Minimum Cartridge output for CAT Ultimate Preamp

Hi Aoliverio,

The 47 dB translates to a voltage multiplication of 223. Likely Ken was rounding for sake of simplicity.

Being too lazy to go to my calculator, I found the following calculator online:

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-db.htm

Click the radio button for the value you know.
For example, enter 47 (for dB) and click the dB button, then calculate the voltage multiplier.

You'll get the answer - 223.

I cross validated this against some known values (e.g. 1:10 is 20 dB).

Back to our .5mv cartridge. Let's look at total gain in the preamplifier, since our concern is being able to drive a power amp to full power.

With a total gain of 73 dB, our .5mv cartridge's voltage will be multiplied 4466 times - to 2.233 volts.

This is probably a touch more than you need - with an amplifier designed to deliver full power with a 2 volt input (the old standard). These days, many power amps deliver full power at less voltage - in order to anticipate people who use passive line stages fed by wimpy CD's.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Thom,

Your analysis suggests I'll be fine since the typical output voltage out of my pre at normal listening levels is ~0.5V. Therefore, there should easily be enough gain in the amplifier. Another way of saying it is that I defintely will not need to completely open the volume control.

thank you.

By the way, I am using a CAT amp and as Kleech mentions, this would be less of an issue based on the input sensisitivty and dynamics of the amp.

Thanks and Take care,

You're on your way!

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier