Any Phono Stage that can load 100k, for $300 used?

thanks for correcting my error. read imprecisely MM as MC.

Audiofeil,

Why are you so troubled that I want to TRY this out? I'm not marrying Raul, and I'm not setting anything on fire. Based on Raul's extensive, thoughtful comments and experiments, I am simply curious to give the 100k loading for MM a try.

Based on Raul's suggestions, last year I picked up an Empire EDR .9, an old MM cart -- it's a great cart. I've also just picked up a Sonus Gold based on his recs, though I haven't mounted it yet. My main cart is a Benz Micro Ace L, which I like a lot, but the EDR .9 does things that the Benz can't.

It's just an experiment; lighten up.

Dear Steve: Rich is asking for a MM cartridge load impedance subject not for a MC ones where 100 Ohms will be ok.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I'm certainly more confident that companies such as Grado, Ortofon, and Cartridge Man have far far more moving magnet "know how" than some amateur with too many toys in his sandbox.

But that's me.

Are you sure you don't mean 100 Ohms?

Spectro-acoustics 217. Highly flexible with 2 phono stages. I snapped up a used one for less that $100, but they can go for more. Good stuff!

Asking too much, but look here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spectro-Acoustics-217-Hi-Fi-Preamp...

Again, thanks for the responses. I'm hoping others weigh in with alternative options to the Phonomena, but if not I'll be keeping my eyes open for a used one.

Thanks Chadnliz for the endorsement of the Phonomena.

Dear Rich: Unfortunately and in your price range there is no stock today 100K phono stages.

The Musical Surroundings that you named is a fine design that could help you about.

Now, maybe if you ask to other phono stage manufacturer they could give you a unit with the 100Kohms impedance, it is very easy for them.

Rich unfortunately too there is not much know-how ( out there ) about MM cartridges, almost all manufacturers are on the MC " road ".

Sorry I can't help you about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Musical Surroundings Phonomena nas a bunch of adjustments for MM and MC and are going for $300 used. (Iown one and think its great for the money)

According to the Dynavector website and the review in Hi Fi+ (issue 30), the MM loading is fixed at 47K.

How does a user configure the unit to 100K?

Thanks in advance.

dynavector PV-75 can do 100k, likely closer to $400 than $300 though.

Thanks for the quick replies but, frankly, they don't answer my question. First, I'm not interested in being talked out of the experiment. Second, I specifically say that I want to avoid any units where I have to modify the parts to achieve the objective -- the reason for this is simple -- I'm not in the least bit handy; I will break it.

What I'm trying to figure out is if there are other budget units, besides the Phonomena, that allow variable loading up to 100k?

Thanks,
Rich

I agree with Bill's first comment....and even more so on his second. I'd start with a manufacturer's suggestion and then experiment with some different values. But what are you looking to achieve here? A little more extension on top?

As for phono stages that allow for such loading, if you feel you can truly hear a difference between 47k and 100k and you are handy with a soldering iron, many phono stages have a default 47k resistor on the board. Additional resistors can be added in parallel to achieve a different desired result. But to go with 100k, you'd have to replace the 47k with this new resistor. On some designs it is easy to do....not so or even possible for others. But again, how many people are going to be able to hear the difference. And where does this stop? Try not loading it at all!

Virtually all moving magnet cartridge and phono stage manufacturers recommend loading at 47K ohms. I suspect there's a good reason for that.

I'd tend to ignore the occasional abberation you might read from time to time.