Phono Stage - Passive Pre- Amp: Results??

I have probably one of the worst scenatios. LP12/Cirkus/Ekos/Lingo with 0.15mV Troika into an Aqvox 2CI MkII phono stage (72db gain) into Reference Line Preeminence 1B, Sonic Frontiers Power 2 1.25V RMS for 110 Watts into Totem Mani-2s 85db/W/m. This is all run balanced. The cartridge has very low output and the speakers have very low sensitivity. But it all works.

I have an Ayre P-5xe running balanced into a Diy Dact balanced attenuator to a Rowland Model 2 with perfect results.

Hey, this is encouraging...

I use a Ortofon Jubilee at .35 through a Loesch phono pre (70db gain?) with stepped attenuators, cartridge/fet-tube-tube-tube-volume/amp/speakers. It drives my Berning EA-230 and Quad ESL's (84-86db effecient?) just fine (medium to small room) and very transparent and dynamic. I rarely go past 1 o'clock for volume. IMHO you should pay close attention to the output impedance of the pre and input impedance of the amp.

Carl

If you are running passive between the phono preamp output and the power amp, you will find that keeping the interconnect cables as short as possible will be very beneficial.