MC Load Resistance

beware that the audio level will probably change going from a low load to very high, so sometimes louder sounds better, be sure to compensate the volume setting to be sure.

Dear W8aaz: You are spot-on on the subject, especialy when you go from 100 Ohms to 47K!

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

That reminds me, when someone listens to his System with a dull cable and asks for something better, that there will be an advice from a friendly "supporter":
"Buddy, turn the volume up"
and the answer will be:
"Great idea. Thank you"
Having no idea isn't the solution

Dear Almandog, by altering the load resistance of a MC-cartridge you do alter the level of feedback. When going down with the load resistor you do increase the feedback and the bass will ever tighten up and the whole sound do get more controlled (which can get pretty worse....).
In the whole discussion about cartridge loading one very important aspect is sadly forgotten and often neglected: the source impedance of a MC-cartridge is but only ONE of TWO important factors determination the correspondent partner (phono input stage or mc-step-up transformer).
The other one is the inductance.
You need matching impedance AND matching inductance.
Its the very same as with all coil-based transducers in the audio-chain (your speakers (...the drivers coils and the coils in the x-over ...) and the output-stage of the amplifier are the other "link") - inductance AND resistance.
A point often discussed and never neglected in amplifier/speaker design.

Thats why a perfectly matched step-up transformer does always MORE for a given MC cartridge as any high gain phono stage.
The high gain phono stage sans transformer has always some difficulties offering the MC-cartridge the requested and expected matching inductance.........

Dertonarm, Can you please amplify on your statement? For example, what would be the effect of a mismatch between the inductance of the phono input in a SUT-less connection and the inductance of the cartridge itself? I am having trouble visualizing this. Also, how would one calculate the inductance at the input of a phono stage? In almost all cases, the cartridge is "looking at" a resistor that constitutes the load. Most resistors have reactance (i.e., inductance and capacitance) at extreme frequencies but not significant at audio frequencies. If inductance is so critical for a direct connection between cartridge and phono, then perhaps the choice of resistor type is also critical, e.g., wirewounds are the most inductive types that I know of. Further, would you ever advocate adding a very low value inductor in series with the load resistor, in order to match the input to the cartridge? (That brings up another question, are you thinking about inductance in series with the connection or in parallel, where the load resistor sits?) Most of us who don't use a SUT are not used to thinking about inductance with respect to cartridge/preamp matching. Thanks.