[Stephen L]

Just a consideration, the Bryston MM internal stage will come from the factory set at a 35 db gain.  It has the option to switch to 41 db but must be done at the factory.  High output MC cartridges tend to have a lower output than moving magnets do so the output of your HOMC will be important as it relates to the gain setting on the Bryston stage.  If it gets too low say around 2.5 mv or less you may have to turn the volume up higher than you like to hear properly at the 35 db setting.  I have personal experience with this so I'm not just speculating.  Sounds like you have a good plan and it should work out well for you.  This is just something to be aware of.

Hi Bill, thanks for the tip, I did not know that. I will get them to set it at the higher gain. :

[Stephen L]

To be cost effective the MM will be fine as there are a lot of cartridges available, I've had good results with the Sumiko Blue Point I & II MC, Dynavector 20x also come highly recommended as another high output MC, although you'll have to advance the volume control a bit more with both of these. The MC stage is one of the best but the cost is a lot more as well as the cartridges.
The Regas are basically plug and play, so if you do not want to fiddle too much they may be the way to go, but there are a lot of good turntables out there.
I would not loose sleep over getting the BP26 which may have a slightly lower noise floor than the BP25 but probably lost with vinyl, I'd stick with what you've got and get the MM phono board.

Thanks, glad there isn't too much difference between the two as far as noise. I can crank up my volume now and it is dead quiet. Curious to listen with a turntable connected.

Steve

[Uptown Audio]

Hi Bill, thanks for the tip, I did not know that. I will get them to set it at the higher gain. :

Personally, I'd not do that. The Bryston MM phono sounds best at its lower gain setting. In fact, you should get even better performance by turning the volume knob on the linestage up a bit rather than having it backed down further. There is always a difference in the level of phono inputs vs line inputs on preamps unless they use too much gain in the phono section or not any in the line section. That is normal. If for some reason, it is more important to you to have the levels match between the phono input and line inputs, then get the gain of the phono increased. For pure sonics, I'd leave it alone.
-Bill 

[dspgolf]

Why do some of the newer phono stages have the gain set at say 40db instead of the more standard 35db?  I bought a project phono box 2 and this was the gain setting from them?  Now I have the bryston mm phono stage in my bp26 and I really think it sounds great at 35db!


Dave

[95Dyna]

Personally, I'd not do that. The Bryston MM phono sounds best at its lower gain setting. In fact, you should get even better performance by turning the volume knob on the linestage up a bit rather than having it backed down further. There is always a difference in the level of phono inputs vs line inputs on preamps unless they use too much gain in the phono section or not any in the line section. That is normal. If for some reason, it is more important to you to have the levels match between the phono input and line inputs, then get the gain of the phono increased. For pure sonics, I'd leave it alone.
-Bill

I agree, Bill.  I wasn't suggesting the 41db setting just making Stephen aware of the volume issue.  Perhaps I should have included that thought in my post.  For Stephen's sake thanks for bringing it up.  Although it is generally true that the higher the gain the more noise you introduce some newer stages seem to be solving that problem (e.g. the RSA F-117 Nighthawk).  Anyway, the high output moving coils are sometimes in never never land with the fixed gain varieties of phono stages and therefore require careful matching IMO.

[James Tanner]

Why do some of the newer phono stages have the gain set at say 40db instead of the more standard 35db?  I bought a project phono box 2 and this was the gain setting from them?  Now I have the bryston mm phono stage in my bp26 and I really think it sounds great at 35db!


Dave

I think some people equate 'loudness' with 'quality' and having more output at lower volume settings makes the customer think he has more power (greater dynamics)

james

[Uptown Audio]

I think some people equate 'loudness' with 'quality' and having more output at lower volume settings makes the customer think he has more power (greater dynamics)

james

True enough. Manufacturers often have reasons beyond that of quality for the decisions they make.

Different chip sets as used in more compact components have different gain levels and this can effect the overall gain of the device. So it may not be so much a marketing decision rather an engineering one. Dynamics it's not however so that would definitely be an illusion on the part of the operator. As gain is increased, dynamics almost always become reduced. Gain is also additive in nature, so as stages are added, the more dynamic range (headroom) can be lost. This is especially true of the first stage, which the phono stage represents. You can't take that back later in the chain, it's always present and any noise, distortion, and dynamic limitations imposed there are passed along to later stages, which simply amplify them by their fixed settings.

In short, the OP should have plenty of total system gain (phono stage, line stage, power stage) available to amplify the signal and retain much of the original dynamics without the need for more front end gain. My experience with the various Bryston phono stages bears this out in the case of their products as well.
-Bill

[vegasdave]

Hey, Stephen you also might wanna take a look at the Technics 1210M5G, heheheh

[95Dyna]

I think some people equate 'loudness' with 'quality' and having more output at lower volume settings makes the customer think he has more power (greater dynamics)

james

I'm sure that's true with some people however I found it disconcerting to have to turn the volume up to between 2:00 and 3:00 o'clock in order to achieve normal listening levels.  So for me it wasn't a loudness=quality perception, there wasn't enough room left on the pot to get to loud.  My solution was to abandon the high output MC for a low output MC that has an optimal gain requirement better matched to what my phono stage provides.  All is well now.   Back to my original point, I don't think all cartridges defined as HOMC will work well with all MM phono stages so care should be taken in the selection process of both components. 

[rob80b]

Thanks, glad there isn't too much difference between the two as far as noise. I can crank up my volume now and it is dead quiet. Curious to listen with a turntable connected.

Steve

Hi Steve,

Not to put you off but there will be noise, hopefully just hiss and no hum, unfortunately no way around it.

Robert

[1oldguy]

Speaking of Phono stage.....Mine and rest of my Bryston kit is finally here.Naturally I'm keeping it sealed for future generations. 

[vegasdave]

Hi Steve,

Not to put you off but there will be noise, hopefully just hiss and no hum, unfortunately no way around it.

Robert

Correct.

[BrysTony]

Speaking of Phono stage.....Mine and rest of my Bryston kit is finally here.Naturally I'm keeping it sealed for future generations. 

Get some wire - hook that stuff up - report the results to the forum...

[Stephen L]

Thanks for all the replies, just got back from Victoria where I ordered the Rega. Going to ship the preamp for upgrade at the beginning of the week.

Steve

[vegasdave]

Ok, cool. Sounds good.

[1oldguy]

http://www.casttv.com/video/5201fi1/technics-30th-anniversary-edition-video

[Stephen L]

Nice,but I already ordered the Rega, and also sent the BP25 back to get the upgrade and some tlc.

Steve