Hear my Cartridges....🎶

Isn't it fantastic that you both heard the differences so clearly on the simplest devices 😃
I can also hear them through my iPad and iMac speakers but was not sure if it was my 'knowing' the 'live' sound that might influence my hearing 🤔
I agree with both of you....
At 15K Ohms and 430pF....the cartridge simply comes 'alive'....
The changes in loading produce more fundamental differences than heard on many of the cartridge vs cartridge comparisons IMO 🤯
I think this proves quite convincingly....that phono pre-amps without fully adjustable loadings (in both Resistance and Capacitance) are designed without any appreciation for the beauty, nuances and NEEDS of MM/MI cartridges 🙃

Yes @dover ...I tried a multitude of combinations from 10K-60K Ohms Resistance and 0-430pF Capacitance and somewhat skeptically....arrived at 15K Ohms and Zero pF.
I say "skeptically" because that has been the general advice throughout the years, by so-called 'Experts'.
And I'm normally skeptical of experts....🥱😴

Thanks for your valued feedback....

A subject dear to my heart, thank you @halcro  for posting :)
For me the differences were not big (iphone6+apple earbuds) and had to switch back and forth several times. The most prominent is the "LF breathng" at 15K. It adds a very nice foundation to the sound, organizing it not only at LF but higher up in the spectrum. Add to the illusion of the recording venue. The bass (surprisingly) more controlled and (perhaps?) less boomy. In general, more involving and interesting presentation.
I'm not yet at the load play with my LDR but will try going down to 15K definitely!

I was wondering how you were going with your LDR @bydlo...?
It is important though, with the loading down at 15K Ohms....that the Capacitance is raised significantly to approx 430pF.
If you only load to 15K without adding Capacitance......the sound will be too 'plummy' and warm.
If you have adjustable Cap loading, you can dial in the exact 'sparkle' you want 💍

Not going much recently unfortunately - have been locked down 350km from my system. Waiting for all this to finish and comeback to experimenting with my LDR.

Man, I love the LDR! As I’ve commented previously, my favorite of all your fine cartridges, Halcro. Once again, for me and overall, the sound with the least amount of electronic artifacts as compared to the purity one hears in live sound. Beautiful sound!

Excellent comments by all and allowing for what I believe are simply personal semantics choices, I agree completely....with one caveat. Always nice to have agreement with other very astute listeners. I found Dover’s comment re the relationship between loading and capacitance very interesting.

At 15k: “nicer sound”, “coherency and timing”, “easier to follow” (!), “more controlled bass, less boomy”, “organizing” (!). I completely agree with those observations. I might describe what I hear the following way (semantics); and to get the caveat out of the way:

Dover is exactly right. While I do agree that the sound at 15k is smoother there are moments when I find the sound of strings to be “a little too warm” and rounded even if “more fleshed out”. However, this is subtle and handily compensated for by the superior coherency and better controlled and less boomy bass. A fascinating effect of 47K is that bass and organ seem to be thrust forward in the soundstage.  Besides sounding less controlled and somewhat boomy, the basses don’t occupy their correct place in relation to the upper strings, but are too forward both in placement as well as character. Likewise, the organ at times sounds to be in front of the orchestra as opposed to behind as it should. 47K seems to fragment the various sections of the orchestra (and organ) in an unnatural way. Soundstage is set back slightly at 15K compared to 47K’s more forward presentation. However, 15K “organizes” the sound in a more realistic way; more “coherent”, for a much more realistic sense of a typical orchestral “spread”. All this makes musical interplay “easier to follow” and gives a better sense of rhythmic impetus; ultimately, the most important considerations.

Excellent comments, gentlemen and thanks again to Halcro for the fascinating comparison.

Stay safe, all.