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Newbie Question: Why is turntable volume so low?

Hi,

I'm a newbie trying to get back into analog. Over the last two months or so I've purchased the following components from the boards here and on ebay:

Mcintosh MX120 pre-amp
Mcintosh MC205 amp
B&W 804N main speakers
Denon DP A-100 turntable

The speakers are bi-wired, and I'm using the balanced input / output connections for the left and right speakers, as well as the unbalanced (RCA) connections to / from the amp / pre-amp. The turntable is connected via RCA cable to the aux/phono input of the pre-amp.

The issue is that when I play back a digital source (CD or DVD) the system is LOUD at a volume level of 20 (and sounds great). When I play the turntable, the volume has to be turned up to 40 - 50 just to get it close to listening levels (and sounds just OK).

Please tell me I didn't spend all this money to get back into analog and have it sound so disappointing! Any tips, tricks and / or advice? I'd really appreciate any help I could get.

Thanks!

Bill
bill_chilian
minkwelder
255 posts
 
I have no direct knowledge of this preamp, but I have a couple of suggestions on what you might check.

The info I have read indicates that the phono preamp is for a moving magnet cartridge. You don't list your cartridge, but a low output moving coil cartridge would give you the result you're describing.

You indicate that the input is labeled aux/phono. This input is probably a dual purpose input that can be switched to accommodate either a phono or a line level signal. Check your manual to make sure.
rodman99999
6,129 posts
 
That turntable generally is equipped with the DL-A100 cartridge, modeled after their DL-103(.3mV output). As Minkwelder mentioned; Low Output MC cartridges require a phono preamp with sufficient gain(around 60dB). When you obtain one(phono pre): don't plug it into your Phono input, or the signal will be processed by two RIAA EQs(unless that feature is defeatable on your preamp's Phono/Aux input).
hifitime
715 posts
 
"ZONE A Analog Input
The MX120 has one Stereo Balanced Input that may be assigned
to any of the eight Audio Inputs instead of unbalanced
(RCA Type) jacks. The AUX Input also includes the
option of connecting a Turntable with a Moving Magnet
type Phono Cartridge to PH/AUX unbalanced jacks. In the
steps below, the BALanced Input will be assigned to the
DVD Input and the PH/AUX Input will change over to a
Phono Input." (from page 32)

The above came from the manual's page 32. This is what I'm also referring to, about switching the input gain for phono, or "PHON." I hope this does the job!
hifitime
715 posts
 
If you look in the manual read the prior pages starting with 31, then at page 33, figure #20 settings, until you get it to read "ZONE A ANALOG INPUT PHON." That may get the gain set for a MM cartridge. This is using on-screen settings.

I'm not 100% sure, but this is where I would start. You may have to read some of the prior settings to get you there. I don't have one, but if nobody else has anything better, give this a shot. A MM phono has a lot lower signal, than a regular component does.

So I'm guessing this may switch the gain to work for a MM cartridge, instead of a higher output device that can also use the same jack. It looks like you do need to do this with the on-screen settings set-up first to do this. Again, I'm not 100% sure, but this seems like the direction to start.
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
I have a Cambridge 640p phono preamp (sounds great) and I assume, even with a decent output MM cartridge, that the gain from turntables is just inherently lower than standard line level in most cases, as illustrated by my previous setup of a preamp with the built in phono stage being somewhat lower gain with disparate cartridges. I have to turn the preamp up for LPs and I've learned to live with it as it still sounds clean. If the preamp is well designed and still quiet it really shouldn't matter except in extreme cases of the preamp running out of gas (no knob room).
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