Helikon LOADING

Nil, the 25X rule (that I have been endlessly promoting and which you'll find discussed in depth on other threads) is, I keep reminding people, a theoretical optimum, based on the more or less universal objective of good impedance matching.

However, based on the other elements of a given system, I always urge people to explore loading by ear using a range +/_ 50%. In your case this would be from roughly 70 - 200 ohms.

Everything else about your cartridge setup should be right beforehand (VTF, SRA, AS, overhang, azimuth, etc). Start at or near the optimum (125 -150) If you listen and it's bass-shy, reduce the load. If the bass is muddy or bloated, increase the load until the bass tightens up. If the load gets too high, you'll start to lose the bass, so back it off a little.

Now...all of this is dependent on everything else! Makes it easy huh? VTA, VTF, overhand etc can all effect the sound...rather dramatically at times. Sometimes, I'll make a change in one of these, and think I need to back out the loading.

Anyway, good luck, feel free to ask for more help.

47K was too bright and 470 ohms a little too flat. I settled on 5K just as an intermediate order of magnitude which seems to suite my taste. I suspect that 1K would have worked equally well. It will depend on your preferences.

Nsgarch - why do you care about impedance matching?

Thanks for lot of inputs and data points for me to work on. 47K for set up I am trying is definitely way too thin sounding. 40 ohm is a tad fat. 400 ohms leans towards lower side of lean, closer to flater, very tight bass but little hot on high freq still. Which means 100, 150, 200 ohm might work for the set up. Although I will try out 1000 ohm just for another data point.

Thanks.