I suggest not going with the AT33PTG for the AS309 arm as the arm is relatively high mass (>20 grams) and the AT33PTG is high compliance cartridge (40X10-6cm/dyne) giving you a resonance frequency of <6 Hz.
I know there's a few guys here with the same arm on their Ravens so hopefully they can chime in. |
Dear Fld: Any of the one you have in " line up " can work fine. Due to a removable headshell design that tonearm is " cartridge friendly ".
Btw, Jaspert that compliance figure/spec you take it is the static compliance not the cartridge dynamic compliance that is the one you need to make those calculations.
In the other side, IMHO those frequency resonance calculations can't say it which quality performance level can/could have any cartridge/tonearm combination. So it is almost useless.
Here you can read facts on that subject:
http://forums.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1265063971&openflup&6&4
and if you need other than me experience then here coming from an Audio magazine review on the Ortofon MC-2000 mated with the Technics EPA-A250:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1200430667&openflup&1612&4#1612
regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
The 309S can hold up to 25grams (cart + headshell weight) otherwise, you need a heavier counter weight which is also available from them. Need to check the headshell weight. Ortofon has 13.5-16.8 grams to match with your carts. |
Based on my limited research, there are 4 diff headshell options: 12g, 13.5g, 8.5g and 16.8g.
The std counterweight is 18-25 grams.
correct me if i'm wrong.
if a cart is say 7.1g & I use a 13.5g orto headshell,that gives me a total weight of 20.6 grams.
So, that should in theory work correct.
Just in same way if a cart is 11g and I again use their 13.5g headshell. That totals 24.5g, so i'm still within that 18-25g range.
Are these assumptions correct ?
I guess its best to have multiple headshells of different weight so one can have more flexibility ? |
I have the AS309S on my Raven AC-3. Almost all cartridges I have tried on it sound good.
As Raul said, with removeable headshells, the world is your Oyster with combo's.
Empire 1080LT MM cart sounded really nice.
I currently have the Ortofon SPU Royal GM and its sound glorious.
enjoy |
Interchangeable Headshells will give you more options. Different folks & have different strokes as they say. May it be pop, rock, jazz, classical or vocals you will have a cart that will do justice to your records. May it be audiophile nor regular/old pressing.
goodluck |
Thank you for the replies! |
Fld, 'risky buseness' to recommend some cart while Raul already 'have spoken'. But I was very curious reg. this
Phase Tech P-3G. On the one hand because this cart got so
many awards in Japan. On the other because this cart caused
some,eh, 'panic' in our forum. In particular among the owners of 'the big guns' (>$ 4000). So I bought one and was
very disappointed at first. Until I got the Reed 2A that is
(27gr.). Since then I an very happy with the 'combo'. The
other (combo) is Triplanar VII with Benz Ruby 3s.
Regards, |
I have the 309D on my TW Raven one and have used a benz Micro LP and Koetsu Onyx. Both gave great results, the Koetsu is not supposed to be a match with the Ortofon, using arm cartridge compliance matching charts, but it sounds great to me. |
anyone here know what the arm mass ofthe as309s ? |
I found it very difficult to find out. The UK importer sought advice from Ortofon for me and even then it was'nt clear. I think the conclusion was 14 to 15gm, but I asked a while ago |
Arm mass for AS-309S is 3.5-4g without headshell.
The Ortofon 2M Black might be too compliant for this arm... If you use a really light headshell (6-7g or less) you might get away with it.
Not sure about the Shelter because the compliance ratings aren't easy to come by.
Bottom line, this is an arm best suited for the stiffer variety of moving coil cartridges, including SPUs. Cadenza and Kontrapunkt series should work fine here also.
Full disclosure, I work for the manufacturer. Just wanted to help! |
Effective mass of 3.5-4 grams without headshell makes absolutely no sense to me on this arm but I could be wrong.
If I am not mistaken, Jelco makes these arms for Ortofon and the 9" version of the arm most closely resembling the 309S with Jelco's stock headshell (12 grams) is 20 grams. Add another 3" of arm tube and I cannot see how this arm would not have an effective mass with the stock Jelco headshell of much less than 23-24 grams and even more with the SPU headshell.
As I say, I could be wrong. |
Hi Fld!!! I have a Raven One with the Ortofon arm and use a Dynavector 20X HO cart. This was set up by Jeff at Highwater Sound, and Ive been very happy with it. Very good but not "incredible" soundstaging, excellent imaging, extremely quiet, nice midrange and good bass. As someone else wrote in one of the threads, system synergy comes into play here, and maybe the reason I like the sound I'm getting is the fleshed-out sound of the phono section of my modded Conrad Johnson PV-5 preamp (tubes) combined with the solid state bass and general clarity of my Belles 350A amp. I'm sure the Dynacector would work for you, but as they say, there are many paths to Nirvana.--Mrmitch |
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The dynamic compliance of AT33PTG as stated is ：10×10－6cm/dyne（100Hz）. Using this cart with your AS-309S, compliance should not be the major issue.
For highly rigid TT and Ortofon arms, some more attentions need to be paid to the supporting platform which helps eliminate harmful low frequency resonance as much as possible during loud passages. It may take some time to tweak according to your taste and preference. You may look for clean, high transparency, tight bass but NOT super warm, tubey but booming bass, soft tender extra sweet sounding...pls correct me if I am wrong. BTW, what phono amp will your cart be hooked up with?
IME, AS-309s is "relatively neutral" when comparing to other popular models on the markets, you gonna hear more sonic signatures from your cart and phono amp. The basic approach to begin with AS-309s is to find a high quality cart(I would prefer LOMCs in your system) according to the recommended total cart weight with headshell(i.e.18-25g for standard counterweight, 26-38g for optional one).
I like some carts made by Shelter, Ortofon, Dynavector, ZYX but unfortunately they are not on your list.
Good luck and VBR
Dan |
I am having a turntable assembled to accommodate the Ortofon AS309S tonearm. I intend, by way of two arm boards, to use both the traditional SPU-G headshell and the SPU-A headshell. My question: In reviewing photographs of the most recent SPU-G and SPU-A headshells, it seems the guide pin is on the top of the new SPU-G but on the bottom of the SPU-A. Will an Ortofon AS309S tonearm accommodate both the new SPU-G and most recent SPU-A headshells, please? |
