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Replace a 0.5 mV Grado Reference Sonata 1 for a Dynavector-DV20X2-H 2.8 mV ???

I'm using an Oracle Delphi mkII, with a Rega RB-300 arm (modified), wired with Discovery's lockable interconnects, into a 2 box Audion pre-amp (built in phono stage) using 4 Siemens E88CC 6922 tubes.

Lets start with the Grado hum (which I may add IMHO the support at Grado was virtually "Zero").                          

The hum is faint, but still audible, especially considering that with tax & installation the better part of a grand Canadian went out the window; so lets just say the hum is totally unacceptable. Which is too bad, because outside of the faint hum & gutless gain (more on that to come), it's a flippin nice sounding cartridge.

The other beef is that my set-up guy selected the wrong Grado to pair with my Audion pre-amp. Apparently the Reference Sonata 1 came with either a 4.8 mV gain, or a 0.5 mV gain. His reasoning was that the 0.5 would be quieter, and it is, but the problem is I have to turn up the volume to 3 o'clock to get the gain I want.

Qu #1: Does anyone out there know the specific gain difference in % between a 0.5 moving iron Grado & a 2.8 MC.

Qu #2: Anyone ever experience "HUM" with a Dynavector-DV20X2-H 2.8 mV on a Rega Tonearm?

Qu #3: Does anyone out there have experience using Dynavector-DV20X2-H 2.8 mV with a tube pre-amp? What are your thoughts?


 

 

 

 



thehorn
mattmiller's avatar
mattmiller
1,497 posts
 
Its night and day difference, I own both these cartridges (my 20x2 is a Low) and going from the low output (.5) to a HOMC will be like your system woke up! You will have plenty of gain. I agree you were steered wrong using a low output grado with a MM phono stage.The Dynavector will give you everything you want. Awesome sounding Quiet as a mouse, using a  Manley Chinook tubed phono stage. Take my word for it .5 is nothing and 2.8 is plenty for your phono stage. it will be significantly better in terms of gain. Love the Dynavectors....10X5 (high), 20x2 (low) are my go to cartridges. Both these sound incredible with the REGA arms.

Matt M
invictus005
597 posts
 
My vote is for 2M Black. My favorite modern cartridge. 
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,701 posts
 
Give Grado a call and see if they will take an exchange for the correct cartridge! .5 mv is way too low for that preamp! That preamp has an input sensitivity of 2 mv. Any cartridge with more than 2 mv output will work fine.
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,821 posts
 
What yogiboy said. Looks like you are using a low output moving coil in an amp designed for high output moving magnet/iron. The idea of LOMC is that the few turns of wire that generates the signal are lighter and more sensitive.

thehorn OP
111 posts
 
Sonata 1 Matt M,
great input, some real relevance to your reply, but I'm a bit uncertain with your reponse - " I own both these cartridges ".
Buy that do you mean a Sonata 1 & a  20x2 (low) or, did you mean Dynavectors....10X5 (high) & a 20x2 (low)?

Thx for adding that you're using a Manley Chinook. I've heard people's issues with tubes, so that's covered.
Are you using a Rega arm?
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