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Switch box recommendations for mc cartridges?

T

TrevorBarten

Well-Known Member
I have 3 turntables in my set up ate the moment. 2 of which are currently using low output mc carts. I have been having trouble with noise introduced by the switch box I use for a bit now. I currently have a sony sb-700 switch box because most of my setup is sony stuff and figured it was a fun little oddity. However I suspect it might not be up to the task sadly. Anyone else struggled with this before? The pre amplifier I am using is a ta-e80es. When connecting the recordplayers directly there is no issue ofcourse. With MM the noise is not audible through speakers which makes sense I assume. Any tips would be appreciated.
 
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I've never considered using a switcher between the TT out and pre-amp in specifically for this reason, introduction of noise so early in the amplification chain. And yeah, a MC cartridge is going to make the situation worse.

I think the usual and best solution is a dedicated phono amplifier with multiple inputs. Otherwise you might try an autoformer based passive pre-amp like the Townshend Allegri + as your switcher.
 
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ogodei said:
I've never considered using a switcher between the TT out and pre-amp in specifically for this reason, introduction of noise so early in the amplification chain. And yeah, a MC cartridge is going to make the situation worse.

I think the usual and best solution is a dedicated phono amplifier with multiple inputs. Otherwise you might try an autoformer based passive pre-amp like the Townshend Allegri + as your switcher.
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I am not looking to spend 3k on a passive pre amplifier, looking at what is in these little passive autotransformer pre amps I am honestly not seeing the 2.5k part of that 3k price tag but that might just be me. I suppose the autoformers themselves are obscure and niche to the point that they would cost quite a lot of money.

Are you aware of any head amps that also have more than 1 input? I would assume that once the signal has been brought up to the level of mm which is currently not having noise issues, I would also no longer need any extra noise reduction and or super clean signal path.
 
TrevorBarten said:
(...) Any tips would be appreciated.
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Are you into DIY? If so, I'd think, if you'd build yourself a switch box with a high-quality switch like for example an Elma 01-1434-00 (4-pole, 3 positions, non-shorting, gold-plated contacts, solder-lug variant), that should work just fine.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

P.S.: Oh, and in case anyone would ask, I've suggested the four pole version, 'cause then one can also separately switch the signal grounds or respectively the signal minuses (in case floating use in combination with balanced inputs). And hence I'd also suggest to use isolated in- and output jacks - and to use a metal enclosure (preferable steel rather than alu) and one or two (combined I/O or separate in and out) extra gound terminals, for accepting the separate ground leads, adding the enclosure ground to these and passing all on to the phono stage.


edit: Oops, sorry - wrote suffix "-20", but that actually is the pin variant. Hence corrected to suffix "-00".

2nd edit: Post scriptum added.
 
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TrevorBarten said:
I am not looking to spend 3k on a passive pre amplifier...

Are you aware of any head amps that also have more than 1 input?...
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Got it on the price tag. The cost of an autotransformer is for getting as close to 'noiselessness' or 'losslessness' as possible in the device. You're paying for the supposed performance.

I'm not aware of a head amp with multiple inputs. It would have the same issues you're currently having (switch injecting noise before amplification) unless it effectively contained multiple amplification circuits before the switcher, or contained a high-performance switcher. Either way it would be cost prohibitive to market. The manufacturer would tell you "just buy two of them."

So practically you're looking for 1) an amplification step for each MC before the switcher, or 2) "noiseless switcher." For option 1 you're looking at a SUT or head amp for each line. For option 2 you can experiment with switch recommendations people make here, probably the easiest way to go. Or as @lini says you can make a high-performance switcher DIY and get very good switching performance for not a lot of money.
 
I use an Entré ET-100 step-up transformer. It has three inputs, and I use it with MC cartridges and have heard no noise issues. They seem to sell for around $500 these days--admittedly too much for just the switching function, but it is an excellent transformer as well. Fidelity Research also sold the the similarly featured FRT-4 which is probably also excellent.
 
lini said:
Are you into DIY? If so, I'd think, if you'd build yourself a switch box with a high-quality switch like for example an Elma 01-1434-00 (4-pole, 3 positions, non-shorting, gold-plated contacts, solder-lug variant), that should work just fine.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

P.S.: Oh, and in case anyone would ask, I've suggested the four pole version, 'cause then one can also separately switch the signal grounds or respectively the signal minuses (in case floating use in combination with balanced inputs). And hence I'd also suggest to use isolated in- and output jacks - and to use a metal enclosure (preferable steel rather than alu) and one or two (combined I/O or separate in and out) extra gound terminals, for accepting the separate ground leads, adding the enclosure ground to these and passing all on to the phono stage.


edit: Oops, sorry - wrote suffix "-20", but that actually is the pin variant. Hence corrected to suffix "-00".

2nd edit: Post scriptum added.
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I am open to DIYing but I am not at all a fan of working with metal. I can do electronics stuff but making the case would be a problem.
 
belyin said:
I use an Entré ET-100 step-up transformer. It has three inputs, and I use it with MC cartridges and have heard no noise issues. They seem to sell for around $500 these days--admittedly too much for just the switching function, but it is an excellent transformer as well. Fidelity Research also sold the the similarly featured FRT-4 which is probably also excellent.
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I just sold my sony step up transformer so I was looking for an alternative anyway. The e80es is supposed to have a pretty great head amp but if one of these head amps also allows for switching I wouldn't mind spending that 400-500 on it. Thank you for the tip, I will be on the look out. I see an entre et-100 on yahoop right now, shame it isn't a real auction.
 
Blue Shadow said:
I’ve had good luck switching LOMCs with a DB Systems switch box. Mine is old, 4 in 1 out.
dbsystems audio
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Thank you for the suggestion, I have looked into high quality switch boxes before and while the dbsystems audio brand came up I have yet to have any luck finding one of their products, and even in the event one came up I would imagine it wouldn't be a cheap device. I don't mind spending a few hundred on one but anymore and at that point I think getting one of those head amps as suggested by Belyin would make more sense.
 
No personal experience, I just dug into the site out of interest following the link in the preceding post and found the item in the lists.
 
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