Moving coil cartridge to an MX 110

0luke1

Active Member
Hello everyone,

After spending some time as a lurker, I finally have a question:

I just purchased an MX110, had it checked by a tech and am getting it set up right now. It sounds great with a digital source, but I haven't hooked up my phono yet. I have a Benz Micro moving coil cartridge on my turntable.

Will it work with this preamp, or will I need a step up transformer of some sort?

Thanks!

Luke
 
I'm just going thru the same thing myself. If it's not a HO moving coil then it's not going to work too well...at least mine didn't. I've been looking at choices like going either MM cartridge or to a transformer. I guess either would work but I haven't made the jump yet.
 
Which Benz-Micro cartridge, and which output level (some of their catridges come in a choice of three output levels) ? Benz-Micro cartridges range in output from a low 0.3 mv to 2.5 mv (which ought to be enough output for any moving magnet type phono stage).
 
With an MC cart on the MX-110...

you will need either:

1) a step-up transformer setup

or

2) An active MC stage

The former are more common and, generally cheaper to implement. I'm using the Lundahl transformers sold in the US through K&K Audio along with a Denon DL-103R. Have them set for a 10:1 step-up ratio now. Kevin sells a kit of parts along with instructions but you'll need to do some soldering. Its a good kit to start out with since there are few parts and no active stages, if you've been considering that sort of thing.

With MC carts, you'll also need to load down the cart a bit but the good news is that you don't have to go into the MX-110 to do it. You can place the loads on the transformers. K&K's support site has lots of folks to help you including Kevin himself. The exact amount of loading is dependent on the model and make of cart you're using. There should be specs that came with the cart you'd use to make the determination.

For option 2, there are more choices but many times you'll find the MC amplification built into a complete phono preamp. This will cost more, of course, and you'll have to bypass the MX-110's own phono preamp as a result.

I know of no stand-alone active MC step-up stages but I'm sure they exist.

If you've got a high-output MC cart, there should be no problems with running directly into the phono inputs of the MX-110.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

David
 
Oluke1

Using a Benz Micro Silver MC / HO on a Rega 3.

Works fine.

atuque
 
I hooked it (Benz Micro Silver) to the MX110 and found the midrange to be kind of dry and lacking - and the high end was washed out as well. Volume was OK. Bass was fine.FYI, all the tubes were replaced in the 110 I have an old (1980s) Nakamichi preamp and am going to try using that phono section to feed an aux circuit and see if it's better.
 
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