Question on loading and interconnects

Dear Wrtickle: +++++" Is there a way I can experiment with cables (higher or lower capacitance maybe?) that will create a percieved load closer to 1k or 1.5k ohm? " +++++

First the capacitance comes in measure Farads and impedance comes in measure Ohms. What you want is a higher impedance than the 400 Ohms that you are using at the moment. No, you can do it through cables. What you can do is to change the resistors value on your phono-pre to the desired value.

Btw, what problem do you have with your Cardas/Benz Micro cartridge?, the 400 Ohms seems ok. Do you already try it at 47K?

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Thank you all for your responses, very much appreciated...especially the circuits-for-dummys type site.

Raul - I have no "problem" with the cart, just a desire to try more loading values. Of the four available on the phono boards the 400ohm is certainly the best for me, and things are sounding the best they ever have, although a touch (and I do mean just a touch) on the dull side at times. I thought bumping up the load might put me in absolute nirvana.

circuits-for-dummys was a fun read.

Dear Wrtickle: I know very well the Cardas sound and I like it. I think that the " dull " perceived sound at the frequency extremes is not really a dull sound per se: I think it is a little polite and relaxed one against other more alive cartridges sound.

Maybe, and I say only maybe, if you change the phono cable you could have or be nearest for what you are looking for.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

If you want a convenient way to experiment with loadings, make or have made for you a phono cable that has a box in the middle that has two sets of binding posts. I had John Chapman of Bent Audio make one up for me that had male RCA connectors at both ends so that it could connect to the terminal box on my VPI turntable. For my other turntable, that has male RCAs coming out of the tonearms, I had a knowledgeable friend build a similar cable using Cardas' finest wire and connectors - a cable with male RCAs at one end and female RCAs at the other. You can buy from Bent Audio a set of resistor pairs in 20 different values. This should be enough to get you started.

With the binding posts, swapping resistors in and out is a 30 second task, so comparisons between resistor values is very easy. Plus, the cost of buying additional loadings is very cheap, just the cost of two resistors.