Advice needed on MC cartridges

Mijostyn, like you I do prefer a flat uncolored response, so a Soundsmith MI cartidge should be just the ticket in that regard. Thanks for describing the attributes of their cartridges. I watched a couple of Youtube videos by Soundsmith owner Peter Lederman last night, who was describing how he designed his cartridges to address the things you mention about them. Quite interesting. I’ll do some more research on the Lyra and My Sonics you mentioned as well. Thanks.

Raul, I spent considerable time last night studying the impedance issue you mentioned in your earlier post in regards to the Soundsmith Paua impedance requirements. Not even knowing what impedance is, that took some doing. Here is what I found out. The Soundsmith Paua currently available operates at the standard 470 ohm impedance commonly used for mm cartridges. Looks like some redesigning has been done. Here are the specs listed for the Paua on the Uptown Audio site: Look at the last spec listed.

Specifications:
Stylus: Contact Line Nude, 0.100mm SQ
Radius of curvature: Nude Contact Line SELECTED
Cantilever: Telescoping Aluminum Alloy
Recommended Tracking force: 1.7 to 1.9 Grams
Effective tip mass: 0.30 mg
Compliance: 10µm/mN (low compliance)
Frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz ± 1.0 dB
Channel separation (stereo only): 1000 Hz >34 dB 50-15,000 >25 dB
Channel difference: <0.5 dB (Stereo)
Output Voltage: 0.4 mV
DC Resistance (DCR): 10-11 O each channel
Coil: 2.75 mH each channel
Suggested Preamp Gain: 58-64 dB
Soundsmith Recommends: MCP2 Variable Loading Preamp
Cartridge weight: 10.25 grams
Recommended Loading: 470 Ohms

The 470 ohm setiing is available as the MM phono amp (phono stage) setting on the Luxman 507uX MK II. So I should be good there if I end up going with the Paua. I’m only in the early stages of research however, so we’ll see.

I do recall you mentioning the VP 3-D bi-pivot option, now that you mention it and wondered what that was, but didn’t realize that it was a mod, rather than a separate tonearm. I am paying close attention to your posts, so please be flattered, And I do admit to never having had much short term memory, especially when it comes to remembering person’s names, I take a lot of notes, write things down, and bookmark lots of sites as I research to compensate.

Mike

Loading for MM cartridges is 47K Ohms.

Until recently I might have agreed with the conventional wisdom.  I have used an Accuphase AC2 MC cartridge into a Counterpoint SA-2 Headamp into an ARC SP-6 preamp for years, because it sounded about as good as you can get.  But recently in my second system I installed my old ADC XLM with a new ZLM original manufacture's Shibata cartridge feeding the phono preamp stage of an Accuphase BT-2 preamp (which equals the SP-6 phono stage) and get equal/better sound.  Since you already have the Shibata stylus'ed cartridge, try carefully and painstakingly adjusting the Vertical Tracking Angle of the cartridge.  Very small differences change the sound a lot.  Get it right and then judge your satisfaction.  If it sounds very good and "right" to you, then stay with it.

Erichsch- this is getting increasingly confusing. If the loading impedance for the Soundsmith Paua MI cartridge is 470 ohms, is that different from the listed 47 k input resistance listed in the Luxman 507uX Mkii specs? The electronics terminology may be lost on me. When I saw the 47 in both I thought it must be the same figure. Maybe not. Somebody please steer me straight. Thanks,

Mike

I emailed Soundsmith to get an answer on the compatability of the Paua mk II MI cartridge and the Luxman integrated’s phonostage. I’ll post the answer from them for anyone interested.

Mike