Just Changed my Cartridge From

[admin_exported]

a Denon DL-110 HO MC to a Goldring Prestige Gold MM. To be honest the sound is very similar although, and I've only listened to 6 tracks so far, I would say the Goldring has gained a bit of bass but lost a bit top end sparkle. So there is a balance dependant on personal preference.

What has surprised me though is I expected to be able to turn the volume dial on my amp (Kandy K2) down a bit when using the Goldring to achieve the same output volume as before with the Denon. Should I have expected that or have perhaps missed something on set up - nothing seems obvious to me.

TT is Roksan Radius 5.2/Nima tomearm.

 

[The_Lhc]

What has surprised me though is I expected to be able to turn the volume dial on my amp (Kandy K2) down a bit when using the Goldring to achieve the same output volume as before with the Denon.

Why? The phono stage should still output at the same level regardless of whether it's an MC or MM input I'd imagine (I take it your phone stage handles both automatically as you haven't mentioned switching it from one to the other?).

 

[Anonymous]

Just noticed I'd written Goldring and should be Grado.

The phono stage handles both. The output measured in mV is higher on the Grado (1.8 on the Denon) hence I reckoned less welly on the volume with the Grado - am I right or am I wrong?

 

[The_Lhc]

Just noticed I'd written Goldring and should be Grado.

The phono stage handles both. The output measured in mV is higher on the Grado (1.8 on the Denon) hence I reckoned less welly on the volume with the Grado - am I right or am I wrong?

That's the level coming out of the cartridge itself but that signal still then has to go through a phono stage (somewhere). I'd be surprised if the line-out from a phono stage varied depending on the cartridge (assuming that phone stage can handle both types of cartridge).

 

[Anonymous]

Ahh thanks.

I've been listening to the Grado on and off for several hours now and althoughI like it I would say that overall I prefer the Denon so I'll pop that back on at the weekend. The Denon probably has a bit more life to its sound but I do like the Bass/warmth form the Grado, something I feel the Denon lacks. The Grado was not new, it has been run in by about 50 hours, but borrowed from a freind who suggested it might give me an overall better sound than the Denon - not quite unfortunately.

Todays 'work' has not been a waste however as I now have a clearer understanding of what I want from a cartridge and would welcome any suggestions of what would perhaps be a step up from the Denon in general terms and/or what would give me the Denon musicality (can't think of another way to describe it) an with a bit more bass and warmth. Should I stick with a HOMC or go for a top end MM cartridge.