MC Pre-preamps


Pardon my ignorance folks, but is 45dB gain sufficient for low-output moving coils, or is more required once one gets down to about 0.2mV or so? More than adequate for my DL160's 1.6mV I've found.
thanks
tubiwan
You need +77dB total gain to boost 0.2mV to the 1.4V input sensitivity of your B&K Components ST-140 amp. Your DJ PRE II phono preamp has a max gain of +45dB, so your B&K Components CS-115 line preamp would need to add at least +32dB gain.

The CS115 manual says that it has an input sensitivity of 150mV and a max output of 9V RMS(12.7V peak), that implies +38.5dB gain (I think, experts please correct me).

Which is a long-winded way of saying - "You should be fine"

BTW, I have a Denon DL-103D which has 0.25mV output.
Throw me in the "very skeptical" camp if not downright shocked if it would work. With a .2 mV cartridge you are going to require around 64 db of gain from the phono stage ALONE to properly match up. Yes, you might get sound, but that is about it. Get the gain right.

For further info go here:

http://www.kabusa.com/pregain.htm

You will see there that you are currently matched up pretty well (and the Denon you currently use supposedly has an output closer to 2 mV at least according to some who have measured its output). If you are going to .2 mV you need a TON more gain. Either a step-up or a new phono stage.
Throw me in the "very skeptical" camp if not downright shocked if it would work. With a .2 mV cartridge you are going to require around 64 db of gain from the phono stage ALONE to properly match up
Ooops, thanks for the correction HDM. I wrote that post ate 2:30 AM last night while trying to watch "Sopranos" reruns. Obviously, the brain wasn't working right. It's a "no go" on the 0.2mV cart with his current setup.