How to get the best Phono Signal?

[Greg]

Perhaps Greg has the phono gain set too high at MC levels while using a SUT?

I have mine set to 5mV using a 1:8 step up with the Koetsu.

To be honest, I can’t remember what settings I had at the time I tried steppers. It was a while ago. In any case, I don’t like steppers because they are not linear in performance and consequently can alter the sound across the frequency range. Mathieu Pernot (Devialet Design engineer) advised me that the phonostage was built with the very best components and even with very low output mc cartridges, there should not be any hiss. I believe he was the principle designer of the phonostage and actually he is rather proud of it. I have listened to 120Pro, 220Pro, 250Pro and 1000Pro, all C/I. All the phono stages hissed albeit, with it’s split signal, the 1000 was much quieter overall. I have discussed this issue with other owners in person, some who are respected members here and they all tell me they can hear hiss from the phono stages of their amps and those they sample elsewhere such as at dealerships. Mathieu’s view is if there is hiss, the amp is faulty and requests USB recordings are made and forwarded to him for analysis at mp@devialet.com  To date, being a bit of a Luddite, I’ve not as yet sent mine because I need to understand how to do it, but I have a friend who helps me with this sort of thing and it will be sent eventually. I saw Mathieu a couple of months ago at Oxford Audio Consultants and after challenging him on this issue, he remains convinced that it is all to do with configuration settings and showed me how to use the remote to change settings on the fly (I already knew and have tried this with failure).

Currently, my solution is to use a Longdog Audio (LDA) MCJ3 phonostage which is a hybrid jfet amp with a valve output stage. http://www.longdogaudio.com/project/mcj3...o-stage/en with a valve stage and plumbed into my D250 Pro C/I, there is no hiss unless you put your ear next to a speaker driver. Absolutely silent from the listening position. As this phonostage is particularly fine in its performance, none of Devialet’s own stage speed and dynamics are lost. I believe the LDA is a little better on fine sound detail such as micro sounds and nuances. Some of my friends are now raving about the sound of my Phono system and to be honest, since I fitted the LDA MCJ3 into my system, I’ve more or less ignored streamed music because the vinyl is so much better.

I know what I have said will likely be challenged by many members who don’t believe my take on all this. So beit. Being a subjective thing, all people may hear noise (musical) differently. What I do know (for me) is that my latest analogue set up (see my sig) is the very best I have ever had and I’m at the moment content to simply live with and enjoy it. For me, even considering high resolution streaming, it can’t hold a flame at all to quality vinyl replay, and there, I rest my case.