medium output cartridge on a fixed phono stage

[Bush thug]

hi I have an electrocompaniet ecp 1 it has no jumpers to change but I am looking at a benz micro s medium out put cartridge.

 was wondering if it is compatible or the gain will be too much. I have put specs bellow.

thanks in advance

 

Benz Micro Wood S Medium Output MC Phono Cartridge Specifications
- Type: Moving Coil stereo cartridge
- Cantilever: Solid boron rod with 0.28mm diameter
- Stylus type: Nude line-contact diamond, mirror polished
- Stylus shape: 5 x 120 µm
- Weight: 9 g
- Output voltage: 0.8mV
- Compliance: 14
- Internal impedance: 24 ohms
- Recommended loading: > 200 ohms
- Tracking force: 1.6-1.9 g

 

 

Phono section
Gain source imp.=10 W)	73 dB (4500x)
Gain 1 kHz mov. magnet	38.4 dB (55x)
Input impedance moving magnet	47 kΩ / 22 pF
THD 1 kHz (2 V output)	0.007 %
Overload 1 kHz moving coil (THD = 0.2 %)	> 20 mV
Overload 1 kHz moving magnet (THD = 0.2 %)	> 165 mV
Channel separation (1V output at 1 kHz)	> 80 dB
Noise (ref. 0,5 mV) moving coil	-88 dB
Noise (ref. 5 mV) moving magnet	-88 dB
Equivalent input noise (400 Hz - 30 kHz)	0.2 µV
RIAA accuracy (20 Hz - 20 kHz)	± 0,1 dB
Output impedance	100 Ω
Power consumption (no load or signal)	8 W

 

[Guest Mr Thorens]

I once had a HOMC Denon DL110 going through the ECP1 MC switched in without problem. It was just louder. 

[Gryffles]

@Bush thug you would be better off with a low output Benz. 
0.8mv with 73db gain might work but not ideal.

 

Are you focused on the Med output as it’s available used?

 

Does the ECP1 have adjustable load? Benz carts will sound nowhere near their best at say 100ohms. Think dull and slow

 

 

Edited October 16, 2021 by Gryffles

[andyr]

2 hours ago, Bush thug said:

hi I have an electrocompaniet ecp 1 it has no jumpers to change but I am looking at a benz micro s medium out put cartridge.

 was wondering if it is compatible or the gain will be too much. I have put specs bellow.

thanks in advance

 

 

Phono section
Gain source imp.=10 W)	73 dB (4500x)
Gain 1 kHz mov. magnet	38.4 dB (55x)
Input impedance moving magnet	47 kΩ / 22 pF
THD 1 kHz (2 V output)	0.007 %
Overload 1 kHz moving coil (THD = 0.2 %)	> 20 mV
Overload 1 kHz moving magnet (THD = 0.2 %)	> 165 mV
Channel separation (1V output at 1 kHz)	> 80 dB
Noise (ref. 0,5 mV) moving coil	-88 dB
Noise (ref. 5 mV) moving magnet	-88 dB
Equivalent input noise (400 Hz - 30 kHz)	0.2 µV
RIAA accuracy (20 Hz - 20 kHz)	± 0,1 dB
Output impedance	100 Ω

 

Your phono stage specs make no sense, Bt.

 

They say gain is 73dB - which equates to a high gain MC unit (suitable for a very LOMC cart - like 0.15 to 2mV).

 

Yet the specs only talk about the MM input impedance of 47K (the usual).  It does not say what the MC input impedance is.

 

Irrespective, your 0.8mV output Benz will not match with it.

 

Andy

 

[Bush thug]

47 minutes ago, Gryffles said:

@Bush thug you would be better off with a low output Benz. 
0.8mv with 73db gain might work but not ideal.

 

Are you focused on the Med output as it’s available used?

 

Does the ECP1 have adjustable load? Benz carts will sound nowhere near their best at say 100ohms. Think dull and slow

 

 

yeah the used one on stereo net. 

so not really compatible any way. bugger

[Guest Mr Thorens]

As a previous owner of ECP1 an even higher output MC worked. . Just plugged into and used MC was just be a bit louder than usual. 

Edited October 17, 2021 by Mr Thorens

[Bush thug]

33 minutes ago, Mr Thorens said:

As a previous owner of ECP1 an even higher output MC worked. . Just plugged into and used MC was just be a bit louder than usual. 

ok thanks. maybe I will just give it ago. 

pretty keen to upgrade the cart. 

[Bush thug]

35 minutes ago, Mr Thorens said:

As a previous owner of ECP1 an even higher output MC worked. . Just plugged into and used MC was just be a bit louder than usual. 

did you ever use a benz on your set up?

[Gryffles]

1 hour ago, Bush thug said:

yeah the used one on stereo net. 

so not really compatible any way. bugger

Not ideal mate. I have just listed a cart that will work great with your phono. The ad is waiting to be approved but PM if you want to know more.

[Goatboy]

6 hours ago, Bush thug said:

did you ever use a benz on your set up?

I used the Benz Micro Ace medium on a PS Audio GCPH phono stage at 66db of gain. This was plenty and as others have said your current phono stage has too much gain for the cart. The one in the classifieds is $1300, but you could look at a new Benz.Micro Ace L for $1168. I don’t know how much better the wood body is, but I’m happy with the performance of the Ace.

[Gryffles]

On 17/10/2021 at 5:54 PM, Goatboy said:

I used the Benz Micro Ace medium on a PS Audio GCPH phono stage at 66db of gain. This was plenty and as others have said your current phono stage has too much gain for the cart. The one in the classifieds is $1300, but you could look at a new Benz.Micro Ace L for $1168. I don’t know how much better the wood body is, but I’m happy with the performance of the Ace.

The Wood model is where the Benz carts get good. The sweet spot so to speak. Definitely worth the jump

[TemaadAudio]

Hi, That is certainly a lot more gain than most Phono amps. You can reduce the gain into or out of your phono amp by using a RCA loading resistor plug. One can be made up for a few dollars of parts from J-Car, two RCA's, Two RCA y-lugs & 4 resistors, 

Or you can buy high quality made up versions from Rothwell , see

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjN5omd0570AhUuzDgGHQmxCUYQFnoECAIQAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk%2Fhtml%2Fattenuators.html&usg=AOvVaw2gdaUywCbejra3V0gwm7xp

 

Cheers