2. analog
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Minimum Cartridge output for CAT Ultimate Preamp

I have a CAT Ultimate Mk II preamp and am shopping for an Analog front end. i've heard the CAT doesn't like low output MC cartridges. I have the CAT JL2 amp and Dunalvy 4a speakers. I listen to all types of music but mostly Rock, Jazz and Blues.

For those that run analog rigs with this preamp, what would be your recommended minimum cartridge output voltage? Is something like 0.5mv too low?
aoliviero

Showing 4 responses by aoliviero

aoliviero OP
269 posts
 
Yes, I think the Ultimate also has 47dB of gain.
aoliviero OP
269 posts
 
Thom,

Intersting point regarding the total gain. One thing to add is that Ken Steves told me that the effective input voltage that the line stage will be from the phono stage is 200 x phono output. That means a 0.5mv cartirdge output would feed 1,000 mv, i.e., 1.0 v to the Line stage. With 26 dB in the line stages, does this seem reasonable?
aoliviero OP
269 posts
 
CORRECTION (I need to brush up on my math):

In the above example the input the line stage section would see is 100mv (not 1,000 mv), i.e., 0.1 V. apparently this should not be compared to the output voltages of CD players since they have a different dB baseline.

Anyway, I'm hearing that 0.5mv cartirdge output should work just fine with the CAT pre. I've heard some say they are happy with 0.24mv outputs with dynamic systems.

Thanks.
aoliviero OP
269 posts
 
Thom,

Your analysis suggests I'll be fine since the typical output voltage out of my pre at normal listening levels is ~0.5V. Therefore, there should easily be enough gain in the amplifier. Another way of saying it is that I defintely will not need to completely open the volume control.

thank you.

By the way, I am using a CAT amp and as Kleech mentions, this would be less of an issue based on the input sensisitivty and dynamics of the amp.

Thanks and Take care,
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