Compatability of Koetsu Black Urishi with ARC PH-7

Did you buy the UrUshi yet? If you buy it from Japan, you can get it with a .6mV output. If you have an American version, it probably has .4mV output and the PH-7 should have enough gain to work with cartridges with as low as .2mV output.

As for the 30 ohm load, that's just a ballpark number. You can find a few threads here on methods for determining cartridge loading. However the one many (most?) of us have come to rely on is this:

1.) Multiply the cartridge's internal impedance (5 ohms for the Urushi Black) by 25 = 125 ohms. That get's you in the ballpark.
2.) Figure a loading 'range' of +/-- 50%. In other words, for the Urushi, from 62.5 ohms to 187.5 ohms.
3.) Begin listening using loads at the low end of the range. In your case, say 75 ohms. What you will hear is a full frequency range presentation, but the bass will be muddy (or whatever is the opposite of tight and well-defined ;~)
4.) Begin increasing the load in increments of (no more than) 20% of the original 'ballpark' figure. In your case, 20% x 125 = 25 ohms. (If you use larger increments, you might miss the optimal loading point.)
5.) As you increase the load (to 100, 125, 150, etc.) you will clearly hear the bass tightening up.
6.) Keep increasing the load until the strength of the bass (not its quality, or 'tightness') begins to diminish, and the sound starts to 'tilt' towards the bright side.
7.) Then back off one or two increments, until the bass/treble balance is restored.

I can't find a copy of the ARC PH-7 owner's manual online, but I'm sure there is provision for obtaining loads other than the 'presets'. Their preamps used to come with a whole set of loading resistors you could install in the phonostage section to get any cartridge load you wanted.

Hi. Long time Koetsu Jade user so I thought I'd try to help
I can't find the exact gain of thr PH7 but I'm assuming it's in the mid 50's. that should work fine with the 0.6 mv of the Urishi.
Regarding loading, 30 ohms is way too low. I don't know where you got that number but perhaps that was a reccomendation for using with a step up transformer where the range is typically between 5-30 ohms. Straight into a conventional phono stage it needs to be be higher. Currently, I'm loading my Jade at 1000 ohms with an Atma-sphere MP 3 which is a tubed preamp Lower than that and I thought their was less air and less extension at the frequency extremes. Typically with solid state you would start at 100 ohms Now were all a little guilty of using loading as a tone control but done to excess it may produce a likable sound but you'll never hear what the cart is truly capable of. Would try listening at 100,500,and 1000 ohms and decide what you like. You can than try in between values and again decide
Finally don't get to obsessed with it. Find a setting you like and go enjoy some music.

Thanks for your response. The 30 ohm figure was pulled off of the specs for the Urishi. I have spoken to several that said 100-200 ohms would be fine.