Help: Does MA6300 Integrated accept Koetsu MC?


Hi

I got a vintage Koetsu Wajima (Circa 1990) retipped by ESC. My MA6300 manual says it only accepts MM cartridges yet many people on this forum reported that it works fine with MC carts.

My question is do I need to get a Phono preamp for it to work properly or would it just play. Anyone has similar set up with MA6300, 6500 or 6900?. Would I damage anything by just plugging in and trying?

Thanks very much
mmbma
The current version of your cart. is low output - 0.4 mv. Assuming that's about the same for your 1990 model, you will need to use a step-up transformer to boost the signal from the cart. to get good results with your MA6300. I've been using an Ortofon Jubilee (output = 0.34 mv) with my McIntosh C-15 preamp and an AudioNote AN-S2 step-up tranny for many years. Sounds pretty good to my ears.
If people report that "it works fine with MC carts," they're probably talking about high output (i.e, 1.8 to 2.5 mV) MC cartridges. The Wajima has an output of 0.4mV, which is a low output MC (LOMC) cartridge. Furthermore, LOMC carts have different load requirements than HOMC and MM carts. They're not sensitive to capacitance, but are very sensitive to resistance. You can always try your Wajima into your current rig, but I doubt that it will sound right without a step-up transformer wound to accommodate the specific gain and impedance needs of your Wajima.
Thank you. Got an Einstein Turntable choice as phono stage off this forum. Fingers crossed