Output level from Arcam Delta 80 Tuner, is it usually quite low?

[wulbert]

Picked up an Arcam Delta 80 Tuner for a tenner on Ebay (always regretted selling my A&R T21). Result!

Connecting it to my Bantam Stealth mini power amp in the workshop, it sounds a little bit quiet. In fact I can run it straight into the Bantam without any pre-amp and the volume level is just on the up side of moderate volume. (The only pre-amp I have available is a passive Tisbury)

Is this normal? Or could it have issues?

I'm using the Bantam into JBL Control One mini speakers, so maybe that's the problem? Also I haven't sorted out an external aerial yet, so the signal level indicator is showing about two-thirds. Maybe a better aerial would make it louder?

 

[Locheeboy]

Try different speaker cables or even different speakers. A "Y" aerial (£3-5) should be sufficient for a decent signal.

 

[wulbert]

Try different speaker cables or even different speakers. A "Y" aerial (£3-5) should be sufficient for a decent signal.

Thanks. I'm using a standard "Y" aerial just now. It's always been enough in the past.

 

[cobbers]

If you have 2/3 signal a different aerial will make no difference to the volume and neither will speaker cables.

 

[Snufkin]

The T21 has a volume/output adjustment on the back, does the 80?

 

[Barrymagrec]

The spec is 800 mV output which is quite low by modern standards.

Should be O.K. for the 500mV sensitivity of your amp though.

 

[wulbert]

The T21 has a volume/output adjustment on the back, does the 80?

That's a good call, but I've just checked, and no it doesn't.

 

[colasblue]

It will have 0.75Vrms output at 0dB as opposed to the modern standard of 2Vrms so yes it will sound quiet compared with any CDP or DAC.

 

[wulbert]

It will have 0.75Vrms output at 0dB as opposed to the modern standard of 2Vrms so yes it will sound quiet compared with any CDP or DAC.

Thank you. That makes sense with what I am hearing. It's loud enough, just lower than I was expecting. It sounds great, I'm very pleased with this tuner for £10 + £7 postage.