cartridge loading

If you have a Rega, the motor can be grounded to eliminate the so-called 'Grado hum'. A wire, which can be soldered to the body of the motor, is simply run to the base of the tone arm. This sorts out the hum; no idea why Rega does not install the wire.

At any rate, don't bother with loading until you deal with the hum. After that, try about 22,000 ohms for a cartridge load and see what you think :)

thanks Atmasphere. Which setting would be 22,000 ohms? My manual lists for MM loading as such; 47kOhms/120pF
47kOhms/220pF
47kOhms/340pF
47kOhms/440pF
By the way what is pF?

By the way what is pF?
(Fromunda)

PicoFarad

Dear Fromunda: You have to try almost all those settings in your phono stage to achieve the best quality performance in your system.

MM/MI cartridges needs not only 47K ( some times different impedance value. ) but a capacitance load ( those pF you are asking for. ), these kind of cartridges are sensitive to capacitance loading.

Rgeards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

If your preamp will not allow you to install the resistor, then you have to go with the switch positions they provide.

Personally I prefer to do as much loading with resistors as I can, rather than capacitance. I worry about the capacitor and inductance of the cartridge becoming a tuned circuit...