Does phono stage noise drive you crazy too?


After using high output moving magnet cartridges for many years, I recently purchased a .5mv output Grado Master 1. I thought that it would be a decent match with my Acoustech Ph-1p phono stage. Reviewers all claim to have used this phono stage with lower output cartridges and had no noise issues that bothered them. I'm just wondering if I'm unduly sensitive to electronic circuit noise, as I find the pairing to be obnoxiously noisy. There's no hum issue, just a "white noise" kind of circuit noise. When I have system volume set to normal highest level listening, I can hear the preamp hiss from the listening seat nine feet away from the speakers. It's not louder than lead-in groove noise, but it contributes to an electronic haze that obscures low level micro-dynamics. I've got the preamp set to 61db. of gain (53db. A weighted noise it turns out.) The Master sounds lifeless and anemic at the lower 52db. gain setting.
Is this state of affairs common? Do many of you just learn to listen through this low level noise haze? At present, it seems that I either need a cartridge with .8-1.0 mv. output to be able to use less noisy gain if I stick with the Acoustech, or I need a phono stage with a better S/N ratio. It surprised me when I started looking for A-weighted phono stage specs, not too many manufacturers seem to want to list that spec.
photon46
If you are in the 61 db setting are you possibly loading down the cartridge at 100 ohms as a moving coil? This cartridge wants to see 47K ohms and 100 ohms will really reduce the output of the cartridge which will cause noise problems. Be sure your are loading at 47K
Thanks for your responses. There is no mismatch as to loading or capacitance. In fact, Grados are unaffected by capacitance if one believes factory guidance. I'm running around 250pf of capacitance (cabling + preamp) & 47k loading. Tonearm cabling is a brand new continuous litz loom in the Audiomods arm I recently bought. I don't want to make my noise obsession sound as if this is a really blatant problem. I'd imagine many people wouldn't notice or care. It's just that with something like my high output Garrott Optim FGS, there's a noticeably better signal to noise ratio. The volume level of any given lp's mastering is a factor too. Elvis Costello's "My Aim is True" MFSL remaster has a lower than usual volume and it's particularly noticeable playing that lp.
No, sorry. Don't have this problem. As you have experienced, when you start moving up the cartridge food chain the demand on phono stage performance goes up dramatically, not to mention every other piece in the system.
Me neither my unit is tubed and the only time I can hear any noise (hiss) is at wide open throttle. But I could never listen at anywhere near this level. So it sounds like system interaction or set-up issues.

Chuck
53db. A weighted noise it turns out
What does this mean? Are you saying that at the listening position you measure 53db A-weighted noise with an spl meter, with the volume control at a setting that you would use for listening? If so, that would definitely sound like there is a problem somewhere.

I'm wondering if the hiss could be caused by rfi pickup. Have you tried unplugging power to everything that is not necessary for phono playback, especially the video stuff? As well as turning off any dimmer switches and fluorescent lighting that may be in the area. Also, it would be interesting to know what the noise level would be with shorting plugs connected to the phono stage inputs, at the same gain and volume control settings.

Regards,
-- Al