Optimal loading for a Sumiko Celebration


Just picked up a Sumiko Celebration and I'm rather confused about what the optimal loading is for this cartridge. On the outside of the box is says 1000 ohms, in the manual it says 100 ohms, and on Sumiko's website it says 47k ohms with 100-300 pf of capacitance.

All three sources show the internal impedance as 30 ohms. Anybody have an idea what the optimal loading should be? Or at least where to start?
gregd

Showing 1 response by nsgarch

Rule of thumb for MC's is optimal load is 25x internal impedance +/- 50%. For your Celebration, that would be 750 ohms optimal with a range from about 400 to 1100 ohms to find the best place in your system (i.e. with your preamp, cables, etc.)

If you go much above 1000 ohms (especially to 47k!) you won't notice much difference in the highs, but they will appear to get bright/brittle because you'll be losing bass and midrange body.

Make sure you adjust the tonearm so the stylus rakes back (bottom pointing backward) at a 1 degree angle. Read this thread for more info on that:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1111189002&openmine&zzNsgarch&4&5#Nsgarch

I wouldn't worry much about capacitance with MC cartridges. Not enough wire in the coils to matter. MM cartidges are another thing entirely!