What trans (SUT) for a Victor mc-5E cartridge?


Hello,

I have this cartridge (and this is my first experience with mc cart, I have never had any before) and I have a good MM amplifier
so I am looking for a step up transformer for this cart.
(https://audio-heritage.jp/VICTOR/etc/mc-5e.html)
It is said to be 30ohn cart. What should I get or look for in order
to get a proper match? I am looking at
1-denon au-340 (Though I can see there 40 ohm indication. Is it a big difference, incompatible? )
2-Fidelity Research FRT-4
3-Entre ET-100-2 I dont know the characteristics , will it suit or not?

4-Denon au-s1 but I dont know the characteristics either

But maybe there is smth much better for this cart? What would you suggest? Thank you
Serge

serge8

lewm: The Denon 340 and Entré 100-2 comes with  3 different gain/ratio  and impedance choices. There is no problem as you posted.

 

I think the OP is looking for help  and those two SUTs have the solution/answer to him and his cartridge that over time I'm sure it won't be his first and last LOMC cartridge. Don't you think?

 

R.

Dear Raul, please reread my post. Transformers have no impedance per se. My point is that with the peculiar nature of this cartridge, having a low output and a high internal resistance, the choices of gain ratio are limited to around 1 to 10 or may be a little higher, if one wants to observe the rule of thumb about impedance matching. Of course, one is always free to ignore that principle. But if you choose to use a higher gain ratio transformer, then you will be wasting some of the already very low cartridge output. It’s like chasing your tail.

Which is why it would be useful to know what phono and linestage the OP uses.

I just checked the specifications of the Denon AU 340 transformer. I agree it would be a good choice for the OP, if he will have enough total gain with just a 1 to 10 step up ratio. Using the 40 ohm inputs of the transformer, a gain ratio of 1 to 10 is provided. The designer of the transformer was accounting for the fact that most phono stages present a 47K ohm load, and the resulting 470 ohm impedance will be fine for a 40 ohm cartridge, or a 30 ohm cartridge such as the one owned by the OP. So there is nothing about this that is different from what I have been saying. If he had a 3 ohm internal impedance cartridge, the transformer can provide a 1 to 33 gain ratio. Bur the 3 ohm inputs should obviously not be used with his cartridge because the 1:33 turns ratio results in a less than 47 ohm impedance for his 30 ohm cartridge. In that scenario about half the cartridge output is lost to ground and for other reasons there would be loss of treble.

lewm : " Which is why it would be useful to know what phono and linestage ""

 

No, the problem is that usually you really did not read the OP thread or even make not a minimum search of the SUT's OP named or whatever OP threads.

Not doing that job only " distress " a MC newcomer with out necessity .

Anyway, the OP is safe with those SUT's no matters what.

 

R.

Raul, I can only hope that you get some help for your hostility. Did you notice that I agree with you on a choice of SUT? Perhaps you are the one who either does not read or does not fully understand. You need a certain amount of signal voltage to drive an amplifier. Typically at least 0.5V, or more is better to achieve full output. If you use the 40 ohm inputs on the AU340, you will increase the output of his cartridge from 0.2mV to 2mV. If you connect that to a typical MM stage with 40db of gain, you will derive an output from the phono stage of 200mV or 0.2V. You would want some additional gain from the linestage in order to drive an amplifier to satisfying levels. The OP himself has not posted since he introduced this thread. I am trying to be helpful to serge8, whether that upsets you or not. The 3-ohm inputs on an AU340 are of no real use to the OP, given his predetermined choice of cartridge, but the Denon is a good unit, and it wouldn’t hurt to have the capacity to accommodate a future LOMC cartridge that might have a more typical low internal resistance. I see that the OP also posted his question on Vinyl Engine, where he got a similar response from one of the guys there, without the craziness.