Improve volume from turntable with a new cartridge?


Hi all,

I am getting back into hifi after years of iPod and computer speakers. Last week I bought a Music-Hall integrated amp and a pair of B&W 686 S2 speakers, and a JL Audio powered 8" sub-woofer. CD player is a Sony CDP C-445 multi-disc player that I bought for $100 used. Turntable is one I have from years ago, a Technics SL-D2 direct-drive with a plastic-looking Grado cartridge, not sure of model, it was back in the early ’90s.

This morning I tried to do an A/B comparison between my turntable and my CD player. Music was Pink Floyd’s "Dark Side of the Moon". Old scratched 20-year-old CD versus brand-new bought yesterday LP from the local vinyl store.

It was difficult to do a proper A/B because every time I switched to the phono input on the amp, I had to increase the volume to about 2 o’clock, and when I switched back to the CD input I had to dial back the volume to about noon.

The amp has a phono input so I am assuming it has a built-in phono pre-amp, right? If so, why is the volume still so low? Would upgrading to a better cartridge increase the volume? I am open to a newer, better-quality turntable if it will improve the sound considerably. I have hundreds of LPs, about half of which are in good condition and would probably be good to listen to after a good cleaning, BUT I also have hundreds of CDs, and if the turntable / LP would not yield significant improvement over the CDs, then I am hesitant to invest further in analog.

So.... back to the point... if I could get close to the same volume from my phono as I do from CD, it would be easier to do a decent A/B. Could a different cartridge in my existing turntable achieve that?

Alternatively I could check with my local hifi store and see if they would let me bring home and test-drive a turntable.

Sorry for the long post. Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your time and advice.

Eric Zwicky
Richmond VA
ezwicky

Showing 1 response by rodman99999

You only mention trying one vinyl and one CD. If that’s the case, you haven’t, "A/B’ed" your Phono and Line circuits, or cartridge. Only the two recordings and the levels at which they were recorded. You’ll probably find that you own some CDs of lower recorded level and vinyls of a higher, than your two Pink Floyds. If the sound quality is consistent, trying to obtain the same spot on your volume control, between various media/recordings, is an exercise in futility. The output level of a cartridge is not necessarily related to it’s, "quality". Some of the world’s most highly regarded carts, have the lowest output levels. If you’re set on replacing the cart, you can enter the make and model of what you have, in the following database and compare the output voltage to that of other carts, you may be considering. (https://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_database.php) You didn’t mention whether the Integrated is new, which(if not) may present another variable. If it’s very old, some Phono sections contain a plethora of electrolytics, which dry out over time and will lower the circuit’s output and presentation quality. Then too, sometimes the elastomers of a cart’s compliance(cantilever suspension) dry out with age. Bottom line: How’s the system sound, irrespective of knob position?