MC loading is a very subjective topic -- for everyone who insists that there’s a black/white difference between one load and another there are just as many who say it makes little if any difference. In large part this is because what loading does is actually change how the downstream pre-amp deals with RFI produced by the interaction between the cartridge and the cables it is connected to
Tom (of Galibier Design) has an excellent discussion of the topic here and his advice is spot on -- as you can see even when a manufacturer insists on a given load this result is itself a function of the phono stage and downstream preamp in use so may not be true in your setup. You have to try a range and see what works for you, and unless you have a really wacky and unstable amplifier you should have no risk of every causing any problems.
This page from Hagerman (http://www.hagtech.com/loading.html) also gives you the maths and illustrative charts of the impact of loading on frequency response -- but again what works in your system, and for your hearing, is going to be different then what works in mine
Tom (of Galibier Design) has an excellent discussion of the topic here and his advice is spot on -- as you can see even when a manufacturer insists on a given load this result is itself a function of the phono stage and downstream preamp in use so may not be true in your setup. You have to try a range and see what works for you, and unless you have a really wacky and unstable amplifier you should have no risk of every causing any problems.
This page from Hagerman (http://www.hagtech.com/loading.html) also gives you the maths and illustrative charts of the impact of loading on frequency response -- but again what works in your system, and for your hearing, is going to be different then what works in mine