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Low Output MC's- Are We Playing W/ Fire ??

Might the current rage w/ low output MC's and the neccesity to use step-up transformers, at least on tubed phono stages, be introducing a new potentially harmful link into the chain. Not all step-up transformers are created equal. Might we get overall better performance out of a well executed .45 mv output design ( Helikon ) w/o using a step-up vs. a .22 mv output ( Helikon SL ) w/ a step-up. Or are low outputs almost ALWAYS better ?
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Showing 3 responses by psychicanimal

psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
Doing it right with a low output MC needs quite a bit of money and planning. I won't go down into the low output range although I have a good MC preamp capable of handling 0.3-0.5 mV.

I don't think it's worth to go down into the 0.2 mV range. Obviously, there will be people posting that it is worth it. Everyone sets their own standards. My cutoff point would be in the 0.9 mV neighborhood. Right now I'm using a 2.0 mV MC.
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
Sc53, my low output MC phono preamp has no noise...one of its previous owners had a Linn Sondek with a Monster Alpha, but the Monolithic Sound PS-1 I recently bought (plain version, $300 for the demo) totally outperforms it in musicality, dynamics, bass extension, soundstage, etc. No contest. I do not have to go down to those output levels to get better music for the money (which in fact, I don't).
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
VERY good point, Sean. I learned a BIG lesson when I switched to the Monolithic PS-1. So much music coming out! I realized then that going down in output was not the path I should follow...

I'm not anywhere near as qualified as Sean and others in electronics, but doesn't it make sense that if the output is too low there will be serious loss of information on the cabling due to the extremely low voltage and also more suceptibility to interference (EMI/RFI)?
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