Hdm -- If the preamp section of the integrated amp is introducing a certain amount of noise into the signal path, how is reducing the signal level that is going into that amp going to help? Answer: It will not, it will make things worse, because the ratio of signal to noise will be degraded.
The statement that the higher gain of the new amp is exacerbating noise resulting from a cartridge/phono stage mismatch makes no sense. The signal level, noise level, signal-to-noise ratio, and distortion level of what is being fed by the cartridge + phono stage into the new amp is the same as what was being fed into the prior preamp + amp. If the new amp provides higher gain than the prior preamp + amp, the volume control would be adjusted down correspondingly, with no difference in the resulting noise EXCEPT for the difference in s/n performance of the new amp compared to the prior preamp + amp.
Regards,
-- Al
The statement that the higher gain of the new amp is exacerbating noise resulting from a cartridge/phono stage mismatch makes no sense. The signal level, noise level, signal-to-noise ratio, and distortion level of what is being fed by the cartridge + phono stage into the new amp is the same as what was being fed into the prior preamp + amp. If the new amp provides higher gain than the prior preamp + amp, the volume control would be adjusted down correspondingly, with no difference in the resulting noise EXCEPT for the difference in s/n performance of the new amp compared to the prior preamp + amp.
Regards,
-- Al