Step up loading

looking for a little sage wisdom re if I am going in the right direction here - I have on loan the Dave Slagle step up that was designed for IO then put in a barrel by Bobc then updated the mumetal shield by Mike and speedy steve)

I have a 9TT Ikeda cart - spec as follows:
Type: MC cartridge
Output Voltage: 0.16mVrms (35.4mm/sec., at 45°peak)
Coil Impedance: 2.0 ohms (1kHz)
Appropriate Stylus Force: 1.8 grams ±0.2 grams
Frequency Response: 10Hz ~ 45kHz
Channel Separation: over 27dB (1kHz)
Channel Balance: within 1.0dB (1kHz)
Stylus Chip: Solid Diamond, Line Contact
Cantilever: Double layered duralmin pipe.
Weight: 10 grams

With the loading plugs in (no idea what they are designed for) it sounds very weird with these in overemphasising some bits but too much on some records

Without the loading plugs it sounds very nice but volume is restricted to a couple of clicks only on the stepped attenuator of the thomas mayer 10y pre so not ideal

Pete has kindly offered to construct for me a set of variable (crock clip stylee) loading plugs so I can experiment without having to solder lots (not good at soldering)

so what loading options are worth trying - what resistors to try as need to get them ordered for when the crockoloader arrives

help much appreciated - read last night dave slagle saying the ideal loading is no loading but I guess he winds transformers for a living to spec so may be biased a little

I have the option to buy this sut and longer term an IO gold might be on my shopping list so if it can be made to work well with the ikeda then we are golden and I can do a deal with Mike - OR is it a draft excercise and would I be better shopping for a silver wound jobbie from Dave Slagle to match the IKEDA but with flexibility to work with an IO

if I can get the Ikeda to work well then will be happy bunny as its orange and I like orange:)

cheers
Darren

Might this be an option, especially if an Io is in your future:

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The one I have should be at least as good as that AN version apparently so probably not worth changing and would have the same loading issue as my current one with the Ikeda

Worth a look though, thanks

That transformer was a 1:100 ratio (Dave made it for me originally) which is a bit high for that cartridge. Really you want more like 1:30 for that.

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So Ive heard this with my Axia (with the loading plugs) which shouldn’t work but it must be not very fussy as it sounds about as good as the HM7s.
With the Ikeda, but without the plugs it did sound pretty nice too, so will be interesting to hear with whatever value of resistor it needs on the loading pugs.
I assume these are loading the primary? And the current plugs are in this photo


If anyone can work out what loading the plugs currently are it would at least be a starting point…And help both Darren and me :slight_smile:

1.35 Ohms

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Not sure this will help you but i have a Ikeda kai into 1.10 silver coil sut and what i did was brought a few cheap resistors of differant values and kept trying them out till i got close to where i wanted to be then brought better resistors of that value.I found that Shinkoh tantalum were the best .There is no real set value as it all depends on the rest of your setup and how you like things to sound,but if you go to high you will start to lose volume.
And imho Ikedas are better then the Audio notes.

Sounds encouraging but I can’t help thinking the step up ratio needs to be there or thereabouts for the loading to then tweak it

From what Pete is suggesting it’s too big a gap.

Rgds
Darren

Yes it needs to be 1.10.You might even get away with 1.20.Is there no way you can adjust it.

1:10 is too low for that cartridge. 1:20 or 1:30 is better.

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I think I am persuaded that no matter how much I like the sound I am getting from the Slagle transformer and no matter how much I like the looks (spalted maple base is a work of art) but its not the right SUT for my IKEDA 9TT cart

still fancy trying the loading whilst its here just in case but I think I might make contact with Dave Slagle to ask about the price of a silver one made for the 9TT.

PS I have a 1:10 tribute SUT here and that isnt great at 1:10 as pete suggests its too low

1:36 would be about right. Would give the required output of 5-6mV and would also present the cartridge with approx a 36 Ohm load.

I don’t think loading will help with what I consider is quite a fundamental mismatch. Ping Dave and he might be able to do it in time to bring to ETF in November where I can get it from him.

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Cheers Pete, will drop him a line

Silver or copper?

The one you have is copper, personally I’d go for silver, but it’s about 5x the price.

You can’t borrow it (as its the one Im actually using) but I can bring the HM7s around again at some point Darren? They are 1:15 and 1:30… So would allow you to hear the ideal match (in theory at least!)

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That would be fab mike thanks

What is the upside if silver v copper then guys? If I do go to Dave slagle

Speak to Dave. Steak vs burger!

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I prefer burgers so not great analogy in my case

Suspect the cash difference might be the decider