Gain setting in Rega Aura with Apheta 3

[Jazzyguy]

Guys/Gals,

I’m a little confused. The Apheta website reads the Aura should have the gain to the “on position”. I don’t know what that means because the Aura’s manual reads Gain 1 (switch out) and Gain 2 (switch in).

What would be the correct position on the Gain switch for the Apheta 3, in or out?

Thank you!

 

[Craig B]

According to the Aura manual, Gain I (switch out) is the higher gain setting (69.5dB) vs. Gain II (switch in) providing the lower 63.5dB.

All Rega MC cartridges are spec'd for the high gain setting on Rega MC phono stages, so gain switch out.

This does indeed seem confusing when you consider that the Apheta web page describes the high gain recommendation as "'On' position for Rega phono stages"; although the Apheta text would predate the Aura's front panel switches (i.e. the rest have rear panel accessible DIP switches with labelled 'on' vs. 'off' positions. Regardless, even these can confuse with 'on' being down, and 'off' being up).

 

[Plink]

According to the manual, the lower gain is with the button pushed in. There is no correct position. Try both and see what you like. Downside of too high gain may be noise and downside of too low gain may be a sound lacking in dynamics or punch.

 

[dave charlton]

According to my Ios (forerunner of the Aura) manual, Gain 1 selects 70db, Gain 2 selects 64db. It advises starting with the lower gain setting and moving to the higher gain setting if more level is required for low output cartridges.

 

[Craig B]

Rega spec all of their MC cartridges as having a nominal output level of 350µV (equals 0.35mV), so not exactly classic Ortofon MC levels here where one might be dealing with as little as ≤0.1mV.

Something else to keep in mind with Aura is that the balanced output is also circa 6dB higher than unbalanced. If using balanced then best to stick with the lower Gain II setting. From the manual...

"Gain

Please note: mute or turn the volume control to minimum when changing the gain setting. The gain setting switch selects the voltage gain of the phono amplifier. Gain I selects 69.5 dB (switch out) and Gain II selects 63.5 dB (switch in); this will provide an input sensitivity of 67 μV and 131 μV respectively for an output level of 200 mV unbalanced and 400 mV balanced. The balanced output is effectively 6 dB higher than the unbalanced output. It is advisable to start with the lower gain setting II and if necessary; increase the gain level to I if more level is required for lower output cartridges. Because the balanced output is effectively 6 dBhigher, it could be advisable to select gain II setting when using the balanced output; this will also depend greatly on the sensitivity of the connected amplifier."​

 

[Jazzyguy]

Thanks for all the input. I’ve tried both and so far I like the higher gain as it matched the CD line input volume levels. I’ll try the lower gain setting again to see how it compares…