Anyone using a Lyra Delos yet?

11-28-10: Moonglum
Hi Paperw8...the Whest manual merely says "0.6mV-0.35mV = 55db setting", "0.4mV-0.25mV = 60db"(personally I would have written these numbers in reverse but never mind :o) Given that Lyra requests a "0.6mV or less" input, 55 chose itself. I hear what you're saying about low throughput. My concern was driving the phono stage into saturation.

55dB is a very workable setting with the lyra delos. i tried that setting and had no difficulty. for me it was just a matter of preference that i wanted to provide a signal that was at least equal to the input sensitivity of the preamplifier. but i think that jonathan can provide some useful observations on this point.

driving the whest into saturation isn't a problem. i have used 65dB gain with the lyra delos without difficulty. i would expect the whest to be able to provide a signal output level of at least 2v. the problem that you can run into is that you send a really "hot" signal to the preamplifier. then the output volume can get pretty loud even when you have the volume at the 9 o'clock position. not only can that make it more difficult to finely control the volume level, but it would make the volume adjustment way out of line with other sources that you might send to the preamplifier.

for anyone who has a triplanar tonearm, i measured the capacitance of the 1 meter rca cable that triplanar provides with the triplanar tonearm and got a capacitance value in the 70pf to 80pf range (taking into account the accuracy of my multimeter). the input of my phono preamplifier adds about 10pf to 15pf. so in my case the total capacitance (cable and phono stage input) is in the 80pf to 95pf range. so if you are using a triplanar tonearm with your lyra delos cartridge i would say that 100pf is a pretty good estimate for the total input capacitance value to use when you set your phono stage input load impedance according to the instructions that come with the cartridge.

>>11-28-10: Paperw8
i would say that 100pf is a pretty good estimate for the total input capacitance value to use when you set your phono stage input load impedance<<

Actually due to the extremely-low self-inductance of a moving coil cartridge, capacitance is basically irrelevant.

This is the reason you seldom, if ever, see capacitance adjustments for moving coils on phono stages.

Please refer to my experience comments in previous post.

100pf seems extraordinarily low for the RDT? My ps0.3r has a 220pF input C, while the 0.5m cable is assumed to be around 50pF Giving me a total of 270pF. By way of contrast a Trichord Diablo is way up there at 1.1nF(?) but as Audiofeil says it doesn't matter to MCs anyway.

11-29-10: Moonglum
100pf seems extraordinarily low for the RDT? My ps0.3r has a 220pF input C, while the 0.5m cable is assumed to be around 50pF Giving me a total of 270pF. By way of contrast a Trichord Diablo is way up there at 1.1nF(?) but as Audiofeil says it doesn't matter to MCs anyway.

from where you are getting your data on input capacitance? my whest manual provides no information on input capacitance. an input capacitance of 220pf sounds a bit high even for a moving magnet section.

at any rate, once you figure out the input capacitance that you intend to use, my previous comments about setting the phono stage input load impedance will make more sense if you read the instructions that come with the lyra delos cartridge. you will find that having an estimate for the input capacitance is relevant if you want to set the load impedance at the phono stage.

speaking of the whest manual, i will point out that there is an error in the chart that shows the latest (post 1 jan 09) load settings. the figure in the manual indicates that DIP switch position 4 selects a 1k ohm resistor, when in reality it is a 1.6k ohm resistor. if you look at the values indicated on the actual circuit board, it too indicates that this switch position is 1.6k ohm - the circuit board is correct and the manual is incorrect.