If the issue appears more with analog, you should experiment by increasing the gain on the phono pre even if it's already at 60 or 65db.
Hopefully you have a decent sound meter. If not, a free smartphone app will work for music that's midrange-centric, but the crappy mics in most phones can't capture low freq. at all (Since phone mics are optimized to capture your speaking voice). When you play music to compare the gain settings on the phone stage be sure to listen at the same volume according to the sound meter. Don't fixate on the volume knob on your preamp. Without an equal volume comparison, nothing else matters.
After you do that, report back at what volume you typically listen at.
Even at a not super-efficient 89db, the Sophias should get plenty of power from your amp. Have you heard Sophias elsewhere with a different amp that sound more like you expected? If so, please describe.
Cheers,
Spencer
Hopefully you have a decent sound meter. If not, a free smartphone app will work for music that's midrange-centric, but the crappy mics in most phones can't capture low freq. at all (Since phone mics are optimized to capture your speaking voice). When you play music to compare the gain settings on the phone stage be sure to listen at the same volume according to the sound meter. Don't fixate on the volume knob on your preamp. Without an equal volume comparison, nothing else matters.
After you do that, report back at what volume you typically listen at.
Even at a not super-efficient 89db, the Sophias should get plenty of power from your amp. Have you heard Sophias elsewhere with a different amp that sound more like you expected? If so, please describe.
Cheers,
Spencer