This cartridge seems to be one of the least popular of all benz cartridges even though whoever has heard it says amazing things about it. Even here, where the most expensive cartridges and tonearms are discussed so commonly, not many seems to have any experience with this cart. Strange!!
Step up transformer for Benz Ebony TR cartridge
Friends, I have a good offer on a Benz Ebony LP and Benz Ebony TR. I have not heard either of them. I would ideally like a clean, fast and natural sounding cartridge. Recently I heard a Lyra Delos on a Rega P9 and RB1000 tonearm, while it was clean and fast it had a very CD like presentation. On good recordings it was great but on average recordings the high frequency was very CD like. I did not enter the Vinyl world to hear a CD like thing, no matter how high the resolution might be. IMO, analogue playback can remain or retain its analogue character still retrieve tons of details and play high resolution.
This is exactly my expectation from one of the Benz carts here. Reading the reviews, I felt the TR is more suitable for my taste which is to have a neutral and fast cartridge while still retaining the full glory of analogue playback. I listen to a lot of Rock n Roll (e.g Elvis) and old world classics so the cartridge should not over blow defects in the recordings but reveal the true character of the music that is on the record. In this context I have two questions:
1. Which of the two cartridge would be more suitable to my needs, Ebony TR or Ebony LP ?
2. If I go with Ebony TR, what kind of step up transformer would I need ? I currently use a RCM Sensor Prelude phonostage which has a gain of 76 db but I am not sure that is enough for the very low output voltage of Ebony TR. Can anyone suggest a suitable step up transformer which is not too expensive yet does justice to the TR ?
BTW, I use Verdier turntable and a Vector Basis 4 tonearm. The Verdier is neutral yet warm, very revealing yet a tad romantic. I would like to avoid a cartridge which is on the darker side of the neutral. If I have to err, I would like to have something on the livelier side of the neutral.
Please help and suggest.
This is exactly my expectation from one of the Benz carts here. Reading the reviews, I felt the TR is more suitable for my taste which is to have a neutral and fast cartridge while still retaining the full glory of analogue playback. I listen to a lot of Rock n Roll (e.g Elvis) and old world classics so the cartridge should not over blow defects in the recordings but reveal the true character of the music that is on the record. In this context I have two questions:
1. Which of the two cartridge would be more suitable to my needs, Ebony TR or Ebony LP ?
2. If I go with Ebony TR, what kind of step up transformer would I need ? I currently use a RCM Sensor Prelude phonostage which has a gain of 76 db but I am not sure that is enough for the very low output voltage of Ebony TR. Can anyone suggest a suitable step up transformer which is not too expensive yet does justice to the TR ?
BTW, I use Verdier turntable and a Vector Basis 4 tonearm. The Verdier is neutral yet warm, very revealing yet a tad romantic. I would like to avoid a cartridge which is on the darker side of the neutral. If I have to err, I would like to have something on the livelier side of the neutral.
Please help and suggest.
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- 20 posts total
Pani, I have a brand new TR which I hope to get up and running in a few weeks. From what I have read you need a step-up transformer to get the most out of this cartridge, and good ones are very hard to find. I would go for the Syntax. Contact either Dertonarm or Unoear, both on Audiogon, to see if they have one left. This is a custom step-up transformer that comes highly recommended by some very good ears. I hope this helps, |
I have an Ebony TR (not the S) and it has .2mV output. I use it will a Linn Linto with 62.5dB gain and it is fine with that amplification. I believe that the newer S drops to .1mV. Rest of the system is Cary SLP 05 and Levinson 432. I have the Cary attenuate the signal since the signal from the Linto is pretty strong. The LP is the top of the line Benz. It has a .35mV output. Either should work with a good quality 60 dB phono stage. KAP USA has a gain calculator for phono stages Gain Calculator |
- 20 posts total