Plinius 9200 integrated amp - phono gain settings

jolson72

Hi, curious about my integrated. It has two phono settings: high (61 db) and low (54db).

How do you determine which to use? Is it preference or based on the cartridge used?

Thanks for any insight.

~ James.

Emlyn

This page is widely used...

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

Generally speaking, when you only have two fixed gain settings on a phono preamp section you are going to use the lower one with a high output moving coil cartridge or a moving magnet cartridge and the higher one with a low output moving coil cartridge. In this case it's possible neither of the gain settings on your integrated will be optimal with a cartridge you have as they are both fairly high. It definitely does matter to pick the best setting to best match your cartridge. My guess is if you are using a high output moving magnet cartridge either gain setting will be quite noisy.

On their latest separate phono preamp, Parasound has gain settings of 40dB (for high output moving magnet cartridges), 50dB (for high output moving coil cartridges or low output moving magnet cartridges), and 60dB (for low output moving coil cartridges).

jolson72

thanks for the relpy. I have a Rega Exact and a Dynavector 10x5 coming. The phono amp on the Plinius 9200 is supposed to be very good. I wonder how much I would have to pay to get a better phono pre-amp?

Emlyn

The phono section should sound good with the Dynavector at the lower gain setting. Not sure about the Rega.

haimoc

I owned this great integrated amplifier years ago. I would try a new cartridge with both gains and decide which one to use for that cartridge.

jolson72

Haimoc,

looks like you still use Plinius equipment? How do you think the 9200 compares to the modern equipment? And, basically, gain is the amount the signal is amplified, right? Just try both settings and see which I think sounds better, and settle on that?

haimoc

Yes, I have a couple SA102. I had tried a few different amplifiers after 9200, and I settled on SA102. They are affordable and good enough for me. You are right on the phono gain settings. I would try both gains (pretty simple and fast on 2 options) and settle on the better one.