2. analog
  3. 1261350841

Convert cartridge output voltage to db gain

Happy holidays everyone. I hope that you may help me with a problem. I have re-configured my system, preamp and amp gone, I'm now using a integrated amp. I still have my phono stage and cartridge. My cartridge has a 0.24mV output, my phono stage has 66 db of gain. This used to sound fine, but now I notice that the noise floor is too high for me. So I'm debating on whether to look for a higher gain phono stage, or more likely, a higher output cartridge.

So now my question, how much more output would give me how much more gain? Should I be looking at a 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0+ mV output cartridge? I think I need at least 10 db more gain, and there are not many 76db+ phono stages out there. So what do you analog experts think? Is there any table out there that can show me how to convert voltage output to gain increase? TIA.

Cheers,
John
jmcgrogan2

Showing 2 responses by kr4

kr4's avatar
kr4
3,707 posts
 
More gain will get you more noise and you do not say that the output is too low, only noisier. What you need is higher output or a lower noise phono stage. Another consideration is the impedance matching of the cartridge to the input of the phono stage.

Gain = 20xLog10(V1/V0), so you need to have two voltages to calculate it.

Kal
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,707 posts
 
So, by that calculation, he has adequate gain in the phono stage despite his protestations. As I said, it is the noise level, not the gain that needs to be addressed.

Since he is turning up the gain (reducing attenuation) in the in the integrated amp to attain the same (subjective) output with the same phono stage, I suspect the input stage on the new integrated.

Kal
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