Stageline help please?

Hi-Fi Corner
1

I’m afraid I have to admit my ignorance in advance… I’m struggling to get my head around output/ capacitance comparability etc…
I have an opportunity to pick up either a Stageline N or S at fair prices ( option to add flat cap). I use a Thorens 125, tp16 arm with a Dennon DL 110 cart , amp id an sn1.
Which of these Stageline option is the better choice for a low output MC like the DL110?
Thanks in advance.

2

The Denon DL-110 is a so-called “high output” Moving Coil cartridge, so suitable for a MM phono stage. As such, a Stageline N. However, like many HO MCs, the output, while much higher than low output MCs, is rarely as high as a Moving Magnet or Moving Iron cartridge, so they tend to fall between stools. The Denon has an output of 1.6mV, so quite at least half the output of many MMs, but way higher than most low output MCs. That being the case, you may find that a middle way gives best results, i.e. the Stageline E, which was designed for Medium output MC cartridges.

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Thanks. Sadly that option isn’t available to me … might have to live with the schiit mani a little longer… (I’m sure that’s the weak link in my system though)

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Echo what Richard said about the E version. My daughter uses one of my NAC 72s. The cartridge on her turntable is a HOMC, and initially, we used MM cards in the 72. But the volume pot had to be turned up a lot, and the sound lacked punch. We had a set of S cards modified at Class A to E type, and this was ideal.
However, stagelines can’t be modified, so if you have a HOMC, then you need an E type.

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In which case it might be worth comparing the DL-110 into your Schiit Mani with an Audio Technica AT-VM95e into a Naim Stageline N.

(As so often in our hobby, if you change one thing, you have to change another :slight_smile: )

Edit: Any Stageline can be powered from Aux2 on your Supernait. A Flatcap is nice for this job but by no means essential.

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I did once try a Denon DL-110 into a Stageline N and found it OK, but a bit boring really. I think a different cartridge would suit the Stageline N better.

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7

Or if only Nor S available, change cartridge - but whether that makes sense cost-wise is another matter.

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D110 is overrated and not IME a very good cartridge.
But if, I’d use it in MM stage.

Doubt a FC will improve much on SN1, but tbh never tried.
Can’t recall if SN1 have powered AUX.