VTL 5.5: which cartridges?

There is a little more noise when I use the MC section rather than the MM. I got the noise down to a minimum using Mullard CV4024s in the 12AT7 spot and new Tung Sol 12ax7s in the first row of x7s and Sovtek 12ax7LPS in the second row. I can hear the noise from about two feet away with the mc and about a foot away with the mm.

Cheers,
Jim

Thanks guys.
To Ncarv: I've had a brief but good experience with a DV23 Ruby in the 80' and I would love to repeat the Dynavector experience. Do you have any noise issue considering the low output of the XX2?
To Desmondjiim: as above, any noise problem with the low output Benz? As for the load, some years ago I've met the Benz guy at a show in Munich (Mr. Lukashek) and he told me that his cartridge should be used at 47 Kohm because are already damped (usually I agree with him).

I use a Benz Ace LO with my 5.5 and I think they match up great. The loading matches up well with Benz LO carts. I would think you would want the low output to use with the MC section of your 5.5 or the high output with the mm section. The gain on the MC is 68 dB and the load impedance is 300 Ohms. Both of these match up great with the Ruby LO and not so much with the MO.

Oh, by the way I use a SOTA sapphire Graham Robin.

Cheers,

Jim

I have the 5.5 and the LP12/Lingo/Ekos and have been using Dynavector cartridges. I started with a high-output 10x4 and enjoyed it so much I moved up to the low-ouput XX-2.
Last December, I took the table to an audio store to take advantage of a free TT tuneup by Linn reps from the old country. After the work was finished, the owner of the store listened to the table with the XX-2 and was very favorable impressed. I know this by what he did, not just by what he said. I was ready to leave, but he asked me to hold on for a bit because he had not heard a Linn with a Dynavector and then kept commenting on the dynamics and the wide soundstage.
Obviously, one's taste comes into play, and I have not experimented with other cartridges, but I am very pleased with the Dynavectors I have tried, either one of them.