2. analog
  3. 195328-10525

EAR Phonobox = HORRIBLE

I just put one of these in my system. I can't believe how bad it sounds. I must be doing something wrong?? It sounds like someone put a blanket over my speaker. Sounds is recessed, muffled, rolled off, no highs, no sparkle. Dead and drab. No frequency range.

I was using the phonostage on the PS Audio Sprout which is a $700 integrated and that sounded 100 times better.

My DAC through the system knocks it out of the park. I can't believe it's supposed to sound this way. What could be going wrong????

1. Cart = Clearaudio Performer V2

2. Phonostage = EAR Phonobox

3. Preamp = PS Audio Stellar Gold Preamp

4. Amp = Carver 1.0T (heavily modified)

5. Speakers = KEF LS50

Cable Mix of Kimber/Audioquest mid level

Any thoughts????

 

 

 

pawlowski6132

Showing 3 responses by lewm

lewm
13,773 posts
 

Viridian, Sorry for my somewhat vitriolic response.

lewm
13,773 posts
 

What you are experiencing is certainly NOT due to an impedance mismatch between phono stage and linestage (contrary to Viridian's suggestion).  The ratio is about 1:9.  That is barely different from 1:10 and anyway at that level there would be no audible attenuation of treble, let alone such an overall signal degradation.

If we are talking about the Clearaudio Performer v2 cartridge, that is an MM cartridge with an output of 3.6mV.  That first of all is quite likely to overload an MC phono input, which would cause distortion in and of itself.  Your report that the system sounds much better with the phono set to MC and also with the attenuator set for a higher output (less attenuated than previously) does not make any sense at all. When you had the cartridge connected to the MM inputs, was the load resistance also set for 47K ohms? Because if you had it driving the MM inputs but the load was set for a typical MC cartridge (e.g., 100 ohms), that WOULD sound horrible and might account for your original complaint. Meantime, have you consulted the seller?

lewm
13,773 posts
 

One would have to agree there is a problem, but you provide no information on which to base even a guess as to the cause. If you just bought it, complain to the seller.

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