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Load Settings Help: Luxman E-250 and Koetsu Black Line

Hi Folks, I could do with some help as I don't understand load impedance or capacitance settings.  

I have a Luxman E-250 for my phono stage which is connected to a Michell Gyro SE with a Tecnoarm 2 and a Koetsu Black gold line cartridge mounted on the arm.  This all feeds a C900u and a M10x. 

The settings on the E-250 are default but I feel there is more to be had with the sound based on some other similar setups i've heard.  Could I get some recommendations on load settings?   

sdavada
elliottbnewcombjr
5,659 posts
 

still hopping about, found a review of a Koetsu Rosewood from 2007 with some info, but tell me what is the Stylus Shape?

"Stylus: specially designed and ground for Koetsu"

"Description: Low-output, moving-coil phono cartridge. Stylus: specially designed and ground for Koetsu. Output: 200µV (1kHz, 5cm/s). Internal impedance: 5 ohms. Frequency range: 20Hz–100kHz. Channel separation: >30dB/1kHz. Channel balance: within 0.5dB/1kHz. Recommended VTF: 1.8–2.0gm. Recommended loading: 5–100k ohms. Compliance: medium-low. Recommended tonearm: medium-high mass."

from this review

a typo? Recommended loading: 5–100k ohms

elliottbnewcombjr
5,659 posts
 

your Luxman Phono needs to be carefully understood,

the MC High is not what I imagined, it will work with fairly low signal strengths, so you can try the MC Low and MC High options as suggested above

Input sensitivity MM: 3.2mV
MC HIGH: 0.37mV, MC LOW: 0.12mV

 

and it will accept very strong signals without overloading (as noted, caution with the volume when changing from low to high).

Maximum allowable input (1kHz) MM: 120mV
MC HIGH: 15mV, MC LOW: 5mV

 

other settings should be understood (or restored to defaults perhaps),

Luxman Phono E 250 specs

Your going thru your C-900U control unit via RCA unbalanced I suspect as the E-250 Phono has only RCA out, so the c 900U RCA in is 43K input sensitivity

Input sensitivity/Input impedance

Unbalanced 255mV/43kΩ
Balanced 255mV/86kΩ

 

 

 

so I would set the Luxman E 250 dip switches 1 and 2 for 47K impedance

I don’t know, but would like to learn about dip switches 3 and 4 for capacity pF, anyone?

artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5
1,992 posts
 

As I understand atma-sphere (Ralph Karsten's) explanation, the lower your setting is, the stiffer the cantilever (& suspension) of your cartridge will get. The higher settings allow the cartridge to track more freely. I have found that many LOMC cartridges sound best at 47K ohms, even  though that is the typical MM cartridge setting.

I'd suggest that you start off with the 47K ohm setting & move down from there. At 47K you may have a brightness or glare If your phono preamp doesn't have a stable circuit. Move to 1K if that is the case and work down. Ralph explains it much better. But I've used 47K for many years with little or no issue

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