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No. 26 - MM or MC board?

Hi - I am trying a ML 26 preamp w/phono stage in my system, (Denon 103R cart.). I set the gain internal switch to 58dB or 38db and cartridge gain to 100 Ohms which I beleive is the recommended load for the Denon (instruction come in Japanesse so I can´t tell).

The point is that eventhough sound level is acceptable at the 1 o´clock position in the volume knob, there is not enough dynamics compared to the line level input (CDP in this case) and far from my previous Michael Yee phono preamp signal.

Could it be that this particular No. 26 has a MM board?
The 100 ohm setting is wrong for the Danon 103r?

Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge here.

Fernando
128x128flg2001
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rauliruegas
13,121 posts
 
Dear Fernando: You already have what you can. Great, no problem at all.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
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rauliruegas
13,121 posts
 
Fernando: Reading again your last post, I can see that you really like the ML 26 and this fact is the important point not what I think about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
flg2001's avatar
flg2001 OP
543 posts
 
Diggin´deeper in this issue, it looks like this No 26 does have a MM board. So my choices are:

1.- Install my Cotter step-up to the Denon and try from there, or

2.- Get a new MM cartridge (I read that the Music Maker cart is pretty impresive)

What do you (all) think?

Fernando
twl
3,251 posts
 
If your MM board has 38db gain, even the addition of your Cotter probably will not get you quite enough gain for the DL103R. But it might be close to enough, if your linestage section has 20db or more gain.

Regarding the phono cartridge re-think, that would probably be more practical, but we'd have to know what arm and table you are using, and your budget, to make any recommendations.

A Music Maker works well in a lower mass tonearm, such as a Hadcock. It may not do quite as well in a heavier arm.
johnnantais
621 posts
 
Well, I heard good news regarding Denon DL103 cartridges while in Berlin: there is a Finnish fellow who custom-winds transformers for Shindo Laboratories amongst other luminaries, and who makes a transformer specifically for the Denon. I was hoping to be the first kid on the block with one of these so I could try it out and report on it, but feel free to steal my thunder, contact http://www.hifi-im-hinterhof.de/ for details on this wondrous beastie. It would be cheaper than buying the now pumped-up retail price of the Music Maker in North America and the associated problems of mass-matching, would allow you to contiunue with your original plan, and is apparently very reasonably-priced at something like 300 euros or so. If this transformer makes the already-excellent Denon DL103-series even better, then watch out world! And you were right Twl, this is one beaut of a cartridge.
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