Threshold FET 10/e cartridge amp questions

I don't own one, but I've often wondered how it stacks up against some of the other high end now vintage solid state phono stages, like Klyne and Vendetta. (I do own a Klyne.) So it might help if you would divulge the nature of the "problem". It can't be too bad if you also describe the FET10/e as "wonderful".

I love the preamp, which is all-original, unmodified. The problems:

It just doesn't seem to have enough gain to work with a Shelter 501II and Threshold FET 10/e line amp: I have hum problems I don't have with my Heed Quasar. AFAIK the Threshold has one level of gain for MM's.

And: while the sound is really something, it's shy on bass and a bit bright by comparison to the Quasar. I am lucky to have "tone controls" of a sort with my Yamaha NS1000 driver level controls (I pulled the mids down about 2dB!) and my subwoofer gain (up a tad), but I recognize a workaround when I see it, LOL.

I can't report the current settings on the Threshold: getting it into and out of my rack is a real process. MM capacitance is supposed to be kind of immaterial anyhow, I believe. Maybe someone familiar with this unit can recommend ideal settings for the Shelter 501?

Hi Etnier,

I owned a FET 10 for several years, then sold it to a friend who still has it in his system. Mine was not the "/e".

I've heard of others who's Threshold phono stages became noisy as they got older but mine was/is dead silent. So I expect it can be repaired easily. I don't have their names but there is a dealer in Reno who sells Pass and Threshold products so you might ask there. Also I've read of a tech who repairs and/or modifies Threshold electronics, possibly someone who worked for Threshold. Try googling.

I don't know the output of your shelter but you should think of the gain settings as high and low, not necessarily MM and MC. As I remember they are 60 and 40 dB which should work with most cartridges, particularly when paired with a line stage which will boost the signal a little more.

I never compared mine against the Klyne or Vendetta which Lew mentioned but I found mine very musical and with no significant sonic criticisms.