Cartridge incompatibility, Soundsmith and Luxman

Dave, the Luxman website page on the 590ax2 ( not the 250 or 500) indeed gives very little useful information regarding the phono section, but the many photos of the many PCBs reveal no evidence of a SUT anywhere. Furthermore the unit seems built with discrete components rather than op amps and SMDs. So I am guessing it would be easy to remove the putative 100R load resistors and replace them with 470R or higher. I’d use 1000R or even higher, unless PL has a preference for exactly 470R. I knew that Luxman use a SUT in their flagship 500 phono stage, so my a priori expectation was to find there is a SUT also in the OP’s unit, but that doesn’t seem to be the case so far as I can tell from the scant information.

@intactaudio ​​​​@lewm Thanks guys. The information is indeed very limited... all the website gives is this:

PHONO (MM): 2.5mV/47kΩ
PHONO (MC): 0.3mV/100Ω

Basically no information expect that the loading for the MC is very low, which explains why the Soundsmith Zephyr Star MIMC is not very happy. The sound is really wide and you can clearly place each performer in their space, but there's no highs at all.

I'm not much of an DIY guy and the prospect of opening up the L-590AXII to replace a resistor is not something I feel comfortable with. I sold all the separates to simplify things and having to modifying a new amp isn't very appealing. I think changing the cartridge is the easiest and best solution.

I also have an MIMC Star, and have found the loading of 1,000k works best for me (wish I had the option of around 850 though, and 470 lacked a bit of 'sparkle'), and my gain is set at 60 dB. My setting on my Hagerman Trumpet MC provide a variety of setting for MC, and these are what I have settled at. 

Provided as an example from another MIMC user.

Dear @audiojan  :   I already told you that before ant thing else you can contact directly to Luxman to have a better know about that 100 ohms resistor and if  it can changed by a technician . 

You don't have to distress at all before doing that and after Luxman answer you can now what to do.

Normally the change of that resistor could be simple for a good technician, don't have to do it by your self.

You like the SS quality level performance, well at least make the intent by email to Luxman for know if you can follow enjoying the cartridge in the future or not.

Sorry @lewm  but you made a very high bad " noise " here with the SUT when the unit has no SUT . You gave an explanation of MC cartridge and SUT impedance and the like with out any necessity to do it. Sorry but no sense of what you posted down there about. Even in the same post you said the need of a good technician to change the resistor. Makes sense to you? because  the OP does not needs that kind of mix-up/confusion for something that's simple to solve even that till today the OP just does not email Luxman , obviously is up to him. Never mind.

R.

I have no idea what you’re talking about. I never advocated a SUT to solve this particular problem. I really think you ought to reread whatever previous post of mine has got you confused, and maybe then you will understand better what I was trying to say. Anyway, I think you would agree that a clear pathway to a solution has been agreed-upon by just about everyone who has commented in the past 48 hours. So there really is no need to bring up whatever it is you don’t like about me or my previous comment.