That's good advice from Davey. There isn't really a one size fits all approach. I run the the JC3jr, similar to the JC3+, and I can tell you I can hear subtle changes in the sound when I make adjustments. Running an SUT with the cart and comparing the loading of it to the same loading from the JC3 the results are more different than similar. So it seems, at least to me, that loading from one component does not always yield the same result as using the same loading from a different component, and tuning with your own ears is really what's required. I will say I know for certain Davey and I load our OC9s differently.
Hehe, that's true, but I honestly don't mess with the loading that much, I don't find that it matters all that much to me when using transformers, but I should probably revisit that one of these days While I'm here, and to bring my amateur recording full circle back to the opening post, below is a link to the opening title track "Hinged" from the new Maarja Nuut album I mentioned in the OP. Very dynamic song with lots of rhythmic texture provided by the great Swiss jazz percussionist Nicolas Stocker. So there is now OC9XML recordings in this thread from 1959, 2014, and 2021. Still a few decades missing in-between, hopefully someone else will up something we can give a listen to... and don't worry about thoroughly embarrassing my recordings, I expect it, just having some fun, not a career Dropbox - Hinged.flac - Simplify your life
Cool! Thanks for the feedback. It should come in a mailer from Maarja in Estonia as you can see below. Not very substantial, but it's a stiff cardboard flatpack, and mine arrived perfectly intact, though could have just as easily had a folded corner, or worse. Wish she used a little stronger packaging but I know she's not really making any money on this, it's pretty expensive for a nice run of vinyl with good quality outside mastering. If you like her, definitely check out the two previous records with Hendrik Kaljujärv (aka Ruum), especially the unique and excellent Muunduja album in 2018. Much different from this new album, maybe more along the lines of Dead Can Dance, but really nice. Big favorite, as is World Inverted from last year.
Don't worry, I'm one of the worst offenders around here, and I've already taken the thread off into the realm of experimental Estonian music. It'll circle back, and then go off again, no biggie, topics sometimes have a life of their own BTW, I know there are Marantz TT-15S1 / OC9XML users out there, maybe they will report in with a picture and some words.
My OC9XML seems to sound a bit more controlled in the upper frequencies at 500ohm compared to 47kohm. I tried a bright record (Pixies Trompe Le Monde) and the guitars+cymbal range seems to be less strident at 500ohm. Is it somehow expected? Does that make any sense? Or are my ears and mind playing tricks on me?
Yes, that makes sense, that's generally my favorite loading zone for most of my LOMC carts. Some people sense a better overall control down closer to 100 ohms, but to some of us it becomes overdamped down there.
Right now it may still be in break in phase, my xsl was real shouty and bright on the first hour or two of play. I would leave it on 500 for awhile.
It would be interesting to see a comparative sideview for both you and @C.Ludwig / @Sterling1, presumably you are both using Technics alignment with your AT headshells, but yours looks like it is further back. His picture is at more of an angle so may just be the perspective that makes it look like less of the connector is exposed in front. Looks like you both are aligning the cartridge body in front of headshell, as presumably they intended for that integrated look, and it does look pretty cool that way... his cartridge body may not be as flush in the front though ...
When you do, consider the tech note from Morgan Jones at the bottom of this page: Sowter Type 8055 , which applies broadly (in principle).
My cart was not exactly set to the headshell until last night when I realized I did not have one of the screws bearing upon edge of hole as the other.
The AT Headshell has... "Adjustable cylinder enables precise azimuth and overhang settings" See: AT-LH11H Universal Headshell Is that what you mean?
Yes, it just looked like in your picture that more of the cylinder was exposed in front than in the Sterling1 picture, which he said is set to Technics alignment overhang, which would be less overhang than other alignments. Just a curiosity, like I said it's likely just the picture angle, I'm sure you both have the overhang set the way you want
OK, here's a sideview which shows the relationship of cylinder to cart platform. BTW, I am using stock Technics cables to the phono stage section of my 2.1 Parasound P6 Preamplifer. The Phono section is set to 100 ohms.
OK, thanks, confirms what I thought from the previous images, if your alignment is really Technics with 15mm overhang, and you both are using the same headshell, then I don't know what alignment @schwaggy is using since it looks like his overhang is quite a bit less than yours. Maybe he isn't using the same headshell, they just look the same, or maybe his is an older version (edit: oh, just did a search and his picture may be with the 15g version, which does seem to have different dimensions, so I guess it was a bad assumption on my part that you are using the same headshells. So probably all is OK ). Did you set the overhang like I marked in your picture below?
Yes indeed I did. And the distance was confirmed with a dial caliper clamped to the Technics jig. If setting is off it less that a half mm; but, I believe it is exact. I really love this sort of headshell as it’s design inspires confidence in realization of the Technics tracking error scheme.
OK, thanks, see my edit in post above. Also, why do you keep swapping back and forth between the two usernames? Is there a story behind it?
One of the best explanations i found about mc loading with transformers ... mc step-up transformers explained in a sort of quick overview ... it's much more important the amplification factor (1:10, 1:12, 1:15, ...) than the impedance (ohms).
Just a followup from above, the AT headshell dimensions are shown below and the LH15H is definitely longer than the LH11H, 3.5mm, see red highlights below, so the difference in the pictures above is expected (so nevermind, carry on )...
