Cambridge Alva Duo new owner question

[Wayne C]

I have just purchased a Cambridge Alva Duo phono pre amp to play vinyl at my parents house via headphones. I have a slight issue after getting the item today.
My cartridge is a Benz Micro Silver S High Output Moving Coil and every time I’ve used it with previous amplifiers being high output I have connected it as recommended to the moving magnet input on the phono stage. Well I’ve just done this and tried to listen to a record via headphones and you have to turn the volume dial practically to maximum to get any volume.

In the Duo manual ( regarding the not currently used moving coil input ) it says recommended cartridge 0.3 - 1mv, loading 100ohm/100pf. My Benz cart has output of 2mv?, but via the moving magnet input on the duo and headphones it is ridiculously quiet.

Can anyone offer advice as to what to do.

Benz Micro MC Silver specs

2.0mv output
Loading 47 ohms

Reading in the manual for the phono stage it says sensitivity for nominal output of 3.35mv on MM input , so does that mean placing my High output MC of 2mv into MM input will result in the very low volume levels that I am currently experiencing?. What would anyone suggest I do either return the item or try the MC input but at 2mv my cartridge isn’t recommended?.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

2mV is quite low in a bit of no-mans land level-wise. Try the MC input. You won't break anything, but some very hot cuts might distort a bit more than normal. What headphones are you using?

 

[Wayne C]

2mV is quite low in a bit of no-mans land level-wise. Try the MC input. You won't break anything, but some very hot cuts might distort a bit more than normal. What headphones are you using?

I’m using various sennheisers, I’ll already decided to return it and look for something that can be altered. Thanks a lot for your advice previously

 

[GXAlan]

MC input is good. It has 60 dB gain versus 39 dB.

That gets you to 2V instead of 0.18V nominal.

dB Gain Calculator

Determine dB gain by entering initial and final power levels into the dB gain calculator.

www.omnicalculator.com

 

[Jkdjedi]

It's confusing for sure, I thought the phono preamps with dip switches was overkill, until I got the Cambridge, now I'm wishing I had some kind of control over gains and what not.

 

[Nippithon]

Amir's review of the Duo said (to my recollection but I'm too lazy to check) that the headphone amplifier is underpowered and wants headphones on the efficient side.