I'm planning on making an EAR 834 clone and I have a nearly new (not really run in) Denon DL 110 in my Rega Planar 2. I'm currently struggling to find a preamp that works well with the 110. Its output is too high for MC stages and too low for MM ones - it works with them but I'm lacking volume.
Will I be able to configure the 834 to produce enough gain to drive my power amp properly with the 110? My amp is a Claus Byrith 4-30, which can take up to 600mV, and the 110 produces a claimed 1.6mV.
Will I be able to configure the 834 to produce enough gain to drive my power amp properly with the 110? My amp is a Claus Byrith 4-30, which can take up to 600mV, and the 110 produces a claimed 1.6mV.
If your amplifier -quote- "can take up to 600mv " and the 110 outputs ( claimed ) 1.6mv then an EAR 834P preamp outputs 1000mv for 2.2mv input that evens out ,I don't see a big drop in gain .
Does the EAR 834 clone really make 53dB gain?
Because if it can make 1.0V out from 0.0022V input at 1kHz, then 1.0/0.0022 = 454.55X gain, which is log454.55 * 20 = 53.15dB.
That would be great, since 0.0016V*454.5 = 727mV, which would be fine.
I would expect it makes more like 45dB gain, which would yield output of only 288mV from input of 1.6mV, probably annoyingly low in level.
I have a DL110 which I've used with a Schiit Mani preamp, which has switchable gain. I have to adjust the preamp to its H/L (48dB) gain setting to have the output from LPs sound almost as loud as the output from digital sources. At its L/H (40dB) setting, the output from the DL110 sounds much lower than from digital, which I find annoying.
--
Because if it can make 1.0V out from 0.0022V input at 1kHz, then 1.0/0.0022 = 454.55X gain, which is log454.55 * 20 = 53.15dB.
That would be great, since 0.0016V*454.5 = 727mV, which would be fine.
I would expect it makes more like 45dB gain, which would yield output of only 288mV from input of 1.6mV, probably annoyingly low in level.
I have a DL110 which I've used with a Schiit Mani preamp, which has switchable gain. I have to adjust the preamp to its H/L (48dB) gain setting to have the output from LPs sound almost as loud as the output from digital sources. At its L/H (40dB) setting, the output from the DL110 sounds much lower than from digital, which I find annoying.
--
Last edited:
I found a Stereophile review of the EAR 834P where they found its MM gain was 49dB.
49dB of gain applied to 1.6mV input = 456mV
So yes, that's a quite reasonable choice with the DL110. Even though the input will have fairly high capacitance (its input device is a 12AX7) that won't matter to the DL110 because it's a moving coil.
49dB of gain should give you a comfortable level, just a little lower in level than digital sources, but not too noticeable. It should be a really nice combo. 🙂
49dB of gain applied to 1.6mV input = 456mV
So yes, that's a quite reasonable choice with the DL110. Even though the input will have fairly high capacitance (its input device is a 12AX7) that won't matter to the DL110 because it's a moving coil.
49dB of gain should give you a comfortable level, just a little lower in level than digital sources, but not too noticeable. It should be a really nice combo. 🙂
Thank you Rongon. And it could be possible to tweak that gain upwards a tad - that’s what I’m hoping, anyway. I’m finding the DL 110 quite challenging so far: I love the sound - but it’s tricky to match it with preamps.