Low volume when using turntable

dave-o

New Member
Dec 29, 2016
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First off I apologize if this is the wrong forum or if this topic has been discussed... I did search the forum and didnt find any thing.... I have also searched the web and cant seem to find an answer...

So.... I am curious how to cure my volume woes.... I use a Yamaha receiver and bought the AT TT a couple years ago.... I have that running thru my AUX plugs... I pretty much have to turn the volume knob to full blast to get a decent volume(not a rocking level like days of old)..... I even bought a phono pre amp which only equals what I had to begin with? I didnt see any gain in output....

What would be your first step? New amp... new speakers.... new receiver..... Any suggestions would be appreciated...
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
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www.pugetsoundstudios.com
Yes, you need to step up the gain of the cart. You did good to use a phono pre, but what did you plug that into? You should go from the TT into the phono pre and then into an AUX or Line input in your receiver.

What cart. are you using? If it's a Moving Coil, then you may need to use a Step up transformer unless your phono pre has a Moving Coil input. If you're using a Moving coil cart. and you just have Moving Magnet input into your phono pre, that could be the problem as well.
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
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www.genesisloudspeakers.com
The turntable already includes a built-in phono preamp, so you should not need to get another phono preamp, but you might benefit from a higher quality external phono preamp. If the output is extremely low, there could be something else that's wrong with the turntable.

These AT TT's come with a AT95E moving magnet cartridge with a removable stylus. Did you make sure that the stylus holder is properly seated and the headshell is tight? The TT also has a volume control for the line-out (which only has 36dB gain), so if you are using that, you need to set that at maximum. The phono pre you bought also has a line-out with 40dB gain - which isn't much more and you would also have to set the gain control to maximum to use with the Yamaha receiver.
 

dave-o

New Member
Dec 29, 2016
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Thanks I will check that after work.... That is great information... Thank you !!
 

dave-o

New Member
Dec 29, 2016
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Thank you gentlemen !!! Everything seemed good with the cartridge and what not so I took apart the tone arm... Got out my manual and watched a Youtube video... Re-installed everything.. I dont think I had enough tracking force... I set it at 2.5 and grabbed a record... Randomly picked Van Halen Diver Down and it sounded amazing.... I had all but given up trying to fix this problem... Thanks again !!!
 

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