Matching preamp to cartridge

Smart people of QQ: how do I match my cartridge to my pre-amp. It is something to do with inductance? How do I measure and match it at the point of signal exit on the cable and the point of entry on the pre-amp?

Mike the Fish said:

Smart people of QQ: how do I match my cartridge to my pre-amp. It is something to do with inductance? How do I measure and match it at the point of signal exit on the cable and the point of entry on the pre-amp?

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I'll double check tonight but I think with the 440MLa/b you want inductance (or was it capacitance!? ) pretty low to get the best out of it, like I think the target is around 300-400 something or other? = 100nm for the pre-amp, then add the cables and tonearm wiring and you get some magic number in the 400 ballpark. iirc a few people online said they like the ProJect PhonoBox S with the 440MLa/b and set the dip switches to 100nm but I'll check later that might be all codswallop as I'm relying on memory and that ain't what it used to.. err where were we?! :ugham:

ah I wasn't dreamin'
there's a geezer in this thread recommends a ProJect Phono Box S with his 440MLa

http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=86599


r'tone
senior member

Posts: 299Images: 2Joined: 06 May 2013 17:28Location: Bristol, UK


"I use a Project Phono-box S with the AT440mla. I find it's adjustable capacitance settings useful for fine tuning the sound.
The 440 has a recommended capacitance of 200pf, the lowest capacitance setting on the Phono Box S is 100pf, when added to the ~100pf presented by the RCA cables gets you bang on the money. However, if you find these settings a little bright sounding you can add capacitance via the dip switches on the Phono Box S which will cause the treble to roll off earlier making it sound less bright. The change in sound is subtle but noticeable.

I've also tried the CA640P which I also like a lot."

Yeah, I'm not in the market to buy a new one. I currently have a Hagtech Ripper which matches the cart really well, but is broken (and when it wasn't broken it still had a little hum - very quietly - in the system). I am currently using an Alice Phonopak 1, which is way better in terms of system noise, but brighter with the cart. Some stuff sounds very nice, other stuff harsh on the upper end of my hearing range. I don't recall seeing any switches inside, so it looks like I'd have to do some minor surgery at the inputs, which is where the measuring bit would come in handy.

oh ok! good luck! :upthumb