[bluemike]

How difficult is it to change loading options on your phono stage if your phono is not equipped to do this
Is it as easy as swapping in a few resistors
I wanted to try 100 ohm on my Dynavector 20

My Phonostage is a Paul Hynes Design ,Paul if you're around answer at your earliest convenience I should have sent this to you first

Enjoy the weekend
Pat

[toobluvr]

How difficult is it to change loading options on your phono stage if your phono is not equipped to do this
Is it as easy as swapping in a few resistors
I wanted to try 100 ohm on my Dynavector 20

My Phonostage is a Paul Hynes Design ,Paul if you're around answer at your earliest convenience I should have sent this to you first

Enjoy the weekend
Pat

Hey Pat...

I have Dyna 20X (high output version) and it sounds fantastic loaded at 47k!     

Me and Wayner had a spirited discussion about this 20X loading confusion a few months back.   If you look into it, all the vendor websites and even my Music Direct paper catalog say that 1000 is the correct loading for HO, yet the paperwork that came with mine says 47k!  30 is recommended for LO version.

So either they've changed the cart along the way, or there is a typo somewhere.   

I don't have adjustable loading, so there's no way for me to compare them.  What I can say is that it is great loaded at 47k!  Might be my favorite cart, and the others are pricier.

Based on what I hear with my 20X-HO at 47k, I gotta believe that if you load it at 100 it will become shut-in and lack sparkle and air.  I'm sure the LO version is a different animal, and a different story.

~John

[analognut]

Bluemike-
It is very easy. You can make y-adapters in just a few minutes that will plug into your phono preamp. Below is a parallel network that connects your TT output and a small resistor to your phono preamp input. They will look something like this:


Here is a link to some good adapters which have a different shape that I prefer. I bought these and they work beautifully:
http://www.audiogear.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?key=ADPT-2RCFRCMRTGLD&preadd=action

You need to get some small resistors, (such as 1/4 watt- the smaller the resistor the better), a pair of male RCA plugs, and you need to know the resistance of your phono preamp input.

Then go here and use the parallel resistance calculator to find the value of the resistors you're going to buy:
http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-paralresist.htm

Enter the resistance of your phono preamp input in the box labeled Resistor R(1).
Enter the cartridge load that you wish to attain in the box labeled Parallel Resistance (Rtotal). You mentioned 100ohms.
Press the Calculate button. The box labeled Resistor R(2) is the value of the resistor you must buy and connect in parallel with your TT output on the y-adapter. I went to Digikey.com and bought a half dozen pairs of resistors in values that surrounded my desired Resistor R(2) value so I'd have many loadings to select from.

If this confuses you just let me know the resistance of your phonostage input and I will tell you which resistor to buy in order to reach your desired load of 100 ohms. 

[toobluvr]

A very nice elegant solution!   I like it!     

But no issue of sonic degradation d/t adding another link in the chain?
 

Or is this just a temp and easy way to switch in different resistors and determine best fit for loading, which would then be addressed in a more permanent matter?

[analognut]

Thanks toobluvr, that's nice.

This is a simple parallel connection across the TT output, and I would think no more complicated than what you'd find inside a preamp that has this switching capability built in. But of course adding the couple of more connections as shown in the pic does introduce the possibility for poor contact, so using a good-contact cleaner on the adapters is well-advised, as is the use of high grade connectors and proper soldering technique! I would also cut resistor leads as short as is practical.

Really, for under $20 you can't go wrong. For me it's a permanent solution because I can't afford that $multi-K new preamp! It was a great way for me to find the best load. Once determined, that's all I ever use now. Interestingly, for both of my low-output MC carts (DL-103R and OC9ML/II) I decided the mfr's minimum recommended load provided the best sound on my Sota Star vacuum/ SME V combo.

Also, for me it wasn't really possible to be sure of what load I wanted until my carts had been fully broken in. 

[bluemike]

Thanks guys for your responses
Analog What you've suggested sounds interesting

[andyr]

How difficult is it to change loading options on your phono stage if your phono is not equipped to do this
Is it as easy as swapping in a few resistors
I wanted to try 100 ohm on my Dynavector 20

My Phonostage is a Paul Hynes Design ,Paul if you're around answer at your earliest convenience I should have sent this to you first

Enjoy the weekend
Pat

Hi Pat,

Loading cartridges correctly - whether MC or MM - is crucial.  IMO, the best way to achieve variable loading is to have a second pair of RCA phono input sockets on the chassis, in parallel with the main pair.  The main pair takes the phono cable; the parallel pair take "loaded" RCA plugs.  This removes the possibility of sonic degradation when you have the 'T' connection between your phono cable and the input RCA sockets (and is what I do to all the head amps or phono stages that I build). 

Can you get Paul to mod it like this?

Regards,

Andy

[TheChairGuy]

A very nice elegant solution!   I like it!     

But no issue of sonic degradation d/t adding another link in the chain?

I don't want to pee-pee on analognut's post....but I have a loading set-up exactly like this (a friend handy with a soldering gun in Philly did it for me) right down to the same Monster Cable T-splitters and the effect is quite detrimental each time.

I enjoy the effect of what loading does...but because of the sonic deterioration of adding that T-joint and extra rca junctions - it's not worth the bother.  I end up at the built-in values of 47K and 100ohm (typically) each time.

The music simply plods - thrashes only with faint traces of it's former self left - with the loading apparatus on.  Take it off and it's obviously less smooth the frequency response - but the vitality that vinyl has is back  

Andyr's solution above is much cleaner and probably results in a much better result.

That's been my experience, at least.  John

[bluemike]

How difficult is it to change loading options on your phono stage if your phono is not equipped to do this
Is it as easy as swapping in a few resistors
I wanted to try 100 ohm on my Dynavector 20

My Phonostage is a Paul Hynes Design ,Paul if you're around answer at your earliest convenience I should have sent this to you first

Enjoy the weekend
Pat

Hi Pat,

Loading cartridges correctly - whether MC or MM - is crucial.  IMO, the best way to achieve variable loading is to have a second pair of RCA phono input sockets on the chassis, in parallel with the main pair.  The main pair takes the phono cable; the parallel pair take "loaded" RCA plugs.  This removes the possibility of sonic degradation when you have the 'T' connection between your phono cable and the input RCA sockets (and is what I do to all the head amps or phono stages that I build). 

Can you get Paul to mod it like this?

Regards,

Andy

Thanks Andy will get in touch with Paul and see how feasible this is
For now I will keep things simple ....
I appreciate your responding