Strain Gauge Preamp/ Phono. A new standard?

All the Strain-gauge cartridges from the old days had the RIAA EQ built-in too.

Hi Peter, the RIAA curve is flat from 318 uS to 3180uS. So there are about 4 octaves that will be spectrally incorrect. That is a lot bigger error than any room I've tested. BTW I've run plenty of room curves over the years- especially at shows. I agree that you see big variations, but not like this (at least not so far anyway).

I've also produced a variety of LPs over the years and I've found that only 1 db variations in the test pressing can be audible (this is easy to hear over a frequency spectrum as opposed to a single frequency, BTW).

So- do you offer an equalizer?

So no EQ unit then. If you refer to Stanley Lipshitz's paper, presented to the AES back in the late 70's (arguably the definitive paper on RIAA equalization), it is possible to design an EQ network that will follow the mandated curve correctly, easily better than 1/2 db. He presented very easy formulae to work out practical and accurate values.

It seems that at the upper end of the 'flat area' of the RIAA curve (318uS), that a simple 6db/octave EQ will be off by nearly 24db.

Don't get me wrong- as a manufacturer I think I can safely say that all phono section designers struggle against the issue of noise that is possible when you are trying to amplify a signal from a low output MC cartridge. There is much allure to the idea of a cartridge that can put out a volt or two. But the EQ being off by that much... Wouldn't a proper EQ make the cartridge more attractive?