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Newb on the loose

Have a ClearAudio Concept TT with ClearAudio Satisfy carbon arm with a Denon DL 110 attached. It's all plugged into a Jolida JD9 II phono pre. It sounds nice, but I think the table/arm are capable of better. And yes, I have tubes coming for the Jolida. Anyways, being somewhat unschooled as of today, I'm unsure of what to watch for as far as arm/cart/phono pre matching goes.
Would you gentlemen be so kind as to let me know what carts are compatible with my set up please. Prefer HOMC, but willing to try a quality MM as well. I don't want to purchase a step up transformer at this point, so that limits my options.
Anyone have any suggestions?? Something I can live with for a year or two before upgrading again. And please don't say Denon DL 110 please.

Thanks,
Shawn
128x128shawnlh
shawnlh's avatar
shawnlh OP
37 posts
 
I spent at lease 5 hours on-line trying to figure out what carts will work with my rig. But some of the numbers and formulas I'm just not smart enough to grasp. That's why I asked for help.
And I have looked at the carts mentioned, but it seems the Jolida JD9 is limiting my options. I really don't want to have to purchase a step up transformer at this point.
One other question, can you "over cart" the table? I mean the Concept is a nice table, but would dropping a five thousand dollar cart really benefit? And yes I'm exaggerating, but you get the point.
Anyone have specific carts in mind that will work with the equipment (arm/phono-pre) I have? Say around the $1000.00-$1500.00 mark?
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Shawn- according to the specs, there is either 85 or 95 dB of gain through the MC input. That's more then enough for an LOMC cart, which the specs verify, saying the LOMC input can handle carts w output as low as 0.25 mV. There are only a few carts that can't make 0.25 mV. To get more gain from an MC, you need more turns on the coil, which makes it heavier, which makes it less responsive, which negates the basic benefit of an MC cart. If you really don't want to use an LOMC for some other reason, I'd suggest consulting the long-running thread on MM and MI carts on this forum.
shawnlh's avatar
shawnlh OP
37 posts
 
Thanks.
So If I were install the ClearAudio Concerto V2 on...link to specs....http://clearaudio.de/_assets/_pdf/manuals/cartridges/CA_MC%20V2_E+D.pdf

Then I would turn on switch #3 for gain, and then switch #1 and #8 for the impedance/loading correct? ...Link...http://www.musicdirect.com/documents/pdf/AJD9.pdf go to page 8.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
The Concerto v.2 is what I would call medium output. I would try the MC high setting or medium on the gain (Switch 2) which is incorrectly called impedance in the manual. If you don't have enough gain, you can try switch 3 but you may get too much tube rush. Use Switch 2 (300 ohm) on the impedance switch.
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,645 posts
 
Your tonearm has an effective mass of 9 grams( on the low side). Make sure the cartridge you decide to get is one of higher compliance. Just remember high compliance cartridge lower mass tonearm, low compliance cartridge higher mass tonearm.
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