It's never a good idea for a new member to jump right in without first testing the water, but here goes.
I have a turntable which I have isolated as much as I possibly can (sandbox, slab, squash balls cut in half, and in a separate room) and I have the other components on partially inflated bicycle tyres on a fairly decent set of shelves. I can't go much further with that without becoming too obsessive, but I would like to solve one problem:
I can't get proper clarity when instrumentation and voice reach what I would call crescendo level. Think opera when everyone including chorus and orchestra is going full blast - it all becomes muddy, compressed and distorted.
I am thinking it may be because the phono amp I am using doesn't have enough headroom. Unfortunately that is based on googling and reading material I don't really understand. Looking at some of the threads on here it is clear people here do understand this.
I'm asking for help on this because I don't want to waste money buying phono stages one after the other if that is unlikely to be the problem. I would also like to buy and forget - i.e., not worry about compatibility issues if I change the cartridge.
I'd be grateful for any tips, even if it is a link to a thread where this has already been dealt with.
TIA.
Maybe I should add I have EDL compact studio monitors on limestone blocks, and I don't think there is any issue with the speakers not being able to handle the volume.
I have a turntable which I have isolated as much as I possibly can (sandbox, slab, squash balls cut in half, and in a separate room) and I have the other components on partially inflated bicycle tyres on a fairly decent set of shelves. I can't go much further with that without becoming too obsessive, but I would like to solve one problem:
I can't get proper clarity when instrumentation and voice reach what I would call crescendo level. Think opera when everyone including chorus and orchestra is going full blast - it all becomes muddy, compressed and distorted.
I am thinking it may be because the phono amp I am using doesn't have enough headroom. Unfortunately that is based on googling and reading material I don't really understand. Looking at some of the threads on here it is clear people here do understand this.
I'm asking for help on this because I don't want to waste money buying phono stages one after the other if that is unlikely to be the problem. I would also like to buy and forget - i.e., not worry about compatibility issues if I change the cartridge.
I'd be grateful for any tips, even if it is a link to a thread where this has already been dealt with.
TIA.
Maybe I should add I have EDL compact studio monitors on limestone blocks, and I don't think there is any issue with the speakers not being able to handle the volume.