Fidelity Research MC201 for an Ortofon AS-212?

I had both the 103 and 103R and I was not happy with the sound. After reading the Korf Blog I found out that the Denon 103 is known for generating a lot of excess of mechanical energy that goes straight into the headshell. But it was not the Denon’s fault, it was the SME 3009 S2 which is a lightweight tonearm. The 3009R with the steel arm tube would have been the right arm.

The 103 tracks at 2.5g +/- 0/3g and maybe, with a heavier cap/body, it will weigh more.

@f456gt 

Also don't forget at a lower cost the veritable Denon 103. It's very musical.

Wouldn't bother with the 103R, for the extra I'd get a paratrace tip on the standard 103 later. I ran a denon 103 with Garott Weinz Parabolic on at Eminent technology years ago - it was very very good if you value coherence and musicality over high resolution.

First of all I do not know the arm's effective mass. Second, there is no way to listen to my arm/cartridge combination without first buying a cartridge, this to me makes no sense, unless you have money to throw away. Dover's approach seems correct.

Yes, but the way that I am familiar with is by working backward from the resonant frequency. First determine Fr. Then use the cartridge compliance to calculate effective mass. (The equation relating Fr, C, and M is readily available on line.) If you go on Vinyl Asylum and do a search, the method for practically determining Fr is described. Another idea is not to worry about it until you listen to the combo of cartridge and tonearm.

Thank you Dover, points taken.

I’ll go with the Classic N or NE they can be fitted to the 212 headshell with an adapter. They are heavy, 13 grams each.

The ST7 is the transformer than Ortofon recommends for using with these cartridges, they are inexpensive.

One question please, is it possible to calculate a tonearm effective mass?

Regards,

@f456gt 

Thanks, it shows 11Hz but compared to what?

Not sure how you get that.

Effective mass of AS212 is unknown.

Effective mass of AS212mk2 is 12-18g.

The FR MC201 is 7.5g, no specs on compliance but MC202 is 8.5 @100hz NOT 10hz as used in the VE calculator.

If you assume 18g effective mass and compliance of 17@10hz the resonance is around 8hz which is ok.

However the AS212 has no antiskate, and since antiskate required decreases with tracking weight, personally I think you would be better off with a cartridge that tracks above 2g. 

Unless you are running vintage cartridges with tracking around 2.5g such as Ortofon or EMT you would be better off getting rid of the AS212 and getting something like an Audiomods tonearm - which will sound better with modern cartridges.

If you want to keep the AS212 have a look at Ortofon/EMT options.

And by the way if you are using a Denon HA500 headamp as suggested on another forum, you are wasting your time - its a dog - bright, grainy and low resolution.

Thanks, it shows 11Hz but compared to what?

Dear @f456gt  : Here it's all what you need and take in count that the frequency resonance you will calculate is only a point to start with cartridge/tonearm Overall set-up/alignment is even more critical:

https://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_resonance_evaluator.php

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DIS TORTIONS,

R.