smokiturtle Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 I am having fun with my tubes and horns and am trying different cartridges to find out what sounds best to my budget ears. The question is, how low of an input voltage can I go using the Scott phono preamp? I am looking at a Denon mc cartridge but don't want to get something that won't work. I am currently playing with a Grado black, a Sure v15III, an ADC xlm improved mkII, and a Pickering. All are mm and I wanted to try a mc if my Scotts will handle the task. Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 The Scott 299 specifies that 3 mv into the mag 1 and 2 low setting will produce the rated output. Sensitivity of mag 2 high for rated output is 9 mv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Cart output voltages cover an extremely wide range. Even worse, half the output voltage produces a quarter as much sound (6 db less, not 3 db)! To deal with wuch a wide range, phono stages come in a variety of gain levels, and the gain of the phono stage has to be somewhat matched to the cart. You'd have to turn the Scott's VC WAY up to hear anything from a 0.3 mv lomc cart, and the resulting noise would drown out any music. The Denons I glanced at on Needle Doctor had output voltages around 0.25 mv or 0.3 mv, which is pretty darn low even for lomc's. Voltages that low would require around 70 dB of added gain! You should get a good 2 mv or 3 mv cart, to make things simple. Needle Doctor should be a good source of info, as is Craig at http://www.nosvalves.com/. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokiturtle Posted April 27, 2010 Author Share Posted April 27, 2010 Thank you for your help. Looks like the Denon 110 or 160 might work. They are under 3mv but Denon says they are designed to plug into mm inputs on an amp. "The owners manual claims in both English and Japanese 1.6mV of output, but when I tested the cartridge it produced 2.2mV." I'll have to think this over before I risk $$$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaynardF Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 I use a Ortofon X5-MC, which is a high output moving coil that puts out 2.0mV per the specs. Sounds great and I do have to turn up the volume knob but that's not a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Or you can buy a step-up transformer to boost the output. I use a Denon 103R (Zu Modified) with a 299 and a step-up. It sounds terrific but it is an added cost. Buy it once and you'll never have to worry about it again. You can get something pretty darn good for a couple hundred bucks or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 Without a step up about 2mV is the bare minimum you can get away with... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 http://www.needledoctor.com/Grado-Gold1-Prestige-Series-Phono-Cartridge?sc=2&category=374 Back in the early 2000s I think I was into Grado when I had my Scott LK-48. Never was dis satisfied to the point I needed to buy another brand. I will get a ZU cart and the step up transformers some day. I am at the point where I only change equipment once a year or so. Stability of system is my current mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokiturtle Posted May 19, 2010 Author Share Posted May 19, 2010 I pulled the triger on a DL-160 today that I found for a good price. I'll see if the output is high enough for the Scott. If not I'll probably add a step-up transformer. Also looking at the Outlaw RR 2150 which is on sale until the end of the month. It has both mm and mc inputs. But it's solid state. Then I think, what about bi-amping with ss on the bottom and tubes on the top? Just like John Cipollina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokiturtle Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 Received the DL-160 a couple of days ago and mounted it on a Sony PS 8750. The Denon comes with a cool jig to easily set the overhang. I plugged the TT into the Lo Mag input on my HHS 222 and have been floating on a pink cloud ever since. Comfortable listening level for me is 12 o'clock same as my previously favorite cart, a shure v15 III on a technics tt. I believe the DL-160 and DL-110 have the same output voltage so both should work well. If anyone is interested in trying out a mc cart, this is an inespensive way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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