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Of Moving Magnets - Step ups - and phono stages

In the process of relocating I've sold off most of my equipment and now it's time to put it back together. My former system contained a C-J Premier 15 phono stage. I used it with a Thorens TD124/RB300 arm/Ortofon Kontrapunkt B and a Rege P3/Rega Exact/ Rb300 arm. Today I'm left with both table set ups and a Bottlehead Seduction phono stage. The b-Head works great with the Rega Exact cart. but doesen't offer enough kick for the Ortofon.
Which direction would you guys go with a budget of $2000.00
1) MC step up amp? The idea of another link in the chain kinda bugs me.
2) Buy a used phono stage that can handle both? These carts have a fair amount of mileage on them.
3) Upgrade to a really nice new MM cart? Please make suggestions.
The rest of the system at this time is a TAD-60 amp w/volume control and Oswalds Mill Mini speakers.
Thanks in advance for your opinions.
schiss
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Heyraz, the Ortofon Kontrapunkt B is a low output moving coil cartridge, designed to work into a load impedance of 50 to 200 ohms, according to the listing for it at vinylengine.com. So a suitably chosen SUT would work fine with it.

Your Grado low output moving iron cartridge, on the other hand, wants to see a load impedance of 47K, so the low impedance that would be seen looking into the primary of a SUT would not be a proper load for it. The same would hold true for most low output moving magnet cartridges.

The Rega Exact is a moving magnet cartridge with a very high output (7.2mv according to the vinylengine.com listing). Therefore a SUT is obviously both unnecessary and unsuitable for use with it.

Best regards,
-- Al
heyraz
177 posts
 
It's too bad there aren't any hifi stores with demo rooms anymore, at least not in my vicinity. Back in the day, you got to listen before you purchased.
tommycosmo
17 posts
 

don't know if this will help at all, and i know very little about these Moving Coil Cartridges
BUT i have a Vintage PS Audio MC Amplifier. i got it along with a couple other PS Audio units on an eBay auction a couple years back.

the early PS Audio gear is really sweet, i have some 70s and 80 units in my primary and secondary systems. the technology is simple and the sound is surprisingly clean and straight up. i am not familiar with today's high end equipment but would willingly match this vintage gear with anything out there. i have tried to initiate a new thread here in the analog section but am awaiting moderator approval, which does not seem to be forthcoming. i have no idea what this MC Amp might be worth but would like to see it go to a new home where it can be of benefit to somebody. from perusing your thread and responses, this might be right up your alley.

there is no data in the A-gon BlueBook to indicate its value but i'd be happy to describe it further to you if you wish, and even to send you some pix. from what i gathered here, it seems you would be looking to add a *link* in the chain either way, so it feels like this could be of interest to you...

if you wish to contact me directly, look me up in the member look-up section. perhaps somebody watching this will chime in with some input on this comment?

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