[Oostexan]

Hey guys...just bought a beautiful Suspiro Reference from Klaus and have mated it with a Hana MC Low Output cartridge and I just cannot seem to get enough gain.  I have to turn the volume up very loud which gives me a lot of hum.

Question for you vinyl lovers - what is the best cartridge to pair with the Suspiro Reference?  I think I would rather invest in a really good cartridge than go buy a different phone preamp.

Thanks everyone!

[klaus@odyssey]

Al,

The Hana is a great match.....running one myself in one of the shop systems ...call me

[kannibal]

I run a Dynavector XX-2 with my Suspiro Reference. It sounds great. I do have to turn the volume up higher than other sources, and unfortunately there is a audible “hiss” when nothing is playing. It bothers me, but obviously not enough to make a change. I also get a audible hum if the ground switch is enabled, so I switch it off.

[sunnydaze]

Unless you have: (1) very inefficient speakers, and/or (2)  low line stage gain, and/or (3) low amp input sensitivity...... there is something wrong.

Your cart outputs .5mV and your phono stage gain is 60 db.   I use two carts that output less than that (Shelter 501 at .4mV and Dyna xx2 at .28mV) into three different phono stages (JuicyMusic, Tavish, Blue Circle) that provide between 57 and 60dB of gain, and I have db's to spare.  (In the past I also successfully used Denon 103R, .25mV output).

To give a feel for the overall sensitivity / gain profile of my system:
 
*  My two pair of speakers are 89 and 93 db. efficient. 
*  I rotate a few tube line stages with gains in the 10 to 15db range. 
*  My few amps have input sensitivities in the 1.5 to 2.5 volt range. 

I have plenty of gain and dynamics with all combos, never exceeding half on the volume pot to achieve 85 db in a large room, with speakers 9 ft away.

[klaus@odyssey]

You HAVE TO  adjust loading / gain switches for best results....just experiment...as for the switch,  that's exactly that:  ground or lifted ground.  Depends on your system and use the position that works...........

[kannibal]

You HAVE TO  adjust loading / gain switches for best results....just experiment...as for the switch,  that's exactly that:  ground or lifted ground.  Depends on your system and use the position that works...........

Well, if gain is all the way up in the Suspiro and there is still desire for more, ie: digital front end input at 9:00, Suspiro input at 12:00 for similar output levels, then clearly adjusting the gain in the Suspiro lower won’t help. The first thing I did when I got it was opened it up to check gain and load settings. I kept it open trying different loading with my XX-2, and eventually went back to the way you shipped it to me, with the lowest load possible. During all my testing with different loading, I didn’t notice a reduction in ”hiss”. I tried different inputs on my pre to ensure it wasn’t that, and when I spoke to you about it, you said it was a cartridge matching issue. I’ve only used the Suspiro with my XX-2, but “hiss” was present the same with my last phono pre (MS Phonomena II) when I had three different carts. One of the things I’d hoped to improve upon with the Suspiro was the “hiss”.

But this isn’t my “issues” thread. Hopefully more people with chime in with great cart recommendations, or gain advice.