Just purchased a Benz Ruby Z...and awaiting it's landing!

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #20 on:** 24 Mar 2012, 05:42 pm »

That's just plain dumb for Shure to put a ferous pin in that gauge. Good thing you didn't have a disaster!

I have had two cartridges sitting on my bench fall in love with each other rather quickly. That could have been a disaster X 2 but all turned out OK.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #21 on:** 24 Mar 2012, 11:33 pm »

Quote from: Sonny on 24 Mar 2012, 04:59 pm

Has this happened to anyone????

This has been a long noted problem with the Shure gauge. Some units are non-magnetic and some are magnetic, and AFAIK there's no way to tell other than testing with a magnet. You really need to get a digital gauge, Dealtime has a duplicate of the megabuck models for $15. And you need some good alignment protractors, available for free online. Best of luck with that beautiful cart.

orthobiz · « **Reply #22 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 01:56 am »

Time for a pic!

Paul

twitch54 · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 02:17 am »

Tuan, congrats on the new Cart ! Benz-Micro fan here as well !

Sonny · « **Reply #24 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 04:07 am »

Quote from: orthobiz on 25 Mar 2012, 01:56 am

Time for a pic!

Paul

Sonny · « **Reply #25 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 03:16 pm »

deleted

orthobiz · « **Reply #26 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 06:26 pm »

I don't know the answer BUT
1. Nice pics!
2. Is it making the noise with the cueing mechanism or by hand? Maybe you're acting like some kinda electromagnetic flux generation field capacitor (or something).

Paul

Sonny · « **Reply #27 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 06:55 pm »

Quote from: orthobiz on 25 Mar 2012, 06:26 pm

I don't know the answer BUT
1. Nice pics!
2. Is it making the noise with the cueing mechanism or by hand? Maybe you're acting like some kinda electromagnetic flux generation field capacitor (or something).

Paul

Sonny · « **Reply #28 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 07:30 pm »

Quote from: Letitroll98 on 24 Mar 2012, 11:33 pm

This has been a long noted problem with the Shure gauge. Some units are non-magnetic and some are magnetic, and AFAIK there's no way to tell other than testing with a magnet. You really need to get a digital gauge, Dealtime has a duplicate of the megabuck models for $15. And you need some good alignment protractors, available for free online. Best of luck with that beautiful cart.

can you post the link Clark?

Sonny · « **Reply #29 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 04:44 am »

Ok, I think all is well again!

I now suspect that it was my DIY Pass XONO that was the problem, only on the 825 ohm setting. I don't know what is wrong though, perhaps a bad resistor or something? Seems weird still that this would cause my cuing the arm to make the weird noise though, no? But I tried it again with all the other loading on my XONO, from 47, 100, 279, 475 ohms and it's all good, even with my other DIY Phono, the Curcio, now loaded at 479 ohm, and it's all fine!

Glad that this is the issue and the cartridge seems to be fine...but I will continue to monitor it and see!

Now I got to figure out why the 875 and 100o ohm setting on the pass is not working!

Sonny · « **Reply #30 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 05:52 pm »

Ok, talked to Pass Labs this morning...apparently, this is not unheard of when cartridge load comes into play. Because of the capacitance and resistance now is higher for the Benz, noise can be picked up, it all depends on the cartridge...the Ruby Z, being .35mV picked this up easily and causes that static or anything is around while the Shelter, with a .5mV output, didn't seem to pick up much... I did here that even with the 901 at 825 or 1K ohm loading, there was some noise, but no where near the level of the Ruby Z!

This is good news and well, means that both the Ruby Z and DIY Xono are fine!

Now I can go back and listen and enjoy the sound from these two wonderful cartridges!

T

neobop · « **Reply #31 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 11:14 pm »

Quote from: Sonny on 26 Mar 2012, 05:52 pm

Ok, talked to Pass Labs this morning...apparently, this is not unheard of when cartridge load comes into play. Because of the capacitance and resistance now is higher for the Benz, noise can be picked up, it all depends on the cartridge...the Ruby Z, being .35mV picked this up easily and causes that static or anything is around while the Shelter, with a .5mV output, didn't seem to pick up much... I did here that even with the 901 at 825 or 1K ohm loading, there was some noise, but no where near the level of the Ruby Z!

This is good news and well, means that both the Ruby Z and DIY Xono are fine!
Now I can go back and listen and enjoy the sound from these two wonderful cartridges!

T

Sorry, it sounds like BS. Is it still making noise? Perhaps the mute relay isn't working right.
Is the front panel LED working?

You only get noise at 825 or 1Kohm loads?
That's fine?

Sonny · « **Reply #32 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 11:30 pm »

Sorry, it sounds like BS. Is it still making noise? Perhaps the mute relay isn't working right.
Is the front panel LED working?

You only get noise at 825 or 1Kohm loads?
That's fine?
[/quote]

Well, not that it's fine. remember, this is not a Pass Built XONO. it's a DIY Built XONO. I got the boards pre-populated and upgraded some caps and resistors, not those unfortunately. Anyways, Pass says that with these loadings, that this can happen... I haven't troubled shoot it yet to figure out why, perhaps when I get home I'll try it at 47K ohm and see. I'll put the 901 back in and see if there's noise...as well.

Anyone else have this issue?

Sonny · « **Reply #33 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 06:29 am »

Ok, so I checked all the loading, via the multimeter, and all loading reads as expected, the load on the 470, 830, 1K and 47K, etc...read that, so plugging in the cartridge, that would be what the cartridge sees. Is it possible that with the XONO and Ruby Z, at the 820, 1K and 47K loading, it's just a mismatch? Seems weird as the other loading are fine. Also the noise I hear is like a loud rustling noise that occurs when I move the tone arm without touching any of the metal parts of the arm. However, if I touch the metal parts, the noise really goes away? Why is that? It seems like I am acting as a ground, but at the other loadings, there's not this problem. What's going on? is the Cartridge a defect or is the XONO a defect at these loading?

Anyone know?

neobop · « **Reply #34 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 12:31 pm »

If you're getting normal operation at 470 ohms, it looks like the phono-pre is the problem.

IMO the easiest thing to do is cut to the chase. DIYAudio forum should be your best bet. Check out this thread:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/102313-inrush-thermistors-xono-phono-stage.html

The reason I asked about front panel LED - a Google search turned up this:
http://alexkachler.free.fr/audio/xono/doc/aonoserv0.pdf

Sonny · « **Reply #35 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 01:51 pm »

Quote from: neobop on 27 Mar 2012, 12:31 pm

If you're getting normal operation at 470 ohms, it looks like the phono-pre is the problem.

IMO the easiest thing to do is cut to the chase. DIYAudio forum should be your best bet. Check out this thread:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/102313-inrush-thermistors-xono-phono-stage.html

The reason I asked about front panel LED - a Google search turned up this:
http://alexkachler.free.fr/audio/xono/doc/aonoserv0.pdf

Thanks Neobob, I'll look at those links later today.
My question is why is only the Benz has a problem at those load settings while the Shelter 901 is dead silent???

woodsyi · « **Reply #36 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 01:52 pm »

Internal impedance on Ruby Z is 38 ohms. Typical LOMC loading for active phonostage would be 10~20 times (380 ~ 760) that. I would think 470, 820, 1K reasonable but 47K (me thinks) would be too high. Typically, lower is laid back and higher is brighter. I think I loaded Ruby 3 at 475 oms where I found the music liquid and warm without losing any details. LOMC really puts a lot of stress on the phonostage to amplify the tiny output. You are going to hear more noise from any imperfections in your phono stage.

Sonny · « **Reply #37 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 02:06 pm »

Quote from: woodsyi on 27 Mar 2012, 01:52 pm

Internal impedance on Ruby Z is 38 ohms. Typical LOMC loading for active phonostage would be 10~20 times (380 ~ 760) that. I would think 470, 820, 1K reasonable but 47K (me thinks) would be too high. Typically, lower is laid back and higher is brighter. I think I loaded Ruby 3 at 475 oms where I found the music liquid and warm without losing any details. LOMC really puts a lot of stress on the phonostage to amplify the tiny output. You are going to hear more noise from any imperfections in your phono stage.

Woodsyi, that is true however, I've heard / read that others have loaded their Z at those values with no issues. The Shelter 901, also a LOMC has not issues. I can understand having some issues but lout rustling noise when I cue the tonearm up is unheard of....once I lay the cartridge on the LP (not spinning) then it's just some noise i hear, not the rustling noise as when it's being cued. However, if I cue it by touching the metal part of the tonearm, the rustling noise is gone as well. This makes me believe it's a ground issue, but that is strange, the ground issue wouldn't change with loading, would it?

orientalexpress · « **Reply #38 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 02:19 pm »

i have my Gullwings loaded at 1k ohm with no problem,but it is a little bright for me.

lapsan

Sonny · « **Reply #39 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 02:31 pm »

Quote from: orientalexpress on 27 Mar 2012, 02:19 pm

i have my Gullwings loaded at 1k ohm with no problem,but it is a little bright for me.

lapsan

that's what I mean. honestly, the Z sounds really good at 470 but I want to make sure that the cartridge is not defective because it's not loading at those other values...that's really the case...cause if so, I can still send it back to be checked up...if it's defective, they will send me a new one.