Phono amp gain too high? (EAR 834p)

By the way, most of the difference between the VTPH-1mc and the -2 is in the mc section, which was significantly revised and improved in the -2 version. The difference between the -1mm and -2 when using a mm cartridge should be minimal.

Scott,
FYI, My friend had an EAR and it had a volume control to lower the gain. He had it plugged into his power amp without using a preamp. He was using a 5mv cartridge and it sounded great ! If you buy one used make sure it has a variable volume,as some of them do not.

yogiboy  " ... If you buy one used make sure it has a variable volume,as some of them do not."

A volume control on a phono preamp? That doesn't sound like a good idea - it's likely to lower the system's s/n ratio. It's better to properly match a phono preamp to the line stage so that the line stage can't be overloaded. Then, adjust volume from the linestage.

cleeds, Here it is !
http://www.needledoctor.com/EAR-834P-Black-MM-MC-Phono-Preamp?sc=2&category=401

Unless I’m mistaken (a real possibility), the setting of the volume control does not infact determine the gain of the amp, but instead attenuates the phono amp’s full output---not the same thing of course. I believe the gain of the amp is set, the full output of the circuit is sent to the volume control, which attenuates it to varying degrees depending on where it is set. The volume control doesn’t decrease the gain of the circuit, only attenuates the full output of the amp. A look at the schematic will provide the answer---look for where in the circuit the volume control is located; if it’s before the amplification is achieved, then yes, it may lower the gain of the amp. But I doubt it that’s where it is. If it was, EAR’s published specs for the amp would show variable gain. The variable output would provide a solution to the problem of the phono amp overloading the line stage, however.