2. analog
  3. 1301010199

Does phono stage noise drive you crazy too?

After using high output moving magnet cartridges for many years, I recently purchased a .5mv output Grado Master 1. I thought that it would be a decent match with my Acoustech Ph-1p phono stage. Reviewers all claim to have used this phono stage with lower output cartridges and had no noise issues that bothered them. I'm just wondering if I'm unduly sensitive to electronic circuit noise, as I find the pairing to be obnoxiously noisy. There's no hum issue, just a "white noise" kind of circuit noise. When I have system volume set to normal highest level listening, I can hear the preamp hiss from the listening seat nine feet away from the speakers. It's not louder than lead-in groove noise, but it contributes to an electronic haze that obscures low level micro-dynamics. I've got the preamp set to 61db. of gain (53db. A weighted noise it turns out.) The Master sounds lifeless and anemic at the lower 52db. gain setting.
Is this state of affairs common? Do many of you just learn to listen through this low level noise haze? At present, it seems that I either need a cartridge with .8-1.0 mv. output to be able to use less noisy gain if I stick with the Acoustech, or I need a phono stage with a better S/N ratio. It surprised me when I started looking for A-weighted phono stage specs, not too many manufacturers seem to want to list that spec.
photon46
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
To answer the question: Does your phono stage drive you crazy? : answer NO.
The other question, why does yours drive you crazy:
Perhaps the combination is just not a good one?
If the lower setting gives relief, yet sounds kind of dead, perhaps you need to adjust the capacitance of the circuit. Or the impedance.
My MC carts sound best with a low impedance. My Benz Glider is at 300 ohms, and my Dynavector 17D3 is at 30 ohms. (PS the Dynavector is only 0.2V)
(I tend to ignore the capacitance because it is not an issue as is.)
So I would look for a way to make the music sound good at the lower level.
Maybe something like the cable from the arm to the phono?
Anyway, it is not the usual thing to have a lot of hiss noise in a setup. Too much gain, and not the right settings in there.
So i would try a bit of fussing with the stuff before giving up.
ahendler
416 posts
 
If you are in the 61 db setting are you possibly loading down the cartridge at 100 ohms as a moving coil? This cartridge wants to see 47K ohms and 100 ohms will really reduce the output of the cartridge which will cause noise problems. Be sure your are loading at 47K
photon46 OP
1,008 posts
 
Thanks for your responses. There is no mismatch as to loading or capacitance. In fact, Grados are unaffected by capacitance if one believes factory guidance. I'm running around 250pf of capacitance (cabling + preamp) & 47k loading. Tonearm cabling is a brand new continuous litz loom in the Audiomods arm I recently bought. I don't want to make my noise obsession sound as if this is a really blatant problem. I'd imagine many people wouldn't notice or care. It's just that with something like my high output Garrott Optim FGS, there's a noticeably better signal to noise ratio. The volume level of any given lp's mastering is a factor too. Elvis Costello's "My Aim is True" MFSL remaster has a lower than usual volume and it's particularly noticeable playing that lp.
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
No, sorry. Don't have this problem. As you have experienced, when you start moving up the cartridge food chain the demand on phono stage performance goes up dramatically, not to mention every other piece in the system.
czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,699 posts
 
Me neither my unit is tubed and the only time I can hear any noise (hiss) is at wide open throttle. But I could never listen at anywhere near this level. So it sounds like system interaction or set-up issues.

Chuck
More to discover