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Low volume on turntable??

Hi everyone, so I’m new to vinyl and have a lot to learn but I just hooked up a my first turn table, and with my preamp at maximum volume, and amp at full gain, it was still veryy quiet and had no depth/bass. The turntable is an old Denon DP-31L that I just installed a new cartridge in (AT-95E) --->Cary Audio AES SE-3 preamp---->McIntosh MC2125--->Klipsch RP-5’s. The system sounds magnificent running .wav vinyl rips with a Monarchy DIP upsampler--> Emotiva XDA-1 DAC in between my comp and the preamp, so there must be something wrong with either the unit, or how i hooked it up (basic built in RCA to preamp, with the integrated ground wire running to the Mcintosh chassis). On the plus side the ultra-quiet music has no hums, or background distortion whatsoever, even at full volume.

Any advice or thoughts would be much appreciated! Cheers
hockey4496
hockey4496 OP
104 posts
 
Just had an idea of a possible immediate solution until I can afford a quality phono stage, let me know what y'all think:

i have a Sony V444ES receiver that has a phono input. Could I run the turntable to that, and then feed the single to my Cary audio preamp via the pre-outs on the Sony? It also has a "2nd AV output", but I'm thinking the I should use the "pre-out" 

will this work? And if so is it a terrible solution compared to a $200 phono stage, bc id rather go this route now for the next 6 months and save to buy a much better phono stage later on
hockey4496 OP
104 posts
 
https://docs.sony.com/release//STRV444ES.PDF

Page 15 shows the rear panel with the pre-out option
hockey4496 OP
104 posts
 
Yogiboy, what are these "IC’s" you mentioned that I’ll need? Interconnects? Clearly I still have a lot to learn 😁
marktomaras
544 posts
 
I've heard nothing but good things about the Schiit brand. Haven't actually heard the gear, but I hear it is good schiit!
marktomaras
544 posts
 
 I'm not sure if using the Sony receiver is going to work. Pre-out means that that jack is designed to output to a power amplifier from the preamplifier.    It might work but it might be  dangerous.   I don't know enough to be sure, but I believe the signal will have gone through the phono stage section  of the Sony, then through the pre-amplification stage of the Sony, and then it would be going through a second preamplification stage in the Cary.   This doesn't sound worth it to me. Also, I think the NAD or the Rega  are more than competent  to amplify your cartridge. In fact, I would save that extra money and put it towards a better cartridge in the future versus worrying about a higher end phono preamp now.   I used the NAD PP2 with a Dynavector 10X5  cartridge with great results. Sure I eventually upgraded, but the point is that your cartridge probably deserves the first upgrade dollars. 
 Good luck! 
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