Denon 103R - MC settings on the preamp advice

[eddie_fox]

Hi all,

Need some advice.

I have recently purchased a Denon 103R from Japan and have loaded it on my Technics 1200 stock tonearm. This is feeding into the Trigon Vanguard 3 phono preamp.

I only realised, after the purchase (was an impulse buy), and after a fair bit of research later, that 103R is not the best match for my mid mass tonearm. I am, now, having to resolve this by sourcing a heavier headshell, using a spacer and thicker mat (for the height issue) and have to order an auxiliary counter-weight. So, it has not been easy getting the cart to sing.

Anyway, my more immediate hurdle is in understanding the settings I need to choose on my Trigon phono preamp for this cartridge. This is because I am a dud in electronics and hence struggle to understand basic units and values. So any help/education in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

Here are my queries:


1. I have 4 switches on the back of the amp for 'gain settings'.. which recommend switch positions for gain in dB based on the output voltages. There is a table on page 7 of the manual (attached). My cart came with a handwritten note specifying that the L/R voltage was 0.32mV.

Should I just set the switches to the table recommendations for 0.31mV = 64.3dB, and be done with it?


2. On page 9 of the manual (attached) is a table for another set of switches based on the input impedance in ohms.

Is this relevant to me (if I have already set it up based on the output voltage)? If so, what impedance values should I experiment with?


Can anyone help me understand these units and settings please?

Thanks.

 

[omishra]

For 103R, stick to the impedance setting 99.8 from table of page 9. By literature its 100 ohm but some people preferred it 110-47 ohm. I am using SUT Denon AU300LC with 103R at 40 ohm. I have no choice but to stick to what SUT supports.

 

[jls001]

Should I just set the switches to the table recommendations for 0.31mV = 64.3dB, and be done with it?

60 dB will be ideal gain setting.

Refer : https://www.kabusa.com/pregain.htm

More importantly, after setting it at 60 dB (or the value nearest to it available in the combination), compare the subjective loudness with another known source. The volume knob with phono at X dB of gain should be roughly same as the other source for similar loudness.

 

[arj]

Hi all,

Need some advice.

I have recently purchased a Denon 103R from Japan and have loaded it on my Technics 1200 stock tonearm. This is feeding into the Trigon Vanguard 3 phono preamp.

I only realised, after the purchase (was an impulse buy), and after a fair bit of research later, that 103R is not the best match for my mid mass tonearm. I am, now, having to resolve this by sourcing a heavier headshell, using a spacer and thicker mat (for the height issue) and have to order an auxiliary counter-weight. So, it has not been easy getting the cart to sing.

Anyway, my more immediate hurdle is in understanding the settings I need to choose on my Trigon phono preamp for this cartridge. This is because I am a dud in electronics and hence struggle to understand basic units and values. So any help/education in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

Here are my queries:


1. I have 4 switches on the back of the amp for 'gain settings'.. which recommend switch positions for gain in dB based on the output voltages. There is a table on page 7 of the manual (attached). My cart came with a handwritten note specifying that the L/R voltage was 0.32mV.

Should I just set the switches to the table recommendations for 0.31mV = 64.3dB, and be done with it?


2. On page 9 of the manual (attached) is a table for another set of switches based on the input impedance in ohms.

Is this relevant to me (if I have already set it up based on the output voltage)? If so, what impedance values should I experiment with?


Can anyone help me understand these units and settings please?

Thanks.

I have used the 103R with the Trigon Advance. Keep the Impedance at around 100 ohms. please do try 1K as well as many folks prefer that
max out the gain..i think its around 65 ?. (the output should be .25mv not .32 ? )

For the 103R i was finding the gain to be lower than I liked but the 103 worked perfect with that. unlike the 103 the 103R works much better with an SUT

 

[jls001]

Right, arj. 103R is 0.25 mV whereas 103 is 0.3 mV. So ideal gain for 103R is 62 dB.

 

[eddie_fox]

For 103R, stick to the impedance setting 99.8 from table of page 9. By literature its 100 ohm but some people preferred it 110-47 ohm. I am using SUT Denon AU300LC with 103R at 40 ohm. I have no choice but to stick to what SUT supports.

So, your recommendation is around 100ohms on table from page9. I don't have to bother about gain in dB (page 7)?

 

[eddie_fox]

I have used the 103R with the Trigon Advance. Keep the Impedance at around 100 ohms. please do try 1K as well as many folks prefer that
max out the gain..i think its around 65 ?. (the output should be .25mv not .32 ? )

For the 103R i was finding the gain to be lower than I liked but the 103 worked perfect with that. unlike the 103 the 103R works much better with an SUT

Thanks, so 100 ohms or 1K ohms on the table on page 9 + max gain of around 65 dB on the other set of switches?

 

[eddie_fox]

Right, arj. 103R is 0.25 mV whereas 103 is 0.3 mV. So ideal gain for 103R is 62 dB.

Research online suggests that each 103R cartridge comes with a specified voltage and 0.25 mV is not for all 103Rs. Mine had a handwritten information note, inside the box, saying this cart is 0.32 mV.

Should I ignore that and try setting the preamp to 62dB? Also, should I change the impedance in ohms along with the 62dB?

Ta!

 

[arj]

Research online suggests that each 103R cartridge comes with a specified voltage and 0.25 mV is not for all 103Rs. Mine had a handwritten information note, inside the box, saying this cart is 0.32 mV.

Should I ignore that and try setting the preamp to 62dB? Also, should I change the impedance in ohms along with the 62dB?

Ta!

Eddie try it out after you put around 30hrs on the phono and cart. You can play with all the config .
Fix the gain based on the sound volume or at around 10-11 you should get your regular loudness. You will not ruin anything by this trial


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jls001]

Use 62 dB gain setting. Slightly more gain is always welcome. Strictly speaking, if output is specified as 0.31 mV your phono gain should be set to 60 dB, but 2 dB extra gain doesn't matter as you can set your desired volume in your line level preamp (or integrated).

Don't confuse gain setting with resistance setting.

You have to set two things in your phono preamp - resistance (a.k.a impedance) to the recommended 100 Ohms, and the phono preamp gain to 62 dB.

 

[eddie_fox]

Eddie try it out after you put around 30hrs on the phono and cart. You can play with all the config .
Fix the gain based on the sound volume or at around 10-11 you should get your regular loudness. You will not ruin anything by this trial


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Will do that. Thanks

 

[eddie_fox]

Use 62 dB gain setting. Slightly more gain is always welcome. Strictly speaking, if output is specified as 0.31 mV your phono gain should be set to 60 dB, but 2 dB extra gain doesn't matter as you can set your desired volume in your line level preamp (or integrated).

Don't confuse gain setting with resistance setting.

You have to set two things in your phono preamp - resistance (a.k.a impedance) to the recommended 100 Ohms, and the phono preamp gain to 62 dB.

Clear.
Thanks