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Helikon LOADING

Hi, I am really confused as to what is the right loading for this cartridge. The info that came with cartridge recommends 100 ohms to 47 K ohms. The inernal resistance is 5.5 ohms. This is quite a big range to decipher the 'correct' loading or 'equalization'(my analogy)and also tough to find the right phono that matches with unknown loading. I am auditioning few phonos at present and want to slect the right combination.

Also I want to have phono that is future proof, that is if I explore in multiple different cartridges, the phono amp is/will be compatible with these Carts. I read form past threads that general guideline is 25 times its internal impedance. How hard and fast this rule is?

So what is YOUR HELIKON LOADING? and how did you decide this value?

thx,

Nil
nilthepill
rwd
695 posts
 
I have a Helikon also and an Aesthetix Rhea phone stage. I load my Helikon at 500. With the Rhea you can choose the setting while at your listening seat. This setting sounds fine to me.

Rick (RWD)
gmorris
351 posts
 
Jeff Jones:

The complex impedance is given by:

Z = R +iX.

Your formula for the real impedance (amplitude, etc) is incorrect. The amplitude is given by the square root of the complex conjugate product, ie:

|Z|**2 = ZZ* = R**2 + X**2

** denotes exponent, and Z* is the complex conjugate of Z

Raul:

I was not trying to be dismissive of your opinions. My response was to demonstate that contrary to what you stated (as being definitive and the only correct position) the optimal loading value is indeed system dependent. The recommended manufacturer value is only a guide or baseline.
jeff_jones
418 posts
 
Gmorris - Thought you were using iX for inductive reactance, point taken.
Am still wondering if anyone will bite on mechanical damping being an important (or not) aspect of cart loading though. Happy listening all!
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
Jeff, there are three kinds of mechanical damping I can think of, are you including all of them in your wonderment?
1.) Cart. suspension
2.) Tonearm effective mass (static inertia)
3.) Possible silicone trough damping or magnetic damping.
jeff_jones
418 posts
 
Nsgarch - Just pondering magnetic damping from the cart working like an alternator. If you go back to your descriptions of sound at too high and too low of loading values, it is similar to what you would expect of an underdamped and overdamped (respectively) suspension.
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