2. analog
  3. 1042476118

anyone familiar with Rotel phono stage?

I have an older RC-990BX pre-amp with a phono stage that will handle both MM and MC cartridges. The manual says that if a high ouput (2mV) MC is used to set the switch to MM. The only other info I have on this stage is the input sensitivity: MC 250 UV/100 ohms MM 2.5mV/47kohms, the overload: MC 16mV MM 160mV, and the SNR: MC 70dB MM 75dB.

I am trying to decide which tonearms to consider.
Does anyone know what the phono gain is for this unit? What examples of cartridges will this stage work with?
dan_ed
blw
147 posts
 
I had one of the standalone phono stages - I RBX-970?. I used it with MM cartridges and it had what I would characterize as appropriate gain - I think that means about 20dB but I'm not sure.

I don't think that it is good enough to really match tonearms against it. It is a competent phono stage, but no more. It is lacking in detail, and the bass is nothing to write home about. Sound stage was adequate+, far less than my other phono stages. (Phonomena--$600, CJ Premiere 15--$2500 used. Of course, for the price differential, they should be better, and they are.
dan_ed OP
2,451 posts
 
Thanks Blw,

I don't expect much from this phono stage, just enough to get started. As long as I have owned it I have never had a turntable connected to it. I suppose that I should start with either a MM or high output MC and get a good arm for these. I can always upgrade later. Looks like I need to budget for a phono stage soon as well.
More to discover