Cartridge Loading- Low output M/C


I have a Plinius Koru- Here are ADJUSTABLE LOADS-
47k ohms, 22k ohms, 1k ohms, 470 ohms, 220 ohms, 100 ohms, 47 ohms, 22 ohms

I'm about to buy an Ortofon Cadenza Bronze that recommends loading at 50-200 ohms

Will 47 ohms work? Or should I start out at 100 ohms?

I'm obviously not well versed in this...and would love all the help I can get.

Also is there any advantage to buying a phono cartridge that loads exactly where the manufacturer recommends?

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
krelldog
@krelldog it's endless thread, good if you learned something, but it's obvious that you can only TRY differend loading to find what YOU like the most, not other people. As been said there is no harm for your cartridge to try whatever loading. If you prefer to read instead of listening then it's very specific way to learn. Practice is more important. This is why it's nonsence to ask what other people like when it comes to loading, simply becase you system does not sound like other people systems. For example you can prefer loading "X" with one amp/speakers and loading "Y" with another amp/speakers.  
Your right...and the reading led to practicing. I was clueless before I posted the thread.
I bought my Plinius Koru when I bought my current cart-Ortofon Quintet Black. Ortofon recommended me loading the cartridge at 20 ohms. I had a 22 ohm load setting and thats where I set it.
My soon arriving Ortofon Cadenza Bronze recommended loading at 50-200 ohms...I was just looking for a little direction....thus the thread.
I'm glad I posted it....I got some great feedback.
Actually, adding an additional pole can be as simple as finding a bias/protection resistor in series with a high impedance node in the signal path then adding a shunt cap to ground. For example, in the AD797 opamp based MC phono stage in AudioKarma there is a second opamp that actually performs the de-emphasis and it has a 390 ohms resistor in series with the non-inverting input that also is in the signal path from the first gain stage. 
The resistor is there mostly to minimize offset in the second stage. Adding a 3300pF cap to ground from the "output" end of the resistor improves the RIAA compliance and also improves the RFI immunity of the second stage. Many LOMC preamps have a non-inverting gain stage followed by a non-inverting RIAA deemphasis stage and the changes can be readily made. 
The second stage has much lower overload margins than the first stage due to the fact that it has boosted signal levels, especially in the bass.
Also, If it is non-inverting, the gain at HF of the second stage is asymptotic to unity so that, without the additional pole, the level of RFI well above the audio band is the same as that at the output of the first amplifier stage.
However, the overload margin is lower and the desired signals are much larger, so the chance of RFI causing a significant amount of intermodulation which can become audible is higher than in the first stage.
Incidentally, passive de-emphasis stages, placed between the amps which are operated in fixed gain, usually are better in this regard as they don't have the implicit HF zero that forces you to add the extra pole.

Wynpalmer4:  (or anyone else that might have an opinion for that matter)

I am curious to know what your thoughts might be regarding current mode phono stages that use a low impedance input that supposedly presents almost a short circuit to a moving coil cartridge.

My Aqvox does this so loading is literally taken entirely out of the equation as it is not possible to adjust loading in this mode. According to designers/manufacturers of phono stages this approach results in better performance.

Your thoughts on why this may or may not be a good idea?


Wyn, your coaching is much appreciated. However, I am running discrete differential amplifiers (MATxy devices) throughout, and there is no "bias/protection resistor in series with a high impedance node in the signal path". Also, I am using air or vacuum capacitors exclusively in the signal path, and so virtually any cap, let alone a 3300pF cap, is a non-trivial intrusion into available volume.

Also, I hear no signs of the problems discussed. Pops and ticks are mostly absent and unusually nonintrusive, even on 'good' grade records. So, for now, will leave the phono/pre alone. Thinking about direct driving my ESL's, for instance - do you have any thoughts about appropriate devices?

Thanks again for your interest.