Calculation verification please

Interesting thread!  I always thought loading was to dampen the stylus against any 'ringing' which may occur...

Options, a choice needs to be made, however

I cannot imagine hearing differences of any significance like OP mentions, and the numbers given to OP by his equipment maker do not seem right.

you cannot hear specifics, without not hearing other specifics at any one time. I try hard, and prefer getting others involved to prevent hearing what I want to hear, or simply my brain choosing to hear this this time, then hear that next time. And I try to delay decision making final comparisons until after break-in periods, 

IA (imaging Ability) and SQ (Sound Quality) are separate but equal. A combination of wide channel separation and very importantly tight channel balance is desired for imaging. 

What x factor for decently strong/not too strong signal strength? Downstream volume controls/tubes working easily? Noise free, great! Similar to other source input signal strengths, IOW, it's a copacetic/relative rather than SQ decision

next, load, is it near the 'general formula' coil impedance x ten, in this case 1.4 ohm x ten = 14, the 1:40 x factor (a very high ratio) yields 29 ohms, close enough. What is the signal strength ____? and resultant x40 signal strength _____?

Settings basically correct:

AFTER you break it in: If it isn't already wonderfully INVOLVING playing very familiar content, go for a different cartridge. 

If it doesn't produce great imaging, I would not bother, go for a different cartridge.

refining loading IME is subtle refinement, hard to positively discern, and in my case 4 optional loads are related to the 4 optional xFactors, so there is always a signal strength change too.

How did I figure out different loading using RCA plugs? (Yes differences are heard, subtle but heard). 

The MC input load of the unit is set at 1000 ohms

                                                  1

For any value                  --------------------

use this formula:               1               1

                                           ---     -     -----

                                           X           1000  

I always thought loading was to dampen the stylus against any 'ringing' which may occur...

@quincy Nope! Especially with LOMC cartridges, which have a very high 'Q' factor in their coils (so as to minimize mass) the result is that the peak I mentioned can be as much as 30dB higher than the signal level. That will mess with a lot of phono sections- it can cause distortion and overload, which is why they sound better when the 'loading' resistor is installed.

When an SUT is involved you have a different situation! The RFI can't make its way past the transformer, but the loading of the transformer becomes critical to prevent it 'ringing' (distorting). If the load is too high an impedance value this will happen; if the value too low the transformer will roll off. If you change the source impedance (the cartridge) that impedance is magnified by the transformer in this case (because its a stepup) so the load value will change with the source impedance.

@lewm I suspect this is why small differences in loading the SUT can be heard.

This process is thus best done with a squarewave generator and an oscilloscope to see how well the squarewave is passing thru the transformer. Most audiophiles don't have access to such equipment and if they did, may not understand how to do this particular critical measurement. So as a result, most of the time its by gosh and by golly unless a lot of care is taken to eliminate variables (like cable capacitance) and also if the manufacturer was careful to specify exact values.