I should also add that I do not see any deflection of the cantilever when the arm is lowered into a groove. However, the cantilever is not very compliant so this may be a factor. I am comfortable using real music as a test and listening for possible break up if the antiskate setting needs to be adjusted higher. I acknowledge the possibility that I might be wearing the stylus or inner groove unevenly.
MC cartridge loading: still baffled
I am using a low output moving coil cartridge- a retipped Linn Troika. Recommended loading is 100-200 ohms which I have always followed. My phono pre is an Ayre P-5xe and set to the highest gain. Years ago, Michael at Ayre said most moving coil cartridges sounded best when loaded at 47k ohm using their phono pre. I just got around to trying this setting and it does sound more open and better to me. Lately, I am discovering that much of the dogma that I have been following isn't necessarily correct, at least with my system and to my ears. Another example I found recently is that my arm/cartridge performs just fine with very little anti-skate force as opposed to just picking a setting equal to VTF as universally suggested.
Back to the loading question: is the proper loading more a function of the phono pre or the cartridge itself?
Back to the loading question: is the proper loading more a function of the phono pre or the cartridge itself?