Cartridge Loading.....Part II
I read last night the below noted discussion with great interest. It's a long post but worth the effort and I found it interesting.
It started me thinking about the amount of loading on my moving coil cartridges. Years ago I purchased my first MC Cart, a very nice Benz Micro Glider, medium output of 0.5 mV as I recall. At that time I inquired about loading here on Audiogon. I was convinced, via discussion, by another member, that 300 Ohms was the magic number, so I thought.
Time moved onward and my second MC Cart is currently a Lyra Delos, again medium output 0.6mV. Both carts had Boron cantilevers', 6 nines oxygen free copper coils and line contact diamond stylis. When I set up the Delos I did not change or even consider 'loading' changes. That was a grand mistake.....
Well, thanks to this specific thread I started to second guess myself . (you can do this when retired and more time is on your hands....)
My take from this recent thread is as follows. Load at 100 Ohms or at 47K Ohms with a quality MC cartridge. I opened up my Conrad Johnson EF1 Phono Stage this afternoon. Found it set at 500 Ohms loading. 100 Ohms is not an available setting. Damn...All these years I've been running the wrong loading, and on two carts, back to back... I don't recall why I set the loading at 500 Ohms. Faulty logic.
I reset the loading to 47K, buttoned things up and called the wife in for a listening session. Sure as heck both of us noticed the highs were crisper and more 'apparent' than in the recent past. Not a huge difference, but yes, a difference.. Hard lesson learned!
So, you smarter folks on this site might banter amongst yourselves, but in reality there are those of us, behind the curtains, reading and listening! I just wish I hadn't wasted all those years listening to the incorrect load setting!
Ending with a sincere thank you very much!!
Lou
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- 118 posts total
@atmasphere I have been pondering a experience I had recently where a SUT was brought along to a demonstration that was said to be the ideal match for the Cartridge used in the system. Prior to the SUT being used other models were used and a Phasemation Degauss Device was used, to prepare a condition that was consistent. When the ideal match SUT was entered into the system, I was immediately astonished at how I was perceiving the presentation as being effortless and free from constraint, in comparison to the other SUT Models. There was an Alchemy beyond my understanding. The description on offer from yourself, might just have made me a little more aware of what I was experiencing. I have made the post available to my Local HiFi Group to ponder over, I'm sure there are few who will enjoy your descriptions and take from it a lesson learned. 👌 |
Been following the cartridge loading threads with interest. I have a VPI Prime, AudioTechnica ART9 MC and Supratek Chenin which has a cart loading slider switch where I can change values while playing LP's - 47k, 1K, 100 and 10 setpoints. Used 'As falls Wichita so falls Wichita falls' excellent ECM recording. At 47K the center soundstage more defined, and background sounds more volume and integrated into the soundstage fabric. My take-a-way is the cartridge, the pre-amp and your tastes in sound all partners in the setting that's best. For me 47K. |
Dear friends: LOMC cartridges are not sensitive to load impedance but exist a relationship between the cartridge internal inductance and the overall capacitance with the phono stgae/IC cable that are the ones that could change the " color " of what we listen with changes in load impedances. Why active high gain phono stages does not comes with fixed 47k impedance? because is not the standard for a LOMC but more for MM/MI cartridges. Normally active high gain phono stages are designed and comes with choices with load impedance between 50 ohms and 1k impedance values. Yoday phono stages designs comes with high/healthy overload(headroom levels and really has not problems . So, we have not to distress about LOMC load impedance just tests the alternatives that has your phono stages and set up the one that fulfill your needs. There is no correct or incorrect choice about and no you can't have compliance changes with load impedance changes that could be higher enough for you can detect or for you have to be worried about, no distress other way of thinking is just bs. Next, the first hand experiences of almost all of you audiophiles about:
""" Benz Micro Wood SL and have it loaded at 150 Ohms which I thought sounded best after some trial and error. The specs for the cartridge list >100 Ohms. I tried 47K Ohms and as others have experienced I found that setting to be harsh and the music lacked cohesiveness. """
"" I do not subscribe to loading a moving coil at 47k, I reserve that for my many moving magnets. What is neat about my pro-ject tube box DS2 is that I am able to dial up any impedance loading so desired on the fly from 0 to 1000 ohms. ""
"" specially my Denon 103R that sound better with lower loading, but I like the 103R at 1.6K rather than 100 or 400 ohms. I'm happy to experiment with all the different settings, regardless of what's considered correct. FWIW, I like some of my MM carts at 68K rather than 47K. I wish I had 100K to try easily. "
"" indicates, the instructions on my Lyra cartridge recommends anything between 100 to 1000 ohms. The phono stage (Manley Steelhead) recommends just listening to the cartridge at various loads, and pick what sounds best. ""
"" like others I have found 47k to be way to bright/harsh when tried. I have usually settled into more of a “loaded” sound than “unloaded” as I prefer the generally beefier low end. ""
"" my Lyra Kleos sounds best anywhere between 60 to 500 ohms depending on recordings (overly dark ones at 500, overly bright ones at 60 and 400 for most, that's why I love the PS audio stellar phono preamp with its instant ohms adjustment on the remote). However the changes are not very significant. On the other hand, my new Sumiko Starling sounds best between 100 and 280 but changes are much more significant. Anything 300 and higher, count me out since it loses its slam. ""
R.
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- 118 posts total