Matching phono stage to amp?

[sprint]

I'm using a Benz Micro Wood SL MC cartridge with a 0.4mV output mounted in a SME V on which I am finding the high frequencies very grainy, distorted and harsh. The phono stage is a dedicated MC version with a fixed gain of about 62dB which is being fed into a Musical Fidelity Nu Vista integrated amp.

The line inputs are specified at 300mV for full output. Using a test record which has some fixed 300Hz tones at various modulations, 11, 14 & 15dB I find the output from the phono amp is providing line levels in the region of 1.4, 2.0 and 2.5V respectively, dvm connected to the phono output. I guess the output from a music LP could be be peaking anything from 3 to 5V?

The question is, is it likely that the line level output from the phono amp is overloading the amp input and may be a possible cause of the high frequency distortion I am experiencing?

[Reid Malenfant]

I doubt it. Most decent front ends on pre amps or integrated amps will handle a good bit more than the voltages you are feeding it.

Do you know what the design of the phono stage is? I only ask as some rely on passive RIAA equalisation & others have this in the feedback loop. It's quite possible that you may well be overloading the phono stage if the RIAA is passive as there will be much more gain in order to drive the passive equalisation stage & you might be overdoing it :scratch:

E2A:- Can't you alter the gain on the MC head amp?