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Preamp - 18 dB Gain too low?

Being a newbie to audio stuff, I'd like to hear your opinion whether should I replace my preamp. To get to a reasonable loud volume, my preamp has to be at around 1PM to 2PM position for most of CD and music DVD. Should I get another preamp with higher gain? If so how much more? Why don't the manufacturers make higher gain? Probably some sonic compromise with high gain active preamp?

Any suggestions are welcomed.

Preamp: Conrad Johnson PV-10AL, gain 18 dB.
Amp: Shuguang S845MK (tube amp 848)
Speakers: Tekton Lore (Sensitivity 98 dB)
Room: 25 x 17 x 8'
nguyen787
nguyen787 OP
52 posts
 
Checked and corrected Oppo setting per suggestions, do not see any different on sound level. Volume --> fixed at 100%.

George raised an interesting concern - main voltage. The amp power outlet plug written "115 V, 50/60 Hz" seems OK for US AC electricity. I am wondering Shuguang started out design as for 230 V and made shortcut to convert to 115 V for North America market, compromised the amp voltage? I really don't know, just speculating. I did send my question to Grant Fidelity about the spect mismatch, but have not heard back from them yet.
mulveling's avatar
mulveling
2,125 posts
 
You know what's completely screwy? I just checked the GF product page again, and they're recommending the matching S200MK preamp -- which is spec'd at a MAXIMUM output voltage of 3V. So you can't get full output power from these amps without 4V from your preamp, which the suggested S200MK can't supply. Madness!
nguyen787 OP
52 posts
 
I looked into their spec for preamp S200MK and also found a mismatch between in the manual and Grant Fidelity website.

Manual:
Output Voltage: more than 3V, maximum 10V
Output impedance: less than 10k ohm
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Jeez, what a s**t fight this has turned out to be, most any active preamp is going to have trouble with this as you have found out with your Conrad Johnson PV-10AL and all passive preamps as well.
To make the input of a power amp 4v sensitivity is totaly wrong there has to be something else amiss somewhere either with the amount of output comming from the cdp or the amp it's self which needs to be changed to 1-2v sensitivity.
To boot I just saw you have 98db efficient speaker, if you had normal speaker 88-92db you would get nothing but a whisper comming out at full volume

Cheers George
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