Tweaking the new Grado Timbre Sonata 3

A resistor can be soldered in series with the hot lead either inside the RCA or inside the phono stage. If its a big deal go for it. Otherwise if guys are saying Grado can be slow to loosen up then wait and see.

Yes, but if he wants to adjust his existing 47k --> 10k he needs to put it in parallel, not series.  Since 10k II 47k = ~ 8.2k, use something like 15k.  I have no idea if that's the right load. I use 47k on mine and its certainly not too bright.  ask John.

Very few manufacturers of the phono stages will give you optional load for MM/MI, for this reason I am using JLTi Phono stage with special mod made by the manufacturer for me. I can use whatever resistors (RCA plug- in parallel) for my MM or MC cartridges, because internal load resistors in my JLTi is 500 000 Ohm, for my MM or MI i can use whatever up to 100 000 Ohm (100k Ohm).

For all my MM/MI I’m using 47k - 100k Ohm.

But if i want to load it i can do that to 10k or whatever.

Apart from Grado the OP is referring to, I have never seen any other cartridge with recommended load resistors range from 10k to 47k given by the manufacturer.

But very often the recommended range is 30k - 100k Ohm for MM.

The 47k Ohm is not mandatory for MM or MI cartridges and never was!

+1 frogman, mofimadness

Accidentally posted this in my Hum thread but it should have been posted here:

Ok. Update.
It’s not the TT, cart, stand, motor, and it’s not the phono preamp (since I changed phono pre and it still did it).

i just hooked up a different TT with a different cart set on the concrete floor, and ran it to the same preamp / amp and I’m STILL getting the pumping.
So it must have something to do with the amp or preamp.
They are both tube components, so what could be happening here? They are both old in the tooth, but what’s odd is they don’t do it with the CD player, just when the TT.