What step-up for my cartridge?
This is THE question. If you’re looking for a step-up you can buy second hand step-up transformers, brand new (most Mc cartridge manufacturers produce step-up transformers) or build them yourself using parts from manufacturers like Lundhal, Sowtek, Hashimoto, Jensen.. (See links to those manufacturers at the end of this paper).
To make things clearer, we’re going to take a look at the specifications of available products. Why? Because these products were designed by MC manufacturers, let’s assume that they knew what they where doing. Specs shown here are compiled from various sources (internet or vinylengine inmates like Yosh (Hi Yosh!). if you have data relating to other products, contact me and I’ll add them to the table. All I need to know is the gain (measured in db or in amplification factor 1
) and the recommended internal impedance of the cartridges to use with that step-up.
Data in bold type are manufacturers specs, other data was recalculated this way:
X factor = 10^[(gain in db)/20]
Gain in db = 20*ln(x factor)/ln(10)
Natural impedance = 47000/[(x factor)^2]
Manufacturer Model Gain in db x factor Natural impedance Recommended Impedance
Ortofon T5 26 20,0 118,1 3-40 ohms
T10 32 39,8 29,7 2-4 ohms
T10 MK2 28 25,1 74,5 2-6 ohms
T20 32 39,8 29,7 2-4 ohms
T20MKII 28 25,1 74,5 2-6 ohms
T30 20 10,0 470,0 24-48 ohms*
29 28,2 59,2 6-12 ohms*
32 39,8 29,7 5
SPU-T100 26 20,0 118,1 1-6 ohms
T1000 26 20,0 118,1 2-6 ohms
T2000 35 56,2 14,9 3
T3000 30 31,6 47,0 2-10 ohms
Fidelity Research FRT-4 31 35,5 37,3 3
26 20,0 118,1 10
25 17,8 148,6 30
20 10,0 470,0 100
FR XF-1 30 31,6 47,0 4-18 ohms
FRT-3 26 20,0 118,1 30
31 35,5 37,3 10
XG5 34 50,1 18,7 < 3 ohms
26 20,0 118,1 3-18 ohms
22 12,6 296,5 18-40
X1-M 30 31,6 47,0 4-18 ohms
X1-H 25 17,8 148,6 19-40 ohms
X1-L 36 63,1 11,8 3
Denon AU 320 31,1 36 36 3
20,0 10 470 40
AU 340 30,4 33 43 3
20,0 10 470 40
AU310 20,0 10 470 40
AUS1 22,3 13 278 3-40 ohms
AU300LC 20,0 10 470 40
Audio Technica AT700T 34 50,1 18,7 3
26 20,0 118,1 20
23 14,1 235,6 40
EAR MC4 29,5 30 52,2 3
27,6 24 81,6 6
25,1 18 145,1 12
20,0 10 470,0 40
MC3 29,5 30 52 4
26,0 20 118 12
20,0 10 470 40
Supex SDT 3300 28,5 26,6 66,4 2-10 ohms
Bryston TF1 22,5 13,3 264,3 5-35 ohms
16,5 6,7 1052,2 40-250 ohms
Rothwell rothwell 22,0 12,6 296,5 100
Nakamichi MCB100 26,0 20 117,5 2-20 ohms
Sony HA-T110 26 20 117,5 3 - 40 ohms
