Table of Contents
What is considered a low compliance cartridge?
A phono cartridge with the compliance in the range of 5 to 10 µm/mN is considered as a very low compliance cartridge, a cartridge with the compliance in the range of 10 to 20 µm/mN is moderate compliance cartridge and a cartridge with the compliance value above 35µm/mN is very high compliance cartridge.
What does cartridge compliance mean?
The “springiness” of the phono cartridge is described as compliance, the weight of the arm is specified in mass. As an example, a heavy weight on a light spring would obviously over-flex the spring, conversely, a light weight on a strong spring would not allow sufficient flexion.
What is MC step-up transformer?
Step-Up Transformers (SUT) are a serious option for anyone who owns a Moving Coil (MC) cartridge, one that can significantly improve both the sound quality and sonic character. This is where SUTs are frequently seen as superior; they are completely passive and offer exceptional noise performance and sound quality.
Are MC cartridges better than MM?
Both cartridge designs can sound excellent but the MC variant has the ability to go one step further and reach audiophile heights. Generally, the best value, lower cost, cartridges are of a MM design. Those who are looking to achieve the best overall sound for turntables often choose the moving coil cartridge.
How do I know if a cartridge is compatible?
If you’re unsure, take a look at the end of your turntable’s tonearm (the part you lift and set on the vinyl to play the music). If you see screws mounting the cartridge to the end of the arm, then the cartridge can be replaced. If you don’t see any screws, then you’ll only be able to replace the stylus.
What is a 1/20 step up transformer?
For example, a 1:20 transformer would give the cartridge a load of 117.5 ohms and have an output of 4.5mV.
Why are MC cartridges better?
Sound Quality But overall, you can say that MC cartridges offer a lower amount of output, which also means they handle lower frequencies better. This also reduces noise and makes them more precise as well. This doesn’t necessarily translate into high-quality audio, yet the frequencies are still within a decent range.
How long does a MC cartridge last?
With proper care we find that up to 1000 hours is possible without degradation of performance.
Can a low mass tonearm be used with a high compliance cartridge?
* Low mass arms mate well with both moderately high and very high compliance phono cartridges. * Moderate mass tonearms are good companions for moderate to low compliance cartridges. * If a low compliance cartridge is used with a low mass tonearm, undesirable resonances can occur in the audible range. Mis-tracking may also be a problem.
What kind of resonance does a low compliance cartridge need?
In other words: a cartridge with a low compliance figure needs a heavy arm in order to obtain a fundamental resonance in the region of 8 to 12 Hz. A lightweight arm needs to be matched with a supple spring, in other words a very compliant spring which is the cantilever of a high-compliance cartridge.
What should the compliance be for a Soundsmith cartridge?
Cartridges with a compliance between 22 and 10. Most cartridges are between 22 and 10 in compliance. Some older arms are very lightweight – 4 to 8 grams. They need HIGH compliance cartridges. Soundsmith makes high, medium and low compliance cartridges to match any arm, so we offer one-stop shopping.
What’s the compliance rating for a phono cartridge?
Note: Another way of expressing compliance is um/mN. Here a rating of 5 to 10 is considered very low, 10 to 20 is moderate and above 35 is very high. * Low mass arms mate well with both moderately high and very high compliance phono cartridges.