Heads Up: ARC is introducing the new SP-20 in Fall

It will not handle low output MC cartridges, only medium output.

If you want to use truely low output MC catridges the only ARC product is the reference phono stage.

ARC can not make low noise phono stages. If they were any good at design they could at least try.

What's up with that! For record playback move on!

My ARC Ref Phono 2SE is super quiet, even for low output carts. Its as quiet as my solid state Rowland Cadence. Not sure about ARC's other phono stages, but the Ref's are fantastic!

Don .... with respect, give me a break. I own an ARC PH-8 phono stage which also has 58 db of gain. The PH-8 can handle cartridges with output as low as .5 mV, such as my Lyra Kleos. I think many members would agree that the Lyra Delos and Kleos are pretty fine cartridges. So I don't think I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel on the vinyl side of my rig.

Btw, I've had conversations with Peter Ledermann of Sound-Smith about his low output MI cartridges such as the Paua and Sussaro (.3 mV output). The output of those cartridges is obviously too low for my phono pre, but Peter said he might be able to custom build some of his cartridges to squeeze more output as a special order item.

Bruce

@Bifwynne

There are many fine LOMC cartridges lower than .5mV, (to many to name) that you can not use!

Why limit yourself?

FYI the old ARC SP9's, SP10, SP11,and SP14 all could handle cartridges down to .2mV.