Update 2.
After the above experiment, I followed the idea that the preamp is actually quiet and that the phono stage is causing the noise. I lowered the gain on the phono stage from 55 to 50db. The theory is that I can turn the volume high without much issue on the preamp. I did this, and indeed, with the lower gain on the Whest, I had to raise the volume quite high to get a lout experience, but I was not maxed out. Before I played the music, I listened to the noise at full volume, with the newly lowered gain on the phono stage. The noise was lower, as expected, but not by a huge amount.
I played Miles Davis Kind Of Blue. I listened to the noise at full volume with nothing playing to familiarize my mind and ears, then I lowered the volume and played the record. As the needle began to play, I immediately heard a fairly considerable amount of noise. But this I felt was in the recording, not due to my amplifiers.
The sound was excellent by the way, but that noise is still there a bit.
Then I fired up the PS Audio Perfectwave DAC mkII and played the same track. I use the balanced connections on the DAC and I also turn the volume to full as I was instructed by some of the aficionados of this product. The result is that the output is much higher than that of the phono stage, so my volume control on the ARC preamp is far lower, dropping the noise floor even lower.
To finish the comparison of Miles Davis, the noise in the recording that I heard on the vinyl was also there on the digital.
I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on these new tests. Please let me know if I am drawing the proper conclusions. Perhaps I need a quieter phono stage. Maybe I do not need a ton of gain. 50db is working, though I am still at the top of the volume control. If I could have a dead quiet, phono pre with 55 db of gain, that may be the perfect accompaniment to this system, that is, if I am interpreting the experiment properly.
After the above experiment, I followed the idea that the preamp is actually quiet and that the phono stage is causing the noise. I lowered the gain on the phono stage from 55 to 50db. The theory is that I can turn the volume high without much issue on the preamp. I did this, and indeed, with the lower gain on the Whest, I had to raise the volume quite high to get a lout experience, but I was not maxed out. Before I played the music, I listened to the noise at full volume, with the newly lowered gain on the phono stage. The noise was lower, as expected, but not by a huge amount.
I played Miles Davis Kind Of Blue. I listened to the noise at full volume with nothing playing to familiarize my mind and ears, then I lowered the volume and played the record. As the needle began to play, I immediately heard a fairly considerable amount of noise. But this I felt was in the recording, not due to my amplifiers.
The sound was excellent by the way, but that noise is still there a bit.
Then I fired up the PS Audio Perfectwave DAC mkII and played the same track. I use the balanced connections on the DAC and I also turn the volume to full as I was instructed by some of the aficionados of this product. The result is that the output is much higher than that of the phono stage, so my volume control on the ARC preamp is far lower, dropping the noise floor even lower.
To finish the comparison of Miles Davis, the noise in the recording that I heard on the vinyl was also there on the digital.
I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on these new tests. Please let me know if I am drawing the proper conclusions. Perhaps I need a quieter phono stage. Maybe I do not need a ton of gain. 50db is working, though I am still at the top of the volume control. If I could have a dead quiet, phono pre with 55 db of gain, that may be the perfect accompaniment to this system, that is, if I am interpreting the experiment properly.