Does it improve the sound of a MM or MI cartridge by playing it through a phono stage?

Guys - JPerry, three_easy_payments, pryso:

I'm not sure why the OP's question was so puzzling. He's using the built-in phono stage in his Plinius Integrated and wants to know if he can get better sound with an external phone stage.

I've no experience with the Plinius or the VDH cartridge, but I'd say (1) yes, external phono stages will usually sound better than the built-in ones (2) Generally - though not always -- MC is said to sound better than MM.

The Sutherland should sound great -- haven't you tried it?

G

You can easily find and buy a better phono stage for MM or MC cartridges and the price will tell you nothing.

Everything is easy with MM or MI cartridges, they are fine with almost any phono stage (technically) designed to accommodate an MM cartridge giving 47k Ohm load for them. But you can improve the sound of MM using 100k Ohm instead of 47k Ohm. Manufacturers of MM phono cartridges in the 70s/80s recommended 47k Ohm - 100k Ohm range of loading for MM. People ignoring it and using 47k Ohm now, but there is a big improvement with 100k Ohm for MM and everyone should try it!

So the best MM phono stage is the one wirh RCA plug load restistors to change loading for MM cartridges (not only for MC).

Of course users with soldering skills could simply change internal 47k for 100k (and back) to try. Load resistors inside expensive phono stages are not always the best quality. Some of the best for audio is Vishay Naked Foil resistor from Texas Components. I have replaced stock 47k Ohm resistors with 100k Ohm Vishay and never looked back, huge improvement almost for any MM/MI phono stage i have tried.

Chakster, What you say may be true for you and me, but the OP is in need of some basic understanding before getting into the nuances of a 100K ohm load vs a 47K ohm load for MM cartridges.  Right now he is fine with 47K as standard.  And I must disagree with your statement that external loading plugs are very useful for MM cartridges.  First of all because external loading plugs which in effect parallel a second resistance with whatever is the input resistance of the stage, can only lower the net resistance seen by the cartridge.  Thus, you cannot achieve 100K ohms or any value higher than 47K ohms by paralleling any value of second resistor with the standard 47K ohm load.  True, there are some who like to REDUCE the load resistance below 47K for some very particular cartridges, and this can be done by paralleling, but that is advanced thinking not needed here.  In my opinion, the capacity to add an external load resistor in parallel with the primary resistance is by far more relevant to MC phono stages than MM ones.

The settings on the phono stage are 100 ohms, 200, 1000, 10000, 47000. Not 100K. For my back up MC cartridge, if I do use it, I will select the 47K ohm setting for impedence and 50dB gain on my phono stage..

@sokogear : The Plinius impedance is set/default at 47k and you can't change it. What you can change is the Plinius phono gain.
Due that you used the VDH cartridge then that Plinius si already setted at high gain ( 0.7mv. ) that is to high for the Acutex 3.5mv output and could overload the Plinius and if this happens you will have higher distortions. 
So, if you want to use the Plinius you need to set up its gain to 1.5 low gain.

"  Would the Sutherland at 47K ohms sound any better than the Plinius' phono stage? Does it matter if it is a MC or MM/MI cartridge? "

No one but you can answer the first question after test it both units with the Acutex cartridge.
 Not only Plinius and Sutherland are different electronic designs but to use the Sutherland you need too additional IC cables that means not only additional cables/wires where the cartridge must travel and where exist some kind of degradation but exist additional input/output RCA connectors and solder joints that make degradation to the signal too.

To the second question: its matters only for the gain and loading need it for either kind of cartridge.


""   Will the Sutherland's 47K ohm setting sound similar?  ""

No, both units are different electronics designs and with different builded active/passive parts and even circuit boards material.


"""  I was thinking with a standard output MM cartridge, it wouldn't matter what phono stage you used as long as it operated or had a setting at 47K ohms. """

It would matters. Again different electronic designs tend to sounds different. Your way of thinking makes no sense at all.

Btw, your 412 is an induced magnet design not a MM one.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.