MC loading at 47K

It’s an old thread, but this is exactly what i’m doing now by loading my Miyabi MCA at 47k Ohm (JLTi phono stage) and this is by far the best setting for this (low impedance / low output) MC cartridge.

This is not the only one LOMC cartridge in my collection that just fantastic with 47k loading on my preamps (different preams).

How many people on here prefer 47k for MC ?

I tried on 3 or 4 different lomc carts but in all honesty my best results by ear were between 220 and 470. Anything higher
just dulled off the presentation as a musical whole. This was with carts ranging from .24mv to .4mv, maybe really lomc like .1mv or less may show more change?

Btw, using same phono stage as yourself Chakster. If you are still using the GoldNote that is.

Most audiophiles have a Pavlovian response to the question of how to load an MC cartridge.  They've been told for so long and from so many sources to use a low value resistor (typically 100R or some resistance that is about 10X the internal resistance of the cartridge) that they cannot accept another idea.  My money is with Ralph and JC and any other of several knowledgeable gurus.  A few years ago, I inadvertently loaded one of my LOMCs at 47K ohms. The experience was a revelation, and I have never looked back.  There's nothing wrong with the typical approach.  Nor is there anything wrong with 47K ohms, and theory says there is a lot that is good about the idea. 

Unlike Uberwaltz's testimony above, I invariably find that 47K gives a slightly more open, extended sense of treble, compared to 100R.  He doesn't say what cartridges he uses.  In my case, it's ZYX Universe (0.24mV output), Koetsu Urushi, Ortofon MC2000, etc. But, as Ralph says, the phono stage itself has most to do with the outcome.

Lewm.
The 4 carts I tried all with same phono stage.
Lyra Dorian
ZYx RS50
Scheu SL
Ortofon Cadenza Black.

Out of them all the ZYX sounded best at 470 and the rest at 220.

Was and still am open to trying any and all loading but that was results for myself.

Obviously to my ears in my system etc etc.

Long time ago when i bought my first hi-fi phono stage i didn’t know about loading. There was just one switch between mm and mc, later i realized it was just a gain switch, but the load was 47k for both (low and high output cartridges). Guess what phono stage it was?

It was $500 Grado PH-10 phono stage. The reason for no optional loading was obvious (all Grado carts are MI). I was using MC with that phono stage and it was just fine for LOMC.

My secong phono stage was much more expensive (about $2k), but also with no optional loading on MC input, because two SUTs inside the phono stage :) This is still the best phono stage (WLM Phonata ref.) when i need the deepest bass, nothing can beat it in low register for some reason.

Using JLTi at the moment i like 47k for MC, not for all of them, but for most of them (low impedance MC). I can use whatever load resistors with JLTi, i’m using low value resistors only if the cartridge is too bright, but it rarely happens. For open sound 47k Ohm is the best.

Regarding the Uber’s question i think the loading from 100 Ohm to 47k Ohm on my Gold Note phono stage is irrelevant for my FR-7fz. Only when i’m using lower value (for experiment) the sound became rolled off and not interesting in my system. Anything from 100 Ohm to 47k Ohm is good, i can’t detect a big difference with this particular FR-7fz cartridge. However, ZYX CPP-1 headamp does some magic with the same cart, it’s better with ZyX headamp in between FR-7fz and Gold Note phono stage (in MM mode).

Ortofon MC2000 directly connected to Gold Note was fine loaded at 47k or lower.

I think 47k Ohm is pretty much universal for most of my LOMC