1. Home
  2. analog
  3. 129219-96541

Improve volume from turntable with a new cartridge?

Hi all,

I am getting back into hifi after years of iPod and computer speakers. Last week I bought a Music-Hall integrated amp and a pair of B&W 686 S2 speakers, and a JL Audio powered 8" sub-woofer. CD player is a Sony CDP C-445 multi-disc player that I bought for $100 used. Turntable is one I have from years ago, a Technics SL-D2 direct-drive with a plastic-looking Grado cartridge, not sure of model, it was back in the early ’90s.

This morning I tried to do an A/B comparison between my turntable and my CD player. Music was Pink Floyd’s "Dark Side of the Moon". Old scratched 20-year-old CD versus brand-new bought yesterday LP from the local vinyl store.

It was difficult to do a proper A/B because every time I switched to the phono input on the amp, I had to increase the volume to about 2 o’clock, and when I switched back to the CD input I had to dial back the volume to about noon.

The amp has a phono input so I am assuming it has a built-in phono pre-amp, right? If so, why is the volume still so low? Would upgrading to a better cartridge increase the volume? I am open to a newer, better-quality turntable if it will improve the sound considerably. I have hundreds of LPs, about half of which are in good condition and would probably be good to listen to after a good cleaning, BUT I also have hundreds of CDs, and if the turntable / LP would not yield significant improvement over the CDs, then I am hesitant to invest further in analog.

So.... back to the point... if I could get close to the same volume from my phono as I do from CD, it would be easier to do a decent A/B. Could a different cartridge in my existing turntable achieve that?

Alternatively I could check with my local hifi store and see if they would let me bring home and test-drive a turntable.

Sorry for the long post. Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your time and advice.

Eric Zwicky
Richmond VA
ezwicky
ezwicky OP
23 posts
 
Thanks lewm.      The manual for the integrated amp says input sensitivity for the phono (MM) input section is 1mV.   The Grado Prestige cartridge is 5mV, so I should be OK there.

The aim of this exercise is to determine whether or not I should invest more money in analog, or just stick with what I have.  I have a pretty good collection, maybe 1000 LPs, but a lot of them are older and scratched or otherwise marginal.    

If it's normal to have the 12-:00 - 2:00 disparity in volume knob between CD and turntable, then that pretty much answers my original long-winded question.

I think to make an informed decision I will have to see about bringing home for audition a better turntable and cartridge.


fjn04
1,339 posts
 
Eric- Are you getting dynamics with the vinyl. 5 mv is a healthy output. All very tough to say without knowing your phono section, and the condition of your cartridge. Needledoctor has plenty of cartridges with the listed specs to explore on their website. but why not give Roy Hall or your dealer a call. 
lewm
6,770 posts
 
You aren't going to find ANY cartridge with an output significantly greater than 5 mV.  And if your phono section can make do with only 1mV input, I would say your max'd out as far as being able to drive the linestage section of your integrated amplifier.  If you want to make changes, I would go for quality rather than trying to find a cartridge with higher output voltage or a phono section with more gain.  Just make sure you have some guidance in choosing a cartridge and maybe an outboard phono stage that are well matched.  For a system like yours, you might consider the iFi iPhono2, as an outboard phono stage; you would plug that, or any outboard phono, into a pair of hi-level input jacks on your integrated (NOT into the "phono" inputs).
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
3,718 posts
 
ezwicky - not exactly what you are asking about but somewhat related and hopefully helpful...

Why not just enjoy what you have for a while before upgrading to an external phono pre-amp? Not saying don’t do it ever, but sounds like you have a lot of vinyl that has been unplayed for some time and are trying to get reacquainted with its sound.    I'm not surprised you need to bump up the volume when playing records vs CDs.  The output voltage from my CDP is way higher than from my phono-pre.  A volume adjustment isn't unusual.  It isn’t like you are trying to run a low output moving coil and just don’t have adequate gain.

I use a Technics table w/Grado Black cartridge. The nice thing about the Prestige series is you can substitute a higher end stylus in the lower level cartridge bodies like the Black. You could go with a Grado Gold (top of the Prestige series) or get an 8MZ V stylus that some people think is an improvement (the option I choose). Price is the same: $150 for either. If unsure about the health of your current Grado Black stylus, get a new one for $50 bucks from Needle Doctor (they carry the full line of Grado replacement styli including Gold and 8MZ). Use the Black stylus for older more beat up vinyl and the Gold or 8MZ stylus for the pristine stuff. Enjoy the stuff you have for a while. Get used to the sound. Then decide if you want to invest further in vinyl playback.

Don’t make yourself crazy with volume matching and A/B testing from the get/go. Live with the sound of your records for a while. Once you are familiar, volume matching - while still helpful - won’t be as much of a distraction and I think you will begin to better hear what vinyl has to offer you vs digital.

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
3,018 posts
 
Lewm’s last comments make a lot of sense.
My cartridge has a high output of 5mV, and my volume control is at 10 o’clock and 12 o’clock between TT and CD.

If you want try an outboard phonostage, I have heard good things about the iFi iPhono2, as well as the Schiit...
http://schiit.com/products/mani

Agree with ghosthouse, listen to your records.
More to discover