Ortofon RS-309D opinions

Hello Sprog,

Thanks for your opinion and welcome here on Audiogon.

I listened the Ortofon RS309D - A90 combo at Top Audio show in Milano and I agree it is a fantastic combination.
The probem is eventually with the Benz LP and unfortunately no one here owns this duo.
It would be interesting to have opinions about a Jelco 750L 12" inches with Benz LP , a cheaper combination.

Curio, I have an Ortofon AS 309S arm on my Raven One (its the 12 inch arm),and a Dynavector cartridge, and use a Synergistic Research Tricon Analog tonearm cable going to the new Fosgate phono stage and Joule Electra LA-150 Mk 2 preamp. The combo is wonderful, great sound, extremely low noise. I'd imagine the Ortofon arm is just below arms like the Graham and Triplanar (its what I could afford at the time when I also bought the Raven One from Jeff at Highwater Sound). I plan to eventually get a Graham arm, but for now I'm one happy camper. Sorry I cant offer you any feedback on the Ortofon arm with the Benz cart. As long as the arm mass provides the proper compliance with the Benz cart, I dont see how you could go wrong.--Mrmitch

What are you RS309D folks using as alignment protractors? I seriously considered buying one but was put off by its unusual geometry. I'm a big fan of arc protractors like Wallytractor and MintLP, which are apparently inappropriate for this arm.

I have the AS309-S and I had the same questions. Ortofon were happy to give an explanation - see below.

I ended up using the alignment gauge that came with the tonearm, as it was a bit difficult to get Mint to make one. Now that I have re-read this, I might try my SPU with pivot to spindle of 314mm.
Anyway, the arm sounds great and clearly more than one way to align cartridges with this or any tonearm.

BTW, I use Mint tractor for my other tonearms.

There are two schools of thought concerning this arm – the figures that are suggested by Ortofon Japan ’s engineers, versus the suggestions by our chief of cartridge engineering (in Denmark ).

The recommendation from the Japanese engineers is:
Mounting distance = 311mm
Eff. Armlength = 326mm
which gives overhang 15mm)
Cartridge parallel to headset, i.e. offset angle like the arm itself (19 deg)

Denmark’s recommendation is:
Mounting dist = 316,6mm
Eff. Armlength = 329mm
Off.set. angle = 16.5 deg

Denmark’s rec. gives Baerwald alignment.
As you see the cartridge need a slight twist with respect to headshell.The stated eff. armlength is easily achieved with Ortofon headshells and most cartridges.

Using a SPU (in G-housing) gives an eff armlength of 329mm
Off.set angle is of course determined by the arm itself, i.e. 19 deg.
A mounting distance of 314mm will then give the best result.

Best wishes,

Louis @ Ortofon

I'm using a Mint with a 309-d which is set at Denmark's recommendations (316.6) for a 309s, in Downunder's message. The cartridge is twisted in the headshell so the offset is correct.

Has anyone noticed the downforce adjustment is useless and you have to set it to zero and move the counterweight to adjust the tracking force...?