Phono Stage Amp

You guys give me a lot to think about. All good information. That is what I was hoping for. Then using my analytical skills (IT pro) to single out the most logical.

I did not mention my DAC. Although the musical reproduction is sad compared to the vinyl (through Bluetooth) - the volume is good with no distortion. As is the CD.

But the comment about underpowered mono blocks IS CORRECT. And of the Speakers IS CORRECT. But those are pricey decisions.

I have a Cary Audio SS 200SE or something like that. 200 WPC. I will temporarily hook that up while I research a new cartridge and phono stage using pre-mentioned advice.

a HUGE thank you to everyone who replied. Great group. 

@rodman99999 You make very good points.

My setup is a result of buying from "auctions" and assembling at half price retail. I did not do research beyond reviews. Is Cary Audio liked? Yes, so I went with it. Did Totem get good reviews? Yes, so I went with them. 

But had I done real research I would not have the same system.

On a side note: I also have a pair of Totem Mani-two that are even harder to drive.

Totem Acoustic Mani-2 loudspeaker | Stereophile.com

@audioguy85 

The TT; Cartridge and Tonearm all came in at $2,000. Yes, not cheap. But compared to what many others have, maybe not comparable. But I do like it.

I see a wide range of cartridges in terms of cost. Some many more times the cost of my TT. My system is a mish mash of disparate units except for consistent Cary Audio.

@armstrod 

What is the output of the E.A.T E-Glo Petit?

@cinqcepages

What is the output of the E.A.T E-Glo Petit?

E-Glo max gain is 70 dB. For your 0.25mV Goldring, that gives an output of about 0.8 Volts (790 milliVolts). On paper, it’s a good choice. Your current M1 yields only 0.15 Volts (149 mV) for that same cartridge. It will be a massive difference. Your M1 phono stage’s MC mode is certainly targeted at medium output MC cartridges, not low outputs like 0.25mV.

Alternatively a Bob’s Devices Sky 30 SUT would add ~ 29dB (maybe a little less due to loading losses) to your M1’s 40 dB / 47K MM mode, and nets close to the same result as the E-Glo’s highest 70dB gain. But even 40dB is on the low side for an MM stage. Musical Fidelity isn't very generous with their dB's!

Others are very correct to point out the mismatch between amp & speakers, and potential TT isolation issues. However your current phono stage / cartridge match is DEFINITELY a problem; it’s just that you may be dealing with multiple issues here. I’d fix the phono stage first, since as you mentioned the system works well with digital sources (usually at least 2 Volts output).