Low volume issues

[oregonkiwi]

Okie dokie,here goes.
Please forgive my ignorance of the technical side of audio.
I am just a little frustrated with my 'killer' system.
You all see the components I have listed in my profile ,and since then have added a pair of magnapan 12's as main speakers to 2 channel(still building system,and waiting on XPR,XMC1 etc)
Thing is...I do not understand why phono(I have posted about this before) volume is so quiet,even on the paradigm speakers,worse on mags.All are running through USP1 ,and phono stage is at MM,the correct setting for my cartridge.
Also on many cd's I have same low volume issues ,but when I play mp3 audio OR same CD's out from my PC card to USP1 to the same speakers using WINAMP,ITUNES or any one of a number of other 'players' from my computer,using their respective graphic equalizers,I can get an appreciable gain in volume.
Where is my disconnect..can any of you good folks with far more techie experience help me?Why such low volume on most cd's,and LP's?
Should I buy a graphic equalizer for the system?I looked for them online,but unlike the old days of seperates,they seem to have gone away pretty much?
Tom

[ramundo]

Tom,

It may just be sensitivity differences between the sources if the sound is not distorted. You don't show what CD player you have but I can understand a difference between a stand alone CD player and MP3s or CDs from your PC sound card. The output of the CD player and PC could be different. You could try switching the inputs to the USP-1 of your CD player and PC sound to see if there is a problem with the USP-1 inputs. There is not much you can do with the phono input since the USP-1 only has a single phono input. I have the USP-1 with an Audio Technica cartridge and I must increase the USP-1 volume a bit when listening to LPs to maintain the same level as my DAC through the USP-1.

Ray

[oregonkiwi]

Thanks Ray...will try the alternative ou gave.
I just wonder tho,if the gains on a stand alone audiophile equalizer might help?
Tom

[sidvicious]

Looked at your post and I have had my USP-1 for about a month and I noticed the same thing with phono. The problem is that with phono the only way to get the correct volume is with a pre amp that has cartridge matching. The more expensive phono stages can match the correct impediance of the cartridge that you have. The cartridge matching in the more espensive phone stages(separates) is like having a step up tranformer to boost the volume on the USP-1 it is more fixed because emotiva was trying to get the best balance between moving magnet and moving coil. On the new XSP-1 they do offer more setting for cartridge matching. As far as the Cds' it depends on how the cd's were recorded, some at a low volume and some at a higher volume. If you have a very highend turntable, the best way is to use a separate phono stage with more variable phono inpediance matching with selectable switches to closely match you cartridge. The Cd's are just like the tv broad cast that when you switch channels some channels blow you out and some are quiet, same principal, but not as dynamic. Hope this helps, you can get a separate phono stage, I use a Music Hall Pa 1.2, but will be looking for one to give me more options for closer cartridge matching. ;D

[ottaone]

Or maybe a gain booster like this one: www.htd.com/Products/line-level-gain-boosters/LGB-4.

I'll get this one when I get the whole house audio controller which should be shipping soon.

[Mr. Ben]

You shouldn't need a booster or anything like that. You have a high-out phono cartridge. Either it's wired into the table wrong, or something is defective. You should try each of the following:
1) Try different the wires between the table and the USP-1. Make sure that the center pins are touching the contacts in the receptacles by wiggling them a bit while playing a record.
2) You should take the table back to where you got it, and listen to it on one of their setups. Ensure that you don't have a defective cartridge or a problem in the tables wiring.
3) Try a different table with your USP-1. Make sure the USP-1 isn't defective.

[EMO_tional]

Phono preamp output is always lower than the output from a CD player or other line level source.
There's only so much gain you can get from a phono preamp before it gets noisy, The signal generated by even an MM phono cartridge is incredibly small, and takes a lot of boosting by the phono pre to bring it up to a listenable level.
I have quite a few vinyl sources, and have 4 or 5 phono preamps, they ALL have low output compared to my CD player or digital transport. I'm waiting for my USP-1 pre to arrive, then I will be able to test it's phono stage, but I'm not expecting it to be as loud as the CD or aux inputs.

That's the nature of vinyl.