AYRE K-1xe - Manual (Page 12)

Ayre manufactures both adapters and dedicated cables.
These high-performance custom designs are available from
your authorized Ayre dealer. In addition, termination
instructions are available if you wish to reterminate your
current cables. Please contact the factory for further details.
Gain and Loading
The gain of the phono stage is set at the factory to 50 dB,
which is well suited to most modern phono cartridges. In
addition, the gain is adjustable in 10 dB steps from 40 dB
to 60 dB, accommodating virtually any cartridge made.
Recommended gain settings are as follows:
Cartridge Output Phono Gain Gain Resistor
Less than 1.0 mV . . . . . 60 dB . . . . . . . 10
Ω
1.0 mV to 3.0 mV . . . . 50 dB . . . . . . . 75
Ω
Greater than 3.0 mV . . . 40 dB . . . . . . 249
Ω
These are guidelines only. Variations from these settings are
perfectly acceptable.
It is recommended that the
loading not be changed from
50 k
Ω
when using a
moving-magnet cartridge.
The default cartridge load is 50 k
Ω
, which is suitable for
almost all cartridges. However, many moving-coil cartridges
yield better performance if they are loaded with a lower
impedance.
Usually, a lower load impedance results in a more focused
soundstage, with greater image solidity and less apparent
distortion. A higher load impedance will give a more open
sound, with greater “air” and “life”. The final value must be
chosen by ear to give the best sound in your particular
system.
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