Hi, my phono stage (a very modest Black Cube) has the option of bridging its output capacitors so they are not in the signal path. Is there an advantage on doing this? thanks!

Usually yes. The sound quality should be slightly better this way as you then have a direct connection to the opamp in the Black Cube.
As long as there isn’t too much dc on the output of the phono stage...it should be less than about 10mV (millivolts). Most poweramps can handle a small amount of dc without problems. If you change the selector switch on your line stage and it clicks or thumps significantly when going to or from phono then you have a bit of dc to measure and make sure it’s ok. If your line stage and poweramp is entirely dc coupled (like my Sansui BA-F1, and some chip-amps) then you really need to measure the output dc with a meter to make sure it’s near enough to zero volts (100mV maximum at high volume with no input).
But don’t let me panic you! You should be fine. What is your linestage and poweramp?

AMR-iFi R&D

Thanks a lot Colin that's really useful! There is a warning on the phono manual about DC being a risk for the speakers and what I understood is that I need to check that my amplifier has a DC filter to filter it out. My amplifier is the Leben CS300XS (which is a 15watts tube amplifier) but I'm not sure that it has a DC filter. Colin, where and how do I measure DC? Could you explain for the technically challenged? ;-) I do have a digital meter though. 

Aug 31, 2019 3:35:12 GMT 12 colinf said:

Usually yes. The sound quality should be slightly better this way as you then have a direct connection to the opamp in the Black Cube.
As long as there isn’t too much dc on the output of the phono stage...it should be less than about 10mV (millivolts). Most poweramps can handle a small amount of dc without problems. If you change the selector switch on your line stage and it clicks or thumps significantly when going to or from phono then you have a bit of dc to measure and make sure it’s ok. If your line stage and poweramp is entirely dc coupled (like my Sansui BA-F1, and some chip-amps) then you really need to measure the output dc with a meter to make sure it’s near enough to zero volts (100mV maximum at high volume with no input).
But don’t let me panic you! You should be fine. What is your linestage and poweramp?

You’ll be fine with a valve amp. No dc can get through the output transformer of a valve amp.
If you want to measure the dc from the output of the Black Cube, just put the meter on 200mV setting (or its lowest dc setting) and measure across the output RCA sockets. It should be less than 10mV (or 0.01V). Being an opamp circuit it typically might have on the order of +/- 2 or 3mV.
😀

AMR-iFi R&D

Thanks again Colin. Is there a way I can measure this on the amplifier to double-check that none is reaching the speakers? 

Aug 31, 2019 6:50:32 GMT 12 colinf said:

You’ll be fine with a valve amp. No dc can get through the output transformer of a valve amp.
If you want to measure the dc from the output of the Black Cube, just put the meter on 200mV setting (or its lowest dc setting) and measure across the output RCA sockets. It should be less than 10mV (or 0.01V). Being an opamp circuit it typically might have on the order of +/- 2 or 3mV.
😀

Just measure across the speaker output terminals on the amp with the volume high but nothing playing. With a valve amp the output dc should be zero volts.

AMR-iFi R&D

Of Course Belbo you could just get Colinf to build you a new phono stage ? I use one of his preamps myself that has both MC and MM stages (Brilliant) and will shortly be testing his all valve MC phono stage.

Wow that would be fantastic and I'm soon going to be looking for a phono stage! I'm also really lasting for Owen's all tube phono. 

Sept 1, 2019 8:41:38 GMT 12 cartridgeguyonline said:

Of Course Belbo you could just get Colinf to build you a new phono stage ? I use one of his preamps myself that has both MC and MM stages (Brilliant) and will shortly be testing his all valve MC phono stage.

Actually belbo, I have been using a SS phono for most of this year (a Lounge LCR Gold).

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

I know, I was close to purchasing the Lounge, but I was referring to this one: darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/2014/08/23/phono-stage-diego-nardi-%cf%8642/

How does the tube stage compare to ss?

Sept 11, 2019 10:00:06 GMT 12 Owen Y said:

Actually belbo, I have been using a SS phono for most of this year (a Lounge LCR Gold).