Can some one please explain how to find out which mc cartridges would be a good match to the three different inputs 4/15/40ohm inputs on the back of the much maligned The Head TX4 moving coil transformer.
Location: SW England, UK
Posts: 76
Can some one please explain how to find out which mc cartridges would be a good match to the three different inputs 4/15/40ohm inputs on the back of the much maligned The Head TX4 moving coil transformer.
Roger.
Hi 'Flyfisher',
Welcome to AOS!
Before you go any further could you please pop into the Welcome area and introduce yourself to our community by supplying your first name, basic geographical location, system details and music tastes, as this is a requirement for all new members joining AOS.
Cheers!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!
Location: Sussex UK
Posts: 92
I'm Gino.
Just briefly going back to the HA500.
I bought mine when it was new back in the early 80’s, costly yes but I don’t think it was super expensive. Bought to replace a home built head amp the figure of around £100 sticks in the mind, which I think in those days, was about the price of a budget integrated amplifier.
I still use it from time to time.
Marantz CD/DA12, HHB 'burnit', Yamaha CT7000, Magnum Dynalab FT101A, Garrard 401, SME 3009, Dynavector 100R and 30C, AT F7, Trichord Dino, Audio Research LS7, Quad 303 or Leak Stereo 20, Harbeth P3ESR, BK sub, DIY passive with PG faders, Quad II's, Quad ELS57's, Townsend Ribbons, Crown IC150, HH AM8/12, Tannoy Monitor Gold in Lancaster, Stellavox SU8, Nagra T-Audio, Dolby 361's, Sony D50, Pro Walkman, Dat Walkman, Slee Solo, Sennheiser HD650 + Equinox, Lambda Sig. Pro., SRM-T1, Sr001
Location: London
Posts: 422
I'm Colin.
Hi there, I have a TX4 transformer. I am pretty sure these different inputs just access different windings on the secondary of the transformers. And I am 95% sure the 40 ohm one is 1:10 step up ratio and the 4 ohm input gives 1:20 step up ratio. Not sure exactly about the 15 ohm one but I would guess 1:15 possibly, or maybe 1:13. I have worked this out based on their gain using a low impedance cartridge (Linn Troika, 3 ohms) and comparing to the gain of other known step ups I have.
There are no hard an fast rules, but the particular input you should use depends on two things, - how it sounds in general and the output level of your cartridge.
The loading into a 47K MM stage for these inputs is:
1:10 ratio 470 ohms
1:15 ratio about 210 ohms
1:20 ratio 117 ohms
Obviously a cartridge like the Troika which has 0.2mV output would be best (in terms of optimising the gain level) put into the 1:20 ratio input to bring the MM input level up to 4mV. BUT I prefer the way it sounds on the 1:10 ratio input with the higher loading,- more airy/more treble extension despite less output.
If you had a MC cartridge with higher output than the Troika, - say one of the Ortofons with 0.5mV output you would be unwise to use anything but the 1:10 step up ratio input anyway, as the other two might overload the MM stage (partularly if its a solid state MM stage). If you wanted to lower the loading you could use parallel resistors in betweeten the TX4 and the MM phono stage.
Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Colin
Hi Colin,
Welcome to AOS
Great first post, and thanks for that.
However, could you do me a favour and pop into the Welcome area and introduce yourself to our community by supplying your basic geographical location, system details and music tastes, as this is a requirement for all new members joining AOS.
Once done, you can then carry on and enjoy the discussions.
Cheers!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!
Seconded - sounds like you have a lot to offer Colin, and would be great if you stick around and get stuck in, so to speak.
Alex
Main System: Digital: HP Laptop/M2Tech Hiface/Logitech Media Server/FLAC; Marantz SA7001 KI Signature SACD Player and other digital stuff into Gatorised Beresford Caiman DAC Vinyl: Garrard 401/SME 3009 SII Improved/Sumiko HS/Nagaoka MP-30
Amplifier: Rega Brio R. Speakers: Spendor SP1. Cables: Various, mainly Mark Grant. Please see "about me" for the rest of my cr@p! Gallery
A.o.S. on Facebook - A.o.S. on Spotify - A.o.S. on Twitter
There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing and be nothing Aristotle
Location: London
Posts: 422
I'm Colin.
No problem, Colin - I look forward to that
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!