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Phono amp compatibility with integrated

Happy Holidays Everyone!

I appreciate all the feedback that you've given me recently on phono stages and tonearm/cart compatibility, so I'm back to ask for even more advice.  I've had some issues with two different phono stages that have "high" and "low" output settings (the Jolida JD9 mk2 and the Heed Quasar).  When running the Jolida into my old Simaudio i-1, I found that the high setting easily overloaded the amp and caused distortion while the low setting seemed dull and lifeless.  I've since moved to a Naim 5i-2 (LOVE it!), and I have had the same issue with both the Jolida and the Heed Quasar.  I have since returned the Quasar.  I have a Vincent PHO8 as my back-up, and it has only an MC/MM button and no adjustability.  It works in all circumstances that I've encountered - no overload with any preamp or integrated amp, no distortion at high volumes. 

In a previous post, Almarg mentioned that my integrated has a "high sensitivity (= a low sensitivity number, 150 mv in this case) of your Naim integrated amp."  I don't really understand what this means in terms of finding a phono amp that is compatible. What specs should I be looking at to determine the compatibility with the Naim?  Output impedance?  Gain?  I was hoping that you might be able to give me some guidance or point me to a site that explains how to figure out this type of matching.  

Thanks so much, I wish all of you a great holiday season,
Scott
smrex13
almarg's avatar
almarg
8,673 posts
 
... how would I know whether a particular integrated has additional circuitry that would affect the compatibility with an analog front end?
In situations involving high integrated amp sensitivity, and/or high phono stage gain, and/or cartridge output that is greater than is typically used with that amount of phono stage gain, in most cases it would probably be best to ask the manufacturer how much input voltage would overload the amp.  And then perform calculations along the lines of those I described in my first post in this thread, to estimate the upper limit of the input voltage the amp might see on recordings having dynamic peaks at particularly high volumes.  Or, alternatively, simply ask if the amp would be suitable for use with the specific front end components being considered.

And thanks for the nice words :-)

Best regards,
-- Al


smrex13 OP
423 posts
 
Yogiboy - I've heard great things about Quicksilver products, and judging by some of your recommendations I believe we have similar tastes in audio gear.  However, if I understand things correctly, the 67 db of gain for the low output carts would be too much for the Naim.  I'd need to keep it down to around 60db or even less.  Maybe I should be shopping for a friendlier integrated rather than a phono amp...

Scott
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
2,678 posts
 
Scott,The gain is 47 db for mm cartridges. It is 67 db when the QS SUT is used for low output moving coils!
Yogiboy
smrex13 OP
423 posts
 
Ah, so you're saying that I could run the low output Grado through the MM stage...?
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
2,678 posts
 
You sure can. I use that phono stage with my low output Grado's. You can give Mike a call at Quicksilver,he will answer any question you have!
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