Poll : what is the value of your cart(s) ?

[Josquin des Prez]

Originally Posted by MyPal

I agree. I found this to be case case especially on some of the thinner vinyl. The VTA is totally level ATM. Once you shift the tonearm heights the whole table needed to be redone from the factory default settings. It was quite a job for me first time especially given the limitations of the stock MT10 tonearm. As good as it is though, I plan to experiment with dropping the tail a touch.

As for the stock MCC10 (Talisman) & the Da Vinci V2 on hand, I'm sure they are great carts too as others have stated here, but I guess there is no going back short of perhaps considering another table well into the future.

Currently, been loading the Goldfinger at 500ohms with the C1000T. This weekend the Teslas will go in & shall listen more closely at different loadings. The Goldfinger seems to handle between 200-500ohms very well.

I am loading the Talisman at 475. I tried 380 but found it too laid back: less dynamic and revealing.

[MyPal]

Originally Posted by RaceTripper

I am loading the Talisman at 475. I tried 380 but found it too laid back: less dynamic and revealing.

Dean...Sounds like the better CA carts like it around 500 then. I took the Goldfinger briefly up to the C1000T's maximum notch of 1000ohms & there certainly wasn't any apparent unpleasantries during the switch. I did find more background groove huff on some vinyl during quiet passages at the higher setting though. 500 seems to be a good balance so far...

I guess it also depends on the quality of the vinyl pressing & the level of detail in the recording. For example, an older Edith Piaf LP sounded terrible at the higher settings.

[Josquin des Prez]

Originally Posted by MyPal

Dean...Sounds like the better CA carts like it around 500 then. I took the Goldfinger briefly up to the C1000T's maximum notch of 1000ohms & there certainly wasn't any apparent unpleasantries during the switch. I did find more background groove huff on some vinyl during quiet passages at the higher setting though. 500 seems to be a good balance so far...

The Talisman's internal impedance is 30 ohm, so the rule of thumb would say 300 ohm loading. Joe Wessling told me that the Gold range of CA MC's really likes to be closer to 400-500. I started with 475 and tried backing down to 380 several times. Each time I find the sound more boring and set it back almost immediately.

Also, because the output is .7mv I backed off from the suggested 60db gain and have set it to 56 db. It seems a bit smoother that way.

[tom_hankins]

Right now I've got a new Grado Statement Reference1 that gets here today. In the last six months I have been selling off cartridges (XV-1s, Delos, Kleos) to fund the purshase of a new stone body Koetsu. Getting close.
Also have a new Benz Gullwing on the way to try.