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MT5 and MA2275 opinion

P

pinopradino

New Member
Hi guys, I have a Mc MA2275 and I'm considering to buy a TT MT5. Can someone tell me if I may have problem with the MT5 cartridge, that is a Sumiko BP 2 high output MC, with 2,5mV, while the phono input of MA2275 is 4,4mV for MM cartridge?
Thank you.
 
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The Sumiko doesn't produce enough output when paired with my McIntosh MX-119 -- I had to raise the volume control to 70 or 80 for "room filling" sound (classical music). It's also a lousy sounding, poor-tracking cartridge, not fit for a turntable as well-build as the MT-5. After listening to the MT-5/BluePoint <--> MX-119 combo for a few days (and being disgusted at how much money I wasted on the MT-5), I put in the Ortofon 2M-Bronze cartridge that I used successfully in my old Linn-Sondek (1980's vintage) turntable. It really made the MT-5 sound fabulous and made me very happy that I purchased the MT-5. First of all, the higher-output 2M-Bronze allowed me to listen at volume level 35 or 40 (versus 70 or 80 for the Blue-Point). Secondly, the Ortofon brought out the superb sound that the MT-5 is capable of producing (and showed the MT-5 to be a vast improvement over my old Linn-Sondek turntable).

I listen mostly to classical records and have a huge collection of old RCA, London-Decca, Columbia Masterworks, and Mercury LP's. The MT-5/Ortofon brought out nuances that I never heard before in some of my records. Mono records especially benefited from the new MT-5/Ortofon (over the Linn/Ortofon). You could actually imagine sitting in the 20th row of Orchestra Hall on the 6 Rafael Kubelik/Chicago Symphony Mercury mono LP's (from an early 70's reissue box set). The MT-5/Ortofon was much more focused and produced a better stereo image when A/B'd against the Linn/Ortofon combination.

Make sure to NEVER pay full price for the MT-5. I paid about $5800 with tax for mine. I've had it for about 6 months now and am thrilled with it with the Ortofon.

I would definitely IMMEDIATELY replace the Sumiko Blue Point if you're going to buy the MT-5. I wish that McIntosh would reduce the price of the MT-5 by a couple of hundred dollars and leave off the miserable cartridge that they put on it.

If you live in the South Bend, IN area, you're certainly welcome to come over and listen to mine. I also have the proper setup tools (that you're welcome to borrow if you live locally) to really make the MT-5 sound its best -- I used the Feikert Alignment Tool to setup the cartridge geometry (luckily, the MT-5 has a precise 3D "dot" at the pivot point of the tonearm -- essential for getting the cartridge overhang set correctly) and the Fosgate Fozgometer for setting azimuth (essential for playing stereo records perfectly).
 
Wow, thank you for your answer! In one time you answered to my question and to the other question I had in my mind, to buy an MT5 or an used Linn Sondek LP12 (made in 1997, with trampolin, ekos arm, akiva cartridge and lingo PU).
My sistem is made by MA2275, MCD500 and MR78 (and Klipsch Cornwall III), and I'm really in love with it. I think I'll go for a MT5.
Thank you for your invitation, but I'm just a little far...italy. :D
 
Too bad you're so far away! Do you live anywhere near Capracotta where that snowstorm was?

I vastly prefer the MT-5 to the Linn-Sondek (mine was upgraded with a Lingo power supply and Ekos arm) after replacing the cartridge. Compared with the MT-5 with the same cartridge on the same shelf (I hang my turntables from the wall) the Linn/Ekos sounded thin and didn't track as well as the MT-5. A lot more "sibilance" was evident on the Linn.

That being said, it's possible that I wasn't able to set the tonearm geometry as precisely on the Ekos as I was on the MT-5 since the Ekos doesn't have a clear "pivot point" identifiable on the tonearm. The MT-5 (like the MT-10), as I said before, has a little 3D "dot" directly over its pivot point. Therefore, you can precisely use the pivot point with the Feickert device to easily setup the precise tonearm geometry.

The most important thing, whether you go with the Linn or the MT-5 is to properly get the geometry correct on the cartridge alignment. Makes all the difference in the world when it comes to obtaining the best sound from your system.
 
eheheheh, nope, I'm not so close to Capracotta, but I've seen the incredible images of the snowstorm. I live near the sea, in Puglia (south of Italy), so here snow is not so frequent.
For the TT, you've helped a lot, I'll go for the MT5. I was seeing about the Feickert tool you told. I will wait for MT5 arrive, I'll give Sumiko a try and then I'll buy Ortofon and tool.
Thank you so much for your help, you can't imagine how it was important for me every word you said to me!
 
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