. (I do own a Klyne.) So it might help if you would divulge the nature of the "problem". It can't be too bad if you also describe the FET10/e as "wonderful".

I love the preamp, which is all-original, unmodified. The problems:

It just doesn't seem to have enough gain to work with a Shelter 501II and Threshold FET 10/e line amp: I have hum problems I don't have with my Heed Quasar. AFAIK the Threshold has one level of gain for MM's.

And: while the sound is really something, it's shy on bass and a bit bright by comparison to the Quasar. I am lucky to have "tone controls" of a sort with my Yamaha NS1000 driver level controls (I pulled the mids down about 2dB!) and my subwoofer gain (up a tad), but I recognize a workaround when I see it, LOL.

I can't report the current settings on the Threshold: getting it into and out of my rack is a real process. MM capacitance is supposed to be kind of immaterial anyhow, I believe. Maybe someone familiar with this unit can recommend ideal settings for the Shelter 501?

Hi Etnier,

I owned a FET 10 for several years, then sold it to a friend who still has it in his system. Mine was not the "/e".

I've heard of others who's Threshold phono stages became noisy as they got older but mine was/is dead silent. So I expect it can be repaired easily. I don't have their names but there is a dealer in Reno who sells Pass and Threshold products so you might ask there. Also I've read of a tech who repairs and/or modifies Threshold electronics, possibly someone who worked for Threshold. Try googling.

I don't know the output of your shelter but you should think of the gain settings as high and low, not necessarily MM and MC. As I remember they are 60 and 40 dB which should work with most cartridges, particularly when paired with a line stage which will boost the signal a little more.

I never compared mine against the Klyne or Vendetta which Lew mentioned but I found mine very musical and with no significant sonic criticisms.

Etnier, From your more detailed description of how you perceive the sound of your Threshold, I think of two things: (1) The deficiencies you've assigned to the Threshold may well be due to other components in the chain, and/or (2) MM cartridges most definitely ARE sensitive to capacitative loading, moreso than MC cartridges, and you may want to look at that IF you are running an MM cartridge. But on the other hand, I thought the Shelter was an MC, and I am too lazy to look it up. Most MCs would not be adequately served by the 40db gain setting and would indeed not drive the phono stage sufficiently to drive the linestage comfortably. Could be you just need to use the 60db gain setting, as Pryso mentions. If that does not help, you might do well to have the Threshold checked out by a competent tech, also per Pryso's suggestion. Could be that power supply electrolytic capacitors are leaky, after 30 years, especially if the unit was not in use that whole time.

Mine is dead silent. Lower gain setting. Adjusted to manufacturing specs for MC Blue Point evo III on a Music Hall MMF 7. Internal jumpers set correctly?