loading vintage MM with 100K ohm resistance

[Wakefield Turntables]

Can someone please explain to me why this seems a good idea when loading vintage MM's? I've seen several threads recommending this with claims that the cartridge "comes alive"? I'm sceptical but I would like other forum members explanations, comments on the subject. Many thanks guys.

[Barry]

I think it depends on the cartridge and the resistance of its coils.

It is usually assumed that the cartridge should be loaded with between 5 to 10x the coil resistance. This implies a transfer loss of 0.8dB to 0.4dB respectively.

If however you load the cartridge with a lower impedance, not only will the transfer loss be high, it will be heavily damped. This is perhaps why some suggest using a cartridge load of 100 kOhm.

Interestingly the Quad 33 preamp used a 68 kOhm load, and Shure themselves suggest a maximum load of no more than 70k.