Phono preamp gain setting

I'm going to disagree with HDM. I don't see an extra 4dB in the phono stage doing anything that can't be accomplished by turning up the preamp another 4dB, Gain is gain, it doesn't matter where it comes from.

If you are hearing that kind of noise at that level something is wrong. The prime suspect is tubes in first stages of the Calypso but it could be before that.

Put shorting plugs in the input of the Calypso and see if you still have the noise. If not it's coming from the phono stage.

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Sgunther-do you have noticable surface noise when you turn it all the way up? If not, you're good.

The measurements in the Stereophile review found that the high freqency overload margin of this phono preamp is shockingly low:

http://www.stereophile.com/phonopreamps/307sim/index2.html

This would seem to mitigate against using a MM into the higher gain mode and is probably the source of the manufacturer suggesting against it.

It's fine to give out advice, but a bit of knowledge about the electrical vagaries of the specific product can be essential and overload margins in phono preamps are often not even given due consideration.

To clarify, when I said "MM" in the above post, I should've said "high output". The Soundsmith is, of course, a MI.

You should be fine with the 54 dB gain setting. I use this with my Dynavector 10x5 with a 2.5 mV output with no ill effect.

A matter of fact I believe the manual states that this is used for HOMCs. I realize the soundsmith is an MI but it falls into the same output range.