Anyone I know who used a Dynavector XV-1 usually loaded the cart down around 100 Ohms. Dynavector sells a Step-up and the only loading they provide with it is 4-7 and 30-40 ohms settings, so I think they want theirs loaded at that.
But I am sure you dealer likes his cart loaded at 47 k and that is why he recomended it at that setting. You may like it loaded differently, and it is up to you to decide.
Paul |
The best loading for an MC cartridge is system dependent, and somewhat taste dependent also. It will do no harm to try any load from 100 ohms up to 47Kohms. Use familiar recordings with a full range of frequencies, like full orchestra or a classical piano piece that's dynamic and uses the entire keyboard. (Beethoven, not Debussy.) As you move to higher impedances you'll hear more weight behind the HF's and less weight behind the LF's. Lower impedances have the opposite effect. Find the setting where all frequencies seem equally weighted.
BTW, make sure your VTF and especially VTA are spot on for the record you're listening too before messing with different loads. Until you know a system really well it's easy to confuse wrong VTA with wrong loading.
The good news is, changing loads when running directly into a gain stage makes relatively subtle differences compared to load changes when using steput trannies. Pcosta's comment about loads of 4-7 or 30-40 ohms with the Dynavector stepup is not directly relevant to your question. Loading for an MC when running through a stepup is always different (lower) than when running directly into a gain stage. |
I use 17D2 Mk.II with Naim Prefix K phonostage which has fixed 560ohm/1000nf impedance/capacitance. The result is nothing short of amazing,I love the sound- it's neutral,balanced,detailed and dynamic without hint of brightness. Deck is LP12 with Naim Aro arm. |
Thanks for all the responses.
dougdeacon, I spent last night experimenting and your post was right on. As I moved from 100 to 300 to 1.1k to 47k the detail seemed to improve and open up. But after listening for awhile, I realised the bass was missing and it did seem like the highs had more weight giving the impression of more detail. I think 100 or 300 will be the best for my setup. 300 sounds the best but 100 eliminates some brightness.
Thanks again! |
The higher the input resistance, the lower the damping factor is going to be and the more likely it will be that your MC cart. will have a rising high end and experience ringing. The lower the resistance, the greater the damping. See Bob Hagerman's excellent discusion of cart. loading on his web site. Generally MCs will prefer a lower load with a SUT than with a head amp or gain stage. I think this is because the lower load enhances the current output of the cart. and a transformer is a device that converts current into voltage. Whereas a head amp is looking for voltage and will do better at a little higher loading. For a short while I had thought that my Sheltor sounded better at a higher load; until a singer hit a note that almost drove me out of the room. A lower load brought things under control. |
really depends on your tonal balance of your system and what sound you are looking for.
I did have my XV-1 on 250ohms for some time, then about 4 mnths ago I tried on 47k. Currently I prefer 47k as it seems to let more upper frequency extension and flow in my system.
try for your self and pick what sounds overall better for you.
cheers SR |
Dougdeacons answer and methodology is spot on IMO.and all other posts are good points as well IMO... I also use the 17D2MkII on a JMW10/Aries combo, but with a Bent audio SUT into an ARC PH3SE. For me, experimentation similar to the way he suggests with loading, I find the 100 ohm load just right, even with the SUT..Lower values than 100 tend to sound more closed in...and values above 1000 are "brighter" sounding in my system and although 47K allows a more "open" sound, the HF lacks coherence and the bass is too soft. I used to think that a good rule of thumb is to go as high a load value as possible so that you could keep the virtues of a MC( airyness and openness) but not too high that you lose balance in the bass and HF, and to some extent this is still true, but I think it's wise to go by the Cartridge manufactures recommended load as a starting point and let your ears decide which is right in your system. Best of luck..Ken:) |
Dear Robm321: It is not true, like Dugdeacon told you, that " the best loading for a MC cartridge ... etc ", at least not the all true.
The best loading impedance is when the frecuency response of the cartridge is flat: when this happen ?. Only when the loading impedance is the value that the manufacturer/designer recomended ( with the matched tonearm ) Maybe you like it or maybe not, but this not what you ask.
If you change the recomended load impedance then you change the cartridge frecuency response: you will be using these changes in the load impedance like an Equalizer, and this may be against the music reproduction and can't help to you and to your audio system, because if you resolve with an equalization then you never know what is wrong with your audio system reproduction: this is like when you have a headache and take an aspirin and forget about: maybe that headache has a cause than can hurt you in the near future, it is the same with our audio systems.
If you don't like what you hear with the recomended impedance then you have to look to other stages in your audio systems that have to improve: tonearm, headshell wires, TT, phono stage, line preamp, cables, loudspeakers, loudspeakers position, room, and many things.If you check all these pameters then you can have a better quality sound reproduction through your home audio system. You have to care about it.
If we have to change the caracteristics of a product design for it can like us, maybe it is a bad design and is better to change that product for a better one.
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.
|
Raul,
You're right in theory of course.
Unfortunately the cartridge manufacturer's specified impedance was "> 100 ohms".
Which number > 100 would meet with your approval? |
What??? I have a headache now!! |
Hi Doug: The best in this cases is to ask to the cartridge manufacturer.
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul. |
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Yes. That was the original problem for me was that I tried 47ohms because of the openess and then realized my bass was gone and it was topend loaded, "bright" - so I figured I'd go by the manufacturer's suggestion... Well they really don't suggest. ">100 ohms" sounds to me like 100 ohms is NOT suggested and anything above that - from 101 to 47kohms is recommended. Sounds like you are on your own to decide. I think I'll try 300 which is the next step up. It seemed very smooth last time I tried it. |
I think there are 2 different kind of load for mc step up.
manufacture usually suggest for active 1:5-20
trans 1:1
But Saddly.You still need to try...........
I use a jason mc trans set on 40 ohm step up into a 47k load phono amp. |
One way to do this is to lower the loading resistance until the soundstage collaps. Then go with twice that resistance. In my case with a Shelter 90X that happened at 20ohms. 40ohms sounds about right. 100ohms a little too bright. |
Well, since you brought my thread back to life, I wanted to post what I have settled on. As usual, my dealer was right. I ended up on 47k ohms. It has the most open sound. And the problem I was having before was that my system was bright due to my room. That's why the 47k ohms sounded top end loaded.
I also called Dynavector US representative and he said that the reason they put > 100 ohms as recommended is that you should at least have 100 ohm load and experiment above that. Unfortunatelly the confusion was due to the fact that several vendors and reviewers of the Karat cart. put the specs as = 100 ohms. Shame on them. just kidding.
Thanks,
Rob |
Hi Rob,
A very informative thread as I have similar issues with my Benz Micro Glider M2. What did you do to solve the brightness caused by your room?
Terry |
Hi Terry,
After much experimentation, I have tamed the flutter echo by placing auralex foam in the corners and side, back walls in certain places.
But that is a temporary solution. It seems to kill the sound a bit as well. I am now looking into purchasing Michael Green's room tunes. I believe they will do a much better job based on different feedback that I have read.
So, I guess I haven't really solved the problem yet, but I did get rid of the brightness for the time being, enough to realize that the 47k ohm setting was not the problem.
Rob |
Thanks Rob! I may have some brightness problems caused by my room due to uncovered windows. Its not excessive and I've often wondered whether it is the 47k ohm setting (no adjustment available) in my Plinius 9200 combined with the moving coil Glider M2 or a slight reflection off the windows. There are no flutter echos in the room.
Terry |
