MX-VYNL & Lentek Head Amp
MX-VYNL Phono Pre-Amplifier
Lentek MC Phono Head Amplifier
Introduction.
So after being very happy with my MX-VYNL and Hana pairing for a while now, I decided to modify my rebuilt Lentek head amp to correctly load the Hana and see how it would sound when paired to the MX-VYNL running in unbalanced moving magnet mode, with a much lower gain and providing a 47K ohm, 50Pf load to the Lentek head amplifier.
Lentek Modifications
I modified the Lentek head amplifier to suit the Hana loading by just changing its input load resistors from their 100ohm value for the Entre cartridge, to 470ohms for the Hana. As space was restricted to add a switch, this upgrade involved simply removing the two 100ohm resistors and adding gold plated pin sockets to where they were mounted. This now allows me to quickly plug in different resistor values to adjust the cartridge loading if required.
Inside My Lentek Head Amplifier
The lowest gain of the MX-VYNL in MM mode is 42dB, much lower than the 63dB I had to use in MC mode. 42dB of gain was more than sufficient to bring the output level of the Lentek head amplifier up to what was required to drive my Denon AVP receiver. The Lentek provides 28dB of gain so my total MC phono gain was 70dB (42+28), a full 7dB more than I had with just the MX-VYNL. This allowed me to drop the gain of my receiver an additional -6dB in order to achieve my normal listening level at the MLP. So any increase in background white noise (hiss) from the head amplifier at my normal MLP listening level was barley noticeable. Using a pseudo balanced connection between the Hana and Lentek and an unbalanced connection from the Lentek to the MX-VYNL, there was no change in hum level (not that there was any to start with),
Audition
The changes to the sound were anything but subtle.
As soon as I played my first album (Queen – News of the World, for review) I could hear a real improvement, so I rushed to get two of my reference vinyl albums, Harry James – The King James Version, and Dire Straits -Brothers In Arms, to hear what the change had really done to the sound.
I was astonished! So to summarise:
- The sound was even more open. The separation between all the instruments was even more delineated.
- The stereo imaging was ‘brick wall’ solid. Every instrument showed pin point clarity and positioning.
- Depth and height perspective was cleaner and deeper. The relative positioning of the brass, piano, double bass and kit was totally transparent and individualistic.
- The double bass and electric bass changed little. However the bottom end of the kick drum on Dire Straits was far more extended.
- The top end detail and brilliance was all but identical. No increase in hardness or pronounced mid-range.
- The mid-range, in particular the vocals, were slightly more full.
- Transient performance was notably improved on all instruments, especially the snare and toms. Harry’s trumpet and the brass sections just ‘ripped’ as if you were stood right in front of them.
- The churches natural reverb was more open, fluid and well,………..natural. You were in the church with Harry!
My biggest concern was that as the output level from the Hana was more than double (+8db) that of the Entre cartridge for which the Lentek was designed, that it might become overloaded. There was never a hint, at any level, of overload and distortion.
If I hadn’t heard the sonic improvements with my own ears I would not have believed the difference between the two hardware configurations.
Cleary my rebuilt Lentek head amplifier is a good match to both the Hana and MX-VYNL. So for now I will not be using the MX-VYNL as an MC phono-amp, nor will I be adjusting the 470ohm specified cartridge loading (yet!).
UPDATE: See my further modifications to selecting the Lentek’s input load resistance:
See my associated posts below:
- MX-VYNL Review & Update
- Hana SL Review & Update
- Lentek head amplifier rebuild
- Lentek Rechargeable Power Supply – DIY
Check out these re-sellers for the MX-VYNL and Hana:
