anyone know the level of gain on the MC stage and the MM stage?

I have a high output MC cartridge (2.7 mv). on the MM settting it doesn't play as loud as I like---it seems to max out around 10:30/11:00 on the volume.

however, when I flipped the switch to the MC setting is is quite loud---I don't need to turn it much past 9:30/10:00 to get it REALLY loud.

am I going to blow out my system running it on MC?

Probably not; if your speakers can handle the power levels generated.

I'd really like to know what the gain of the phono outs are too, especially the MM output in dB's. I'm considering getting a Dynavector 10x5 cart, but need to know if the dynamics will work on the 2150's MM phono stage.

Doug

The moving magnet input is rated at 3.3mV and the moving coil input is rated at .6mV.

A cartridge rated for 2.7mV would require the volume control to be raised slightly higher for a given volume, but there is nothing that is going to be harmed by doing this.

Power amplifiers are standardized for 28dB of voltage gain, but the exact relationship of the 3.3mV and .6mV rating to full power output from the receiver is not part of the specs, but a guess would be that is the voltage for full output with the volume control at maximum.

Cartridges fall into 3 categories - moving magnet which are typically rated for 5mV output, "high output" moving coil cartridges which are rated for about 2.5mV, and "low output" moving coil cartridges which are rated for about .6mV. The phono input sensitivities of the receiver should be able to accommodate all of these without any problems.

Back to the original question, short of buying an outboard phono preamp with more gain, there is not much you can do about the situation but accept the higher master volume setting.

This is a situation, that with an HO Moving Coil, say between 2.0 and 2.7mv, may work fine set to MC, as long as it's not audibly overloading or rolling off the high end severely through the input on the phono preamp. I'd go with the setting that sounds best to you personally.

Most would say keep it set to Moving Magnet, as long as the output is high enough to push the rest of the signal chain, and tone quality suits your taste.