Try adding a little bit of weight at the headshell. Rebalance the rear counterweight to reset your current tracking force. The Denon needs a heavy arm. Hence the weight at the headshell.BTW, I'm using a Denon DL-103R cart on my table right now and it's a little soft for my taste. I tried playing it in both the Phono 1 and 2 inputs and flipped the impedance swit h to both settings but it's still a bit weak. I have to turn the attenuator on for it to play loud. Is it able to play MC carts by itself or am I just doing something wrong?
Try adding a little bit of weight at the headshell. Rebalance the rear counterweight to reset your current tracking force. The Denon needs a heavy arm. Hence the weight at the headshell.
I misunderstood the problem.It was playing well enough through my Luxman. Will the heavier headshell make it louder?
I misunderstood the problem.
For now stay with the Denon turntable. Try using a step up transformer with the 103R feeding the 500.I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. The Denon played well enough on the Lux, like regular MM cart levels, but with the 500, I have to almost turn the dial up to 3 o'clock to play something that would've needed to only be at 9 o'clock on my Lux.
I do have a Sony PS-X65 with a heavier headshell and arm. Would that work better?
I have to turn the attenuator on for it to play loud. Is it able to play MC carts by itself or am I just doing something wrong?
Yes, this is true, don't play music on the Supremes with that attenuation switch on anything but 0db (up). It would be dangerous to the speakers and possibly your hearing and heart if you had an additional 15 or 30db added at just a flip of a switch!! Only used for answering the door or phone IMHO!You're doing something wrong. I made the same mistake. I'll explain.
Attenuation by definition is supposed to be a reduction in signal, not a boost. The top switch position on the 500/600 is 0db, in other words, no attenuation and the "normal" position. The other two positions (middle and bottom) are attenuated. -15db, and -30db respectively.
Also before someone tries to correct me, I'm aware that other model Kenwoods behave differently. The KA-8100 and 9100 for example play at "normal" 0db with the switch at the middle position, but you'll notice their switches are labeled as gain switches, not attenuation. The 500/600 got it right when they labeled it the way they did, though you could argue that the 0db position should have been reserved for the middle spot to keep a centered appearance. In any case, this is likely what's responsible for the reduction in output the OP is concerned over.
My two cents on the matter. Good day.
Yes, this is true, don't play music on the Supremes with that attenuation switch on anything but 0db (up). It would be dangerous to the speakers and possibly your hearing and heart if you had an additional 15 or 30db added at just a flip of a switch!! Only used for answering the door or phone IMHO!
BTW, I'm using a Denon DL-103R cart on my table right now and it's a little soft for my taste. I tried playing it in both the Phono 1 and 2 inputs and flipped the impedance swit h to both settings but it's still a bit weak. I have to turn the attenuator on for it to play loud. Is it able to play MC carts by itself or am I just doing something wrong?
I do have it on 0. Thing is, I have to crank it up to almost 3 o'clock when I'm using my table with the DL-103R. ai'm fine with it but I don't want to forget to dial the volume down before I switch to another input.
OK, there is some confusion here, pardon me if I am misinterpriting here. In your first post you mentioned that you need to turn on the attenuator for it to play loud. Could it be that you are thinking the switch all the way up is "on" That should be the 0db setting which is where I would have it. In a sense, all the way up is off, not on!
If this is not the case, there is something indeed wrong with the amp. Could it be that whoever worked on this accidentally wired up the switch wrong, or perhaps installed it upside down?
This is the position your switch should be in. If it is louder all the way to the bottom I would say that switch is installed upside down (or wired incorrectly, or something else is defective).
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@punprankster On the back of the amp there is a phono impedance switch, where do you have it set to now?