Boy, you have lost me on this one. I have an EAR 834L line stage. It has NO phono section, it only accepts line level sources such as CDP, Tuners, Tape recorders, and Phono Pre-amps.
If you have plugged the phono cables from your turntable directly into one of the imputs of your EAR 834 you will get only a nominal sound as appears to be the case. You need to get a separate phono pre-amp to go between your turntable and the EAR. FWIW, just because one of the inputs designated on the front of the pre-amp sez 'phono' doesn't mean that the unit includes a phono amp stage. EAR makes a very credible separate phono stage to use with the line stage. It is designated 834P. Wish for you it wern't so, but that is how it is. The 834P is moderately expensive ($1650?) and you can find adequate ones for half or less.
