Tlainhart, re 5 cm/sec, note in my post from 7-4-2012 which I linked to earlier that 5 cm/sec can mean two different things, which differ by 3 db.
Re 26 db of gain being too low, note that I said 26 db is "very low for an integrated amp." The Vidar is a power amp, and as Folkfreak indicated earlier 26 db is a typical gain for a power amp. Also note that the 28 db figure for the Parasound Halo integrated applies to its power amp section. A separate figure of 10 db is presented for the gain of its preamp section, so its total gain is 38 db. As you’ll realize that is 12 db more than the gain of your Ragnarok.
Generally speaking gains provided by integrated amps tend to fall in the area of 36 to 40 db or so, which approximately corresponds to the sum of the gains that would typically be provided by the combination of an active preamp and a power amp.
Using a phono stage whose gain is appropriate for a particular cartridge in combination with a low gain integrated amp and a low sensitivity speaker can be expected to result in the volume control having to be used in the upper part of its range, as you’ve found with the Grado. As Folkfreak indicated, what is surprising is that the same issue doesn’t arise with the Ortofon. But as long as you never find yourself wanting to turn the volume control higher than its max setting, and you are happy with the sonics (as you appeared to indicate), as some of the others have said there’s no need to take any further action.
Regards,
-- Al
Re 26 db of gain being too low, note that I said 26 db is "very low for an integrated amp." The Vidar is a power amp, and as Folkfreak indicated earlier 26 db is a typical gain for a power amp. Also note that the 28 db figure for the Parasound Halo integrated applies to its power amp section. A separate figure of 10 db is presented for the gain of its preamp section, so its total gain is 38 db. As you’ll realize that is 12 db more than the gain of your Ragnarok.
Generally speaking gains provided by integrated amps tend to fall in the area of 36 to 40 db or so, which approximately corresponds to the sum of the gains that would typically be provided by the combination of an active preamp and a power amp.
Using a phono stage whose gain is appropriate for a particular cartridge in combination with a low gain integrated amp and a low sensitivity speaker can be expected to result in the volume control having to be used in the upper part of its range, as you’ve found with the Grado. As Folkfreak indicated, what is surprising is that the same issue doesn’t arise with the Ortofon. But as long as you never find yourself wanting to turn the volume control higher than its max setting, and you are happy with the sonics (as you appeared to indicate), as some of the others have said there’s no need to take any further action.
Regards,
-- Al