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Cartridge or Pre Amp

I recently picked up the Pro-Ject Tube Box DS and I am tickled pink on how warm and yet dynamic it remains. I’ve noticed that there seems to be some front stage darkness on some older records. Nothing more volume can’t fix. Would upgrading my AT-ML150 cartridge or the pre amp would this phenomenon or it simply a characteristic of the production and pressing of its day?


My setup:

Technics MK1200 MKII various upgradeds: wires, tonearm, etc.
AT-AL150/OCC Cartidge
Pro-Ject Tube Box DS
Bryston 4B3
Bryston Model T speakers
Simaudio MOON NEO Preamp
OPPO UDP-205


joyofsound

Showing 1 response by invictus005

invictus005
597 posts
 
100K loading on most MM cartridges will create a very large peak around 10kHz. And possibly a small reduction throughout the midrange. In a fake way, this can make an MM cartridge sound more like MC. But is that really what you want?

There are three state of the art modern MM/MI cartridges available today:

Ortofon 2M Black (my favorite)
Nagaoka MP500
Audio Technica VM760SLC

My favorite phono preamplifiers:

Parasound JC3+
Micromega MyGroov




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