Turntable to ART USB to Loki to Integrated Amp?

[Keith H 1960]

Hi. New to this board, musician and music lover, not audiophile.

I finally got my wife to allow me to bring my very well preserved LP collection into the family room. I had forgotten the presence and transparency of vinyl. However, digital and digitally derived sources are a lot brighter, and I guess I've gotten used to that and like it. Perhaps more importantly, in the age of Covid with a full house, I never get to open up the amp, so the vinyl highs really suffer.

I have a Denon X3300W with on-board equalizer, to +6dB. It's not enough, to my ear, for my vinyl in the upper ranged (2kHz plus), but it's too much for all other sources. As the amp has no phono input, I already have an ART USB preamp connected to my Denon TT. Can I simply connect, say, a Schiit Loki in between the ART and amp? Or, as the Loki is an analog device and the ART USB has digitized the signal, should I go TT to Loki to ART to amp? Or is there a better way to do all this?

Thanks for any guidance you can offer.

 

[century tek]

Highs are the same either analog or digital. Your cartridge, amp/receiver and speakers all come to play here.

I would ditch the ART USB and just get a dedicated phono preamp that you can connect to any line level input (aux, tape in, tuner, etc.).

 

[Keith H 1960]

Thanks. The ART is a dedicated phono preamp that allows a connection to any line level input. My question is whether anyone has experience in using a phono-dedicated equalizer, such as the Schiit Loki; and, if so, whether I should connect it before or after the ART.

 

[The Fuxtor]

Thanks. The ART is a dedicated phono preamp that allows a connection to any line level input. My question is whether anyone has experience in using a phono-dedicated equalizer, such as the Schiit Loki; and, if so, whether I should connect it before or after the ART.

The Loki is just a regular equalizer with knobs instead of sliders. You just connect it to your receiver/amp either thru a tape loop or a pre out jack. You would connect phono pre into aux input on integrated amp with Loki in the loop. I guess you could always adjust the Loki to desired settings for phono then hit the disengage switch when you are using the receiver for other duties.

 

[justjed2]

You can do as you described, but there's no need to disengage Loki when listening to other sources, if they are run straight into the Denon. You will find the bypass feature handy for checking the EQ'd signal against flat. I find the Loki to be a very useful little piece of gear, especially when breaking in a new cartridge, or for headphone listening.

 

[galactus2]

Thanks. The ART is a dedicated phono preamp that allows a connection to any line level input. My question is whether anyone has experience in using a phono-dedicated equalizer, such as the Schiit Loki; and, if so, whether I should connect it before or after the ART.

Short answer: the Loki would be inserted after your phono pre-amp, and before your amp.

The Loki model that I have only has line-level inputs for *one* external source. Therefore, if I understand you correctly, the Loki would come after your ART. But also understand that I have no experience with an ART, and have never even seen one.

So in a general way, the Loki is good for applying some basic EQ to one external source. It has one set of line-level inputs, and one set of line-level outputs. But also understand that my Loki is at least 2-3 years old, so I'm not sure if the newer one(s) have more inputs, or have added USB.

 

[Artie]

I have a new Loki. Still just 1-in, 1-out. But that's all it needs. And yes, as others have said: TT > ART, (or any phono preamp), > Loki > amp. This will give you a dedicated phono EQ. Not to be confused with RIAA EQ.

 

[swechsler]

Highs are the same either analog or digital. Your cartridge, amp/receiver and speakers all come to play here.

I agree with this. If you compare a CD with an LP of the same recording, the highs should be pretty much the same (allowing for potential differences in dynamic range). Maybe your stylus is worn or dirty, or your cartridge isn't performing properly.

 

[Erik Tracy]

I know when I first started to re-incorporate vinyl into my HT setup with an AVR that had built-in phono preamp is that the there was a significantly gain difference between phono and CD levels giving the impression of "dull" and "lifeless" for phono vs CD comparisons.

I'd go with a separate external phono preamp with adjustable gain and loading first. Then go from there for any additional changes.