Phono stage for 0.2mv cartridge?


  I am looking for a quality phono stage with at least 72db of gain.  During this last year I obtained a Canary MC10 which sounds beautiful but I am somewhat volume limited and listen at such high volume control settings that tube rush has become an issue.  At 69.5db of gain I hoped that the Canary would work out but...
  Most of the popular stages like the Herron and the Manlely Steelhead seem to run in the 66-70db gain range.  Reviewers seem to routinely report on these phono stages using cartridges with low outputs but that runs contrary to my experience so far.  Any suggestions appreciated.

Bill
wbs
Have you considered the Gold Note PH10?
Has a maximum gain of 72db.
Very user friendly and affordable.
Good luck
Keep in mind that all gains having a certain number of db are not created equal. And that certainly applies with respect to signal-to-noise ratios and consequently to hiss levels.

Although I use the low gain (64 db) version of the Herron VTPH-2 (not 2A) with a 0.5 mv cartridge, Keith Herron advised me when I purchased it that it would also be fine with a 0.3 mv cartridge I was considering at the time. Based on that and based on how quiet my VTPH-2 is I suspect that the high gain version (69 db) of the VTPH-2 (and presumably the VTPH-2A as well) would be fine with a 0.2 mv cartridge. And if you were to give Keith a call I’m sure he would provide accurate advice.

Of course this assumes, as is likely, that your present phono stage is what is primarily responsible for the hiss you are hearing, rather than your preamp.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al
My Allnic H-1202 has 72dB gain (40dB MM tube stage + 32dB from transformer) and it works wonderfully well with my Benz Ebony TR which has an output of 0.14mV.  No discernible noise at any volume I'm capable of listening to.