TOPIC:

The SHD indicates that the max input for a balanced analog input is 4V RMS. All the phono pre-amps I'm looking at are between 6 and 11V RMS. Would you damage the SHD if you went above the max input? Are there workarounds that could mitigate any potential damage? Any suggestions on a phono pre-amp to use with the SHD in the $1k - $2k range? Thank you!

This potential issue is not simply damage but signal-clipping which would make the combination unusable if the input sensitivity were exceeded.

The signal output from the phono preamp will depend on the input signal though, and I'm guessing the figures quoted above may have been the maximum output levels?
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Just mentioning some relevant points. I have no personal experience with phono preamps.

It isn't a good idea to drive more voltage into SHD inputs than they are rated at. Even if it doesn't damage the SHD it would sound horrid.

6 to 11 V rms seems rather a lot for a phono pre-amp output given most preamps and amps probably can't cope with that much. Typically the CD input on a preamp is the least sensitive and is still only rated at 2V rms. Other line level inputs are likely to be around 200mV rms. Amplifiers typically have around 29dB voltage gain, a factor of over 20, which would give an amplifier output voltage of 220V rms for 11V rms input, rather implausible for home amplifiers running on 40V to 50V supply rails typically. Perhaps low gain tube amplifiers are that insensitive but I've never seen a solid state amplifier that is

Also, the SHD rating is the maximum that can be coped with linearly without clipping, the phono preamp is the maximum possible output  at the fastest rpm and shortest duration pressing allowing maximum groove displacement. Very often the actual output will be much lower.

You can buy inline attenuators to reduce output voltages, the good ones tend to be quite expensive though.

You have absolutely nothing to worry about.

You did not say whether you are using a MM or MC cartridge, so taking a high level MM cartridge (Nagaoka MP-200, output at 1KHz = 4mV) a typical phono preamp will run a 40dB of gain (100x gain) and output 0.4 V. Those specs you quoted are max output. You will never come close to that.

MC cartridges such as Denon 103 series are outputting 0.4 mV and require higher levels of gain, phono preamps typically have pre pre amps (head amps) with an additional 20 to 30 dB of gain or some vinyl lovers go with step up transformers (SUT) that do the same thing.

If you make the mistake and set the highest MC gain with the highest MM cartridge you would be outputting 70db (3162 x gain) = 12.6v output, but that is not likely if you are a thinking human being. Follow the recommendation of your phono preamp mfg and cartridge mfg and you should be fine.

The problem would also surface if you get a high level output MC cartridge and blindly assume it is a low level output and use a head amp or SUT, but again that would be some one not thinking or knowing what they have. Most vinyl owners would be buying high output MC cartridges precisely because they don't have a 60 or 70 dB gain phono stage.

I've used avid phono preamps with my SHD with good results and currently am using a DIY Muffsy preamp and SUT combo and have never had any problems.

I would highly recommend the Puffin Preamp (parksaudiollc.com/) with optical or coax output. I know it's paradoxical to use an ADC/DSP as a preamp, but since you're feeding a DSP and a DAC on the SHD, you might as well use an ADC as your photo stage. Puffin lets you tweak the hell out of things and even has a "magic" pop/click elimination that really works magic.

mackman wrote:

I would highly recommend the Puffin Preamp (parksaudiollc.com/) with optical or coax output. I know it's paradoxical to use an ADC/DSP as a preamp, but since you're feeding a DSP and a DAC on the SHD, you might as well use an ADC as your photo stage. Puffin lets you tweak the hell out of things and even has a "magic" pop/click elimination that really works magic.

cool product

I'm also wondering if in the original post "6V & 11V" is the absolute maximum the preamp can deliver without clipping, and NOT the expected output level you get when actually playing a record (which would be far lower than that).

I think you will be fine with pretty much whatever phono stage you like.

Here’s another vote for the Puffin. I have one with the coax digital out and it works (and sounds!) great with the SHD. Also a good solution to digitise vinyl via the USB on the SHD, and with the Magic setting enabled on the Puffin you don’t need to do much post processing.