What effect does cartridge loading have on sound?

Major upgrade!! Well, at the moment you have a "mystery cartridge" but I'm sure you could research its particulars -- besides here and Google, try asking on Audio Asylum.

I wonder if it's a Clearaudio Wood MM cart. It would have to be a MM cart or (very unlikely,) a high output MC cart to drive the HK phonosection. If it is a MM cart (and I'm 99% sure it is) then you don't need to adjust loading, they all operate at 47Kohms which you HK has by default. MM carts ARE sensitive to capacitance, but if it sounds good leave it alone.

Well, like I said, if it plays through your MM input at levels similar to your CD or Tuner at a given volume, chances are 99% it's not a MC but a MM.

That said, there is a class of moving coil cartridges that the manufacturers (who make them) call Hi Output or "H" or "HO". They have outputs in the 1.2 - 2.5 mV, about the same as a typical moving magnet cart. (Regular MCs are 0.24 - 0.85 mv.)

Your mystery cartridge MIGHT be a hi output moving coil type, and there's really only one way to tell without test equipment, which is: MM carts have no magnetic attraction to small screwdrivers, paper clips, nail files, etc., because their magngets are so tiny. MC carts can exert a very strong force on any ferrous material closer than an inch (use the stylus guard!)

Hope that clears up the confusion ;--)
.

AHAA!!

"I was mistaken about it being labelled Souther. Souther is printed on the headshell above the cartridge."

You had us all scratching our heads real good with that one!!

Anyway, somebody help him out here -- I know I've seen that cart before, someone else's memory working better than mine today?