Audioclinic (Q and A) (May 1974)

by Joseph Giovanelli

Input Noise and Phono Cartridges

Q. How can any cartridge be instrumental in lowering the input noise from the first stage of a modern transistorized amplifier?

-Steven Heinisch; Prior Lake, Minnesota

A. The first stage of a phonograph preamplifier, either tube or transistor, generates noise. If its input is not connected to anything, this noise will be high. When the input is shorted, noise will be reduced to some minimum value. A cartridge, when connected to the input, acts more or less like a short circuit and thus reduces to a minimum any noise generated by the first stage.

The lower the inductance of the cartridge, the more it will act like a short.

Note:

With the November issue I began my 19th year with AUDIO. I have managed to do this without missing a single installment.

This seems a fitting time to say just a few words.

I have noticed in some letters that readers are very much surprised that I answer every letter, even though the material was not used in the column.

While this is a time-consuming task, I believe that this is a better way to perform this service than to answer only those questions which appear to be of sufficient general interest as to be printed in "Audioclinic." To aid me in this work, I would really appreciate it if each correspondent would send in a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

When you think about it a minute, you can see that the time required to make out numerous envelopes leaves less time to answer your letters.

Another way in which you can help me serve you better is if you could place your return address on your letter. When this is not done, I have to check with the original envelope or, where there is one, your own stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Again, I suppose this does not sound like much when it comes to one letter, but all of this does add up when we are speaking about hundreds of letters.

One of the most common questions I receive deals with product selection and evaluation. Such questions would perhaps be in the form of a list of specific products, and I might be asked to say which ones are the best ones.

So much of product selection and evaluation is subjective. Yes, we can measure an amplifier and know that it has less distortion than another one, but our measurements just don't tell all the story. We are all too often influenced by things such as the appearance of the equipment; or perhaps we don't like the way the tone controls work. Maybe we might not like the physical layout of the controls. Loudspeakers offer their own kind of problems. No matter what we do, we have really not yet brought the concert hall into our living room.

We are asking a small piece of paper, or perhaps a few small pieces of paper to attempt to reproduce all of the complexities of today's stereo and quadraphonic recordings. With all of our scientific know-how, loudspeaker manufacturing is still an art. We can make all kinds of measurements on speakers, but these measurements do not tell us the complete story. We simply have to listen to a loudspeaker to see if the sound it produces fits our own, private feelings as to what constitutes good sound.

While I realize very well that there are those who will completely disagree with my views on this matter, I can only say that I really believe it is completely unfair of me to impose my own subjective feelings on any one else.

The only answer I can give to any one who wishes to know what he should buy is to listen to the equipment to see if he likes it. If you can't listen to certain items because they are not stocked by your dealer, you probably should not consider them. Would any one buy a television set without seeing it? Would any one buy an automobile without having first taken a test drive? I think that buying audio equipment is much the same thing. It can very often be a major investment, and should be handled like the auto or TV set.

About all I can saying in closing is that I will look forward to whatever questions arise during the coming year. No one should ever feel that a question is "silly." I ask more questions than I answer, and I can say that there are more bad answers than "silly" questions.

(Audio magazine, May 1974)

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