Is it extra gain or two matched cables or both that improve the sound ?


When I route the signal from phono to deck and then to integrated I get overall better fuller sound than when doing it normally from phono to integrated.
System: Nottingham Spacedeck/Spacearm/Goldring 1042 cartridge; Acoustech phono, Nakamichi 682ZX deck, Redgum 120 RGi integrated; Michael Green Revolution 80i speakers. Cables - Purist Audio; Colossus ferox from phono, Maximus ferox from deck, Colossus fluid to speakers.
I tried it all three ways - from phono to integrated with Colossus, from phono to integrated with Maximus, and from phono to deck with Colossus plus from deck to integrated with Maximus.
When I run it thru deck I do lose some resolution, especially in high frequences, compared to running directly with Colossus, but I gain more weight and better balance in sound. Now, Colossus is silver or almost entirely silver cable, Maximus is a mostly copper alloy.
The deck's output is set at or near max, I use input recording level as a volume control. Amp's volume control is set at 9, and I don't usually touch it - no need.
Grado has 6.5 mv output, Acoustech's gain is set at 46db, I think. No idea of the Redgum's preamp gain setting.
So, overall the best sound is achieved when running phono/Colossus/deck/Maximus chain. Second best - phono/Maximus. Third best - phono/Colossus.
It does appear that those excellent Purist cables compliment each other. I talked to Jim, Purist's designer, about the cables, and he said yeah, Colossus has higher resolution but Maximus gives richer sound.
But I think that may not be all, the deck does something too. And what if I don't have enough gain in the preamp section? I record to deck from time to time directly from phono with the Colossus, and the sound is superb for a cassette. Recorded with Colossus, played with Maximus.
What do you think?

inna
Inna: I think one of the coolest things you’ve brought forth here is something that I have supported and concluded for sometime now, that being what we hear is due to system context. The configuration you like best is not surprising to me at all. From personal experience I tried my digital sources directly into my power amps and that was always far less satisfying than through my preamp. Less wire is not necessarily better. Fewer components in the chain is not necessarily better. It is not always about the "predictive" interactivity, and it is not always the "quantitatively definable" that yields the optimum musical result. I think what you’ve demonstrated is yet another example of system integration that supports a favorable outcome. Plus, there’s no need to overthink it, it works, and enjoy😄
@inna : This is a totally free world, like it or not.

Stay calm and have fun.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
Dear @stevecham : """ system context """. Your digital example belongs to a different " system context " where your music/sounds priorities are included.

That " system context " you touted is way different that makes that a delicate/sensible cartridge signal instead to pass ( only as example. ) for one link make that pass through 3 overall links.

Please explain how is that that cartridge signal instead to suffer more degradation been " up-graded " with a better sounds?

Did you really analysed the OP " system context " and what is happenning with that cartridge signal ? if yes then is not " weird " that Wilson speakers are not for you as you posted somewhere.

In the other side, I’m not telling if something is wrong or not only what in reality is happening and if you as the OP are happy good for you and good that your priorities coincide with the OP ones.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.


Steve, that's exactly what I was thinking just not in exact words that you used. Not sure why but I tend to think that my Redgum integrated has a better power amp section than preamp section, at least for my system. This does get interesting. How could I prove or disprove it? There is no way to separate them. No other higher end equipment on hand to experiment with. But yes, it sounds good as it is, no concerns. I started this thread mostly to share the experience.