cartridge loading

If you have a Rega, the motor can be grounded to eliminate the so-called 'Grado hum'. A wire, which can be soldered to the body of the motor, is simply run to the base of the tone arm. This sorts out the hum; no idea why Rega does not install the wire.

At any rate, don't bother with loading until you deal with the hum. After that, try about 22,000 ohms for a cartridge load and see what you think :)

If your preamp will not allow you to install the resistor, then you have to go with the switch positions they provide.

Personally I prefer to do as much loading with resistors as I can, rather than capacitance. I worry about the capacitor and inductance of the cartridge becoming a tuned circuit...

Donaudio, all the feedback I have ever had says that you want to put the best resistors in the loading that you can. Vishay, Caddock; that sort of thing.