As long as you get sufficient volume at the 3:00 setting you should not worry about it. IMO, you are better off with the volume control when it is in the upper range than the lower range of the amp!
Why the volume drop for this .5mv cartridge
This is somewhat related to the "Do I need a SUT" thread, but I didn't want to muddy that.
I've got two cartridges: an Ortofon 2M Black; a Grado Statement Master 1. The first is MM with 5mv output, the second is MI with .5mv output.
My phono pre is a Rogue Audio Triton, with 40db, 55db, 60db, and 65db gain settings. That feeds a Schiit Ragnarok which feeds some KEF LS50s. The Ragnarok appears to have a linear volume control.
I have the phono pre's gain set for 40db with the Ortofon, and the ideal listening volume is with the Ragnarok's volume control set to "12:00". With the Grado, I have the gain set for 65db and to match the output volume of the Ortofon for the same material, I've got to set the Ragnarok's volume just short of "3:00".
Robert Harley's "Taking the Guesswork out of Phonostage Gain" offers an algorithm that puts the ideal gain (for 1v output) for the Ortofon at 46db and for the Grado, 66db.
The "KAB PHONO PREAMP PARAMETER COMPUTER" puts the gain for the Ortofon and Grado at 36 and 56, respectfully.
It seems like Harley's offering better matches what's going on in my system, as 55db is just too low for the Grado and my amp.
To my naive mind, I would think that if I have the phono pre's gains matched to the output of the cartridges, I should have the same output volume to the Ragnarok, and thus the same volume level settings from the amp. Capacitance and resistance loading is the same for both (50pf and 47k).
Am I missing something? This is relevant as I prefer the Grado, but I'm just about out of headroom with that amp. I'm wondering what's wrong - my Grado, my phono pre, the Ragnarok, or my thinking. Or some combination thereof.
I don't recall that the output volume difference was this great on the Sphinx that the Ragnarok replaced, but I may not be remembering correctly (probably 18 months ago). The Rag's input impedance is 10k, and is set to the highest output gain (26db).
I've got two cartridges: an Ortofon 2M Black; a Grado Statement Master 1. The first is MM with 5mv output, the second is MI with .5mv output.
My phono pre is a Rogue Audio Triton, with 40db, 55db, 60db, and 65db gain settings. That feeds a Schiit Ragnarok which feeds some KEF LS50s. The Ragnarok appears to have a linear volume control.
I have the phono pre's gain set for 40db with the Ortofon, and the ideal listening volume is with the Ragnarok's volume control set to "12:00". With the Grado, I have the gain set for 65db and to match the output volume of the Ortofon for the same material, I've got to set the Ragnarok's volume just short of "3:00".
Robert Harley's "Taking the Guesswork out of Phonostage Gain" offers an algorithm that puts the ideal gain (for 1v output) for the Ortofon at 46db and for the Grado, 66db.
The "KAB PHONO PREAMP PARAMETER COMPUTER" puts the gain for the Ortofon and Grado at 36 and 56, respectfully.
It seems like Harley's offering better matches what's going on in my system, as 55db is just too low for the Grado and my amp.
To my naive mind, I would think that if I have the phono pre's gains matched to the output of the cartridges, I should have the same output volume to the Ragnarok, and thus the same volume level settings from the amp. Capacitance and resistance loading is the same for both (50pf and 47k).
Am I missing something? This is relevant as I prefer the Grado, but I'm just about out of headroom with that amp. I'm wondering what's wrong - my Grado, my phono pre, the Ragnarok, or my thinking. Or some combination thereof.
I don't recall that the output volume difference was this great on the Sphinx that the Ragnarok replaced, but I may not be remembering correctly (probably 18 months ago). The Rag's input impedance is 10k, and is set to the highest output gain (26db).