Hana SH & Cambridge Solo

I just replaced the Rega Elys 2 cartridge on my Rega P3 with a Hana SH. I'm using the Cambridge Solo as my pre-amp, and, although the clarity of the Hana SH is fantastic, I feel like the sound is lacking "muscle", for lack of a better term. With the Hana SH being a high-output MC, as opposed to the MM Elys, I'm having to turn the volume on my Cambridge CXA61 up a few notches higher than I had to with the Elys, which, I'm guessing is where the "muscle" loss comes from. Vocals don't have quite the depth I'd expect, and the music just lacks some presence and power. Is the Hana SH not a good match for the Cambridge Solo? Should I be investing in a better pre-amp with variable input settings to solve the issue? The suggested load impedance of the Hana is 47kΩ, which matches the input impedance of the Solo.

 

I had to get a small step-up amp for my Hana SH for the same reason. Even though it is HO it needed a slight boost.

 

I just got a Solo, excellent device. Gain is 39 dB or 90 X
The Hana output is 2 mV, Solo output 180 mV

Your amp sensitivity: 370 mV
So perhaps a bit low
What % of rotation is the volume control?

 

Output of the Hana is less than half of the Rega cart. You'll have to turn up the volume more or increase the gain.

 

P8 & better amps

 

To get to my normal max listening volume, about 70db, I have to turn the volume control on the CXA up to just past noon on the dial. It sounds kind of like it's getting in to the territory of where the oomph just isn't what it should be for how high the volume knob is turned up.

 

What brand/make did you get, and were you happy with the result?

 

I read somewhere (PS Audio?) that is where you want it: 12 to 1 o'clock

better to amplify in the higher stages than lower, more noise the lower the V
Guess it depends on the equipment.

 

Think of it like this. You are putting out the same power to get the same SPL. So the power amp is doing the same work.

All you have done is increased the preamp section gain. As long as not overloading or clipping, no issues.

The gain you lost from the old phono set-up you are making up in the preamp.
imho not an issue

 

With my PS Audio phono stage it's 12 to 3 o'clock.

 

With my phono amp/cartridge mine is 10 o'clock. I'd like it 12.
With my phono gain/cartridge ~310 mV
My amp sensitivity for full out put is 250 mV
Next cartridge will be a HOMC ~2.5 mV

 

I had my step-up made by Mcalister Audio who also made my Preamp. When I ran it by him that I needed to set my volume higher when I went to the Hana, he identified the need for the step-up. No disregard to other comments, but in my case with my set-up I concurred.

 

My local audio store is very kind and lent me a Chord Huei to try out, and I gotta say, it's fixed the issue in every way! The sound has more punch, muscle, presence, and fullness, especially in the vocals and the bass, without having to turn the CXA up nearly as much as with the Solo. I recognize that the Huei is in another class than the Solo, and is considerably more expensive, but I think it's worth it!

I've got the Huei set to MC, but MM would be the recommended setting for a HO MC, yes? I found that the Huei's highest gain setting (42 dB) on MM just put out way too much hiss, but the lowest gain (49 dB) on the MC setting sounds fantastic, with almost zero hiss.

When I calculate the optimum gain for the Hana SH, it says 44 dB - am I doing the sound a disservice to be running the Huei at 49 dB? I mean, it sounds great to me, but would it theoretically sound even better If I found a comparable pre-amp that had an MC gain setting of 44 dB?

 

Also, I'm wondering about the impedance. The Hana, being a HO MC, has a suggested load impedance of 47kΩ, but the Huei's MC impedance choices are 3700, 1000, 470, 320, 150, or 100. The 3700Ω setting sounds the best (the others are all lacking and all sound about the same as each other), and I think it sounds great, but am I missing out by not having an impedance (47000 vs 3700) anywhere near matching? Or it doesn't really matter much? Clearly I'm in way over my head here as far as knowledge of this stuff goes, so any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

If you used the KAB calculator or a similar tool, those tend to err on the conservative side to maximize headroom. Depending on various system specifics and the records you are playing, it may be okay to run at a higher gain setting like you have with the 49dB. Too much gain and you'll notice a punchy sound that becomes fatiguing after awhile, and may sound harsh on certain records. Been there and done that with a 2.5mV ish cart using 46 and 48dB. In the end I pushed the gain back down to the more reasonable level with that rig.

The whole point with HOMC is that you don't need a special preamp or any type of MC gain. These things are basically neither fish nor fowl though and I guess people don't read the specs before they buy. The output on them is usually noticeably less than the high output carts most people are accustomed to. Then they plug them in and complain about having to turn up the volume or wonder why they sound weak.

If you were gonna buy a step device or MC phono preamp you may as well have just bought the LOMC version unless you had a compelling reason not to.

 

42 vs 49 is over twice the gain
125 x vs 280 x
0,25 V vs 0.56 V
More hiss at 42?

 

More hiss at 42 because, I assume, the 42 dB setting is at the highest end of the MM setting, while the 49 dB setting is at the lowest end of the MC setting.

 

When you run the Hana at 3200 ohm instead of 47 000 ohm, you get a more rolled off treble. Impedance changes the tone curve. But you seems pleased with the effect.