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suitable tonearm for audio technica AT-150mlx

I'm getting a bit confused about arm compatibilty/cartridge compliance etc. I have a relatively high compliance Audio Technica AT-150mlx and wonder if my Origin Live Encounter MK3c (latest version) with an effective mass of around 12.5g would be suitable or do I risk damaging the cartridge? I also have an OL Conqueror MK3c with a higher mass of around 14g that I would like to try out with the cartridge. Also is it just a question of mass or also quality of bearings? - obviously the bearings on the Origin Live arms are excellent. Thanks in advance.
arco123
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,991 posts
 
IMHO option, either arm will work very well with that cartridge. I've used my AT150MLX on a Rega RB600, Audioquest PT9 and a Zeta(van den Hul) all with excellent results.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
The AT-150MLX is not a relatively high compliance cartridge.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
12-23-11: Audiofeil
The AT-150MLX is not a relatively high compliance cartridge.
You are correct, sir. The AT150MLX has a dynamic compliance rating of (x 10-6 cm/dyne, 100 Hz): 10.0. The Ortofon 2M series is about a 20, the Grados a 25 and the Shure M97xE a 30.

The AT150MLX makes for a 10.89 Hz resonance on a 12.5g arm, which is close to ideal; on the 14g arm the resonance drops to 10.53 Hz which is theoretically better, but probably insignificant. I'm using a Technics SL1210 arm with an AT150MLX mounted on a 14g (or thereabouts) headshell making for a total effective mass of about 18.5g (plus the 8.3g cartridge) and the resonant peak is also a near-ideal 9.62 Hz. So as you can see, with 10 Hz being the ideal resonant peak, the AT150MLX comes very close to that with a tonearm whose effective mass ranges from 12 to 19 g.
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