Is overloading of a preamp volume dependent?

montaldo

I have read that if a phono pre signal is overloading a preamp, it should be independent of volume. Does this vary based on the preamp's architecture or is it always true?

The louder the signal from a phono cartridge, the more likely it is that the phono preamp output will overload the line stage, regardless of the setting of the line stage's volume control. But you won't risk such overload if you choose the right selections of cartridge and preamps and - if the option is provided - the correct gain setting on your phono preamp.

Yes high volume may overload the output stages of a pre, however, a high input signal can overload the input stage at any volume level.

The 70db amplification of you cartridge occurs before and completely independent of you “volume” control.  You should look at some of the calculators (KABs comes to mind) that takes your cartridges output voltage and the gain of the phono preamp and gives an output number to consider.  This is the issue that can cause overload.  70db is a lot of boost and could be very adequate for a low voltage cartridge (0.2mv) but 60 to 64db can be totally adequate for 0.3 to 0.5mv.  Your cartridge output will be the issue here with the 70db gain.

Crackly distortion on piano transients can also be caused by stylus mistracking.