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RE: MM Phono Stages With Gain Greater Than 40 dB

Posted by John Elison (A) on September 16, 2023 at 18:16:36

In Reply to: MM Phono Stages With Gain Greater Than 40 dB posted by Mister Pig on September 16, 2023 at 09:25:35:

I had an MC-2000 with T-2000 step-up transformer years ago. Mine worked just fine with the 35-dB MM phono stage in my Yamaha C-2x preamp. The T-2000 provides 35-dB of gain so it should work with a 35 to 40-dB phono stage. In other words, 70 to 75-dB total phono gain should be sufficient for the MC-2000's 50-microvolt rated output. For example, 75-dB will raise the MC-2000's 50-microvolt rated output to 0.281-volts, which should be more than sufficient. Most MM cartridges are rated between 4 and 5-mV; therefore, a 35-dB phono stage will raise 4-mV to 0.225-volts, which isn't even as high as 0.281-volts. Consequently, a 40-dB phono stage should work very nicely with the MC-2000 / T-2000 combo.

I wonder if perhaps your MC-2000 is past its prime and no longer a viable phono cartridge. Either that, or the T-2000 is damaged and no longer providing its rated 35-dB of gain. Since you're in the market for a new phono stage anyway, perhaps you should buy a moving coil phono stage with 75-dB of total gain and forget about using the T-2000 step-up transformer. That's what I decided to do years ago when I bought my Pass Labs XOno with its 75-dB of total phono gain. I actually prefer the sound of active phono stages rather than using step-up transformers.

I've never heard a step-up transformer that sounds better than a topnotch active phono stage, although I have heard SUTs that sound just as good. I was very impressed with the Bob's Devices CineMag 1131 SUT because it was the first SUT I'd heard that sounded as good as my Pass Labs XOno active phono stage. I tested it by connecting it to my XOno in its MM configuration and comparing that with my XOno by itself in its MC configuration. Bob's newer Sky SUTs are supposedly even better sounding than his original Blue Label CineMag 1131.

At any rate, if everything's working properly with your MC-2000 / T-2000 combo, a 40-dB phono stage should be more than sufficient.

Good luck!
John Elison

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