cartridge loading

Make yourself a couple alligator clip wires about 1 meter each. Clips on both ends of the wire. Clip one from table to preamp. Then clip the other from Phono to turntable and switch them around to see which reduces the hum the most. You may even try the preamp chassis or wall screw in the middle of the wall plug. One of those combinations most likely will work and reduce hum 50% to near 100%. In some cases you would have to turn your volume up past 12 o clock to hear noise. If you don't hear any noise as your average point then you have achieved your goal. Sometimes if you have a suspended table attach the ground to it with success. Make sure it hangs loosely. Oh you don't need a heavy wire at all. Just good old copper wire will do. Good Luck!

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 :)

thanks Atmasphere. Which setting would be 22,000 ohms? My manual lists for MM loading as such; 47kOhms/120pF
47kOhms/220pF
47kOhms/340pF
47kOhms/440pF
By the way what is pF?

By the way what is pF?
(Fromunda)

PicoFarad

Dear Fromunda: You have to try almost all those settings in your phono stage to achieve the best quality performance in your system.

MM/MI cartridges needs not only 47K ( some times different impedance value. ) but a capacitance load ( those pF you are asking for. ), these kind of cartridges are sensitive to capacitance loading.

Rgeards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

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...

My preamp has RCA jacks for loading. What kind of resistors shold I be looking for and where can they be purchased? They have to have axial leads as I will solder them to the RCA plugs. Thanks, Don

Well, upon experimentation I have found the right load settings. For the Project tube box II, it would appear to be 100pF on one side and 220pF on the other, set in the mm mode. Sounds wonderful, thanks for all the tips guys!!

Dear fromunda: Capacitance on MM/MI cartridges always makes a " difference " and when you find out the right value then you " know it ".

Good you are " there ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

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.