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Re: hmmm....

Posted by John Elison (A) on April 29, 2007 at 07:28:22

In Reply to: hmmm.... posted by analog guy on April 28, 2007 at 17:06:26:

> have the active stages you've used been able to handle LOMCs (~0.3mV)?

Yes! Just about any gain stage that claims a low-output moving coil capability will handle 0.3-mV cartridges. My first MC capable preamp was a Yamaha C-2x, which I owned for 10-years. However, during that period my best sounding cartridge was an Ortofon MC-2000 with only 0.05-mV output and as such, it was not compatible with the C-2x MC phono stage. I used an Ortofon T-2000 step-up transformer into the C-2x MM input and I had another turntable connected to the MC input where I played other MC cartridges. Those were the days when I owned two identical Thorens TD-126 Mk III turntables with identical SME III tonearms.

In 1993 I downsized to one turntable and switched to a Mark Levinson No.28 preamp with MC only phono stage. I felt that my Ortofon MC-2000 was probably wearing out so I switched to an AT-OC9 cartridge. I wasn't able to afford the expensive cartridges anymore. Actually, I played the MC-2000 directly into the No.28 for a short period, but its output was slightly low for acceptable performance. The No.28 had 64-dB phono section gain and the MC-2000 required 70 to 75-dB for proper operation.

In 2003 I replaced my Mark Levinson with the Pass Labs equipment that I own today. I also replace my turntable, tonearm and cartridge. In fact, I bought an expensive cartridge, a Dynavector XV-1. However, I didn't like the XV-1 so I'm back to inexpensive moving coils like the DL-103R and the AT-OC9ML/II.

Anyway, I haven't tried step-up transformers in quite a while. However, I have no complaints with active gain stages. No, I haven't done any recent tests with step-up transformers into my Pass Labs XOno. I've got a friend who was supposed to send me a step-up transformer to check out, but I haven't heard from him in a while. Perhaps I'll run a test on one in the future.

Best regards,
John Elison

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