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Cartridge loading

Presently I am using a ZU/Denon DL103 mc cartridge with ZU Audio's highest tolerances.  I had this cartridge mounted on my VPI Prime and after going through all the various loading combinations, I settled on 200 ohms.  I was always satisfied with my choice of setting.  I no longer have the Prime and now use the Technics SL1200G turntable.  After having the same cartridge mounted and aligned by the dealer, I inserted it into my system and enjoyed the sound immensely, never touching the 200 ohm setting.

Yesterday I was listening to vinyl most of the day and for some reason I found the sound to be better than ever, mostly in the treble area.  The highs had shimmer when needed and I had played the same records many times before on the Prime and they never sounded as good as they did yesterday.  Just for the heck of it, I checked the cartridge loading and found it was now set at 1000 ohms.  As I said, when I put the Technics into the system, I never bothered changing the loading which was at 200 ohms as it was the same cartridge, just a different turntable.

I believe I know what happened, when I last used the tone controls on my McIntosh preamp, (you have to shuffle through a menu) I must have inadvertently put the cartridge loading at 1000 ohms.  It truly sounds fantastic, better than I ever thought possible.  The Bass is still very deep and taut, midrange is the same but the treble, oh my, so much better.  Now the million dollar question is why should it now sound better at 1000 ohms, when it sounded great before at 200 ohms?  Can the tonearm on the Technics have an effect on cartridge loading?  I always thought it was all dependent on the preamp, amp and speakers.  What am I missing here?  I am very curious to know.  The specs for my cartridge say greater than 50 ohms for loading.

Thanks
128x128stereo5
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,760 posts
 
please don't change the words. You posted several times:

  "" will limit the ability of the cartridge to trace higher frequencies .."""
I didn't. There is nothing above that suggests I did other than your text.
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rauliruegas
13,015 posts
 
Useless with you. Keep talking with no true evidence of that " limit cartridge trace/tracking " due to loading changes. Only your bla, bla that at least for me is not enough because I have very low understand to with out evidence.

@lewm did you know how much " force " do you need to apply/need/ at the base of the cantilever to really impedes at the stylus tip position its free movements, a tiny movement? no? then what are you talking about? yes? please let us know?. and please no bla, bla like your friend but true evidence.
Btw, do you know the " power forces/inertia " generated at the stylus tip when ridding the grooves at 33/45 rpm and what " force " is need it to " limit the trace " of the stylus tip to track when appliyed that force/loading at the other end of the cantilever?

For the five time in this thread: Palmer is the only gentleman that did it his technical job where he found out no single evidence of that " limit trace " by the cartyridge loading. Is the only gentleman that posted true evidence but obviously as your friend you don't beleive him with out reason by your part.

Btw, you participated in that " party " of your friend and you was dancing with emotion when posted that you preffer listen to your MC cartridges at 47K ! ! From that same time/moment your credibility with me in that specific regards goes down/falls.

R.


lewm
12,875 posts
 
 Raul, it may shock you to learn that my credibility with you or lack thereof is not a matter that concerns me a great deal. We disagree on many many things, and you know that.  But you have absolutely no grounds to say that a 47K load on a LOMC cartridge sounds best to me in my system in my house with my equipment. Your system is almost a direct antithesis of mine to begin with, and you have never been in my house. Here it is not even a matter of disagreement. I seek understanding, and I am getting some understanding by reading the posts of Palmer, Ralph, and Dave Slagle. Perhaps I could thank you for being provocative, so I can learn from those other  persons.  The only thing I can be said to have contributed to this discussion is the concept that there must be a back EMF generated at the coil of a cartridge, just like the back EMF that is generated at the coil of an electromagnetic loudspeaker.  There seems to be general agreement that that is the case. After that, I am all ears and I do not pretend to be a source of knowledge. Yes, Ralph is my friend, and so is Dave. That has nothing to do with anything.
intactaudio
300 posts
 
who is this "palmer" and can someone point me to the relevant posts of his regarding this subject?

dave
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rauliruegas
13,015 posts
 
Dear @lewm : """ But you have absolutely no grounds to say that a 47K load on a LOMC cartridge sounds best to me in my system in my house with my equipment. """

Really? , well you have a short time memory even of what you post. Here is what you posted about, your words not mines:


""" But I have lately found that even LOMC cartridges sound their best when the cartridge is essentially un-loaded, at 47K ohms. The treble is more "open" and airy. Dynamics are also improved vs more traditional values of load resistance. """

and you followed:


""" I only recently experimented with reducing the load on my LOMC cartridges, which is to say I am running them at 47K ohms routinely now. I find the sonics to be more open and airy that way, and I feel no impulse to move back to the more typical 100R value. """


In the other side, yes I know that there is no reason for you can have a matter/worry that lost of credibility. Who cares about?, certainly not me ( not shock for me in any way. ) and obviously not you but after those posts by your self finally I can understand why you almost " die " for the FR/Dinavector ( terrible/horrible. ) tonearms and is because you love those kind of distortions. Good for you.
In my case I like different kind of distortions.

R.


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