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Can anybody define LOW OUTPUT...?

Hi. I'm currently pursuing the insanity of trying to decide on and purchase a really, really good used low output MC (only because it seems - in theory at least - that there's more detail to be had there). At any rate, my phono stage was designed for a Linn Troika cartridge (low output - 100µV - that was a MU - in case you don't have a mac also!) - yet I've been looking at some van den Hul low-output MCs that are something like 5-6 TIMES higher output than this - I'd imagine that would put the vdH at LEAST in the MEDIUM output camp. Am I missing something here? Can anyone APPROXIMATELY delimit (spell out for me) the boundaries of what is commonly considered low, medium and high output?

Thanks much.
Jonathan
letranger

Showing 1 response by gregm

gregm
3,395 posts
 
using an overly sensitive phono stage would CONSIDERABLY change what I'll call the 'electrical profile' of the signal
Well, amplifying a very small signal is always prone to external attack (noise, etc). Also, in a smaller signal you're more dependant on the amplification & the wires, whereas in a higher signal you;re more dependant upon the quality of the coils...
Mr V den Hul once said that, ultimately, one might be better off with a higher level signal fm the cartridge and depend less on the phono. IME, differences were slight either way...

One thing that's palpable is: it's usually cheaper to get more output fm the cartridge than the extra 15db (10? whatever) amplification fm an outstanding phono. Cheers
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