Linn Asaka : need suggestion

[inertial]

Hi,

My friend have an old Linn Asaka cartridge with a Thorens turntable and SME "s" arm.
Issue is the correct value for the load in the phono preamp ( a DIY Artur Loesch replica).
Initially we have followed the value reccomended by Linn: 470 ohm.
The sound was good on the mid and high but "anemic" in the bass.
We have tried 1K, 2K,5K but no appreciable difference.
A cartridge expert here in Italy have said that we have to load with much more lower loads.
Very strange but it seems confirmed by listen: with 47 ohm go better,
with 10 ohm better again and with 4,7 ohm (!) the sound is "full"
These comments are reported only from my friend, I do not have listen.
Unfortunately the gain is lowered with such low load and the noise is annoing.
( we have measured the Re of the Asaka and it is 5 ohm)
My question is: what do you think?
Do you have similar or different experience with this Asaka?

Thanks,
Paolo

[audiotux]

Hi Paolo ,

what do you mean with _we have
measured the RE of the asaka ?_
Measured with a multimeter ?

Jürgen

[inertial]

Hi Jurgen,

Yes,( my english is bad)a little Fluke

Cheers,
Paolo

[audiotux]

Hi Paolo ,

measuring the asaka with a multimeter is
not good ! Maybe you have damaged the
asaka , because of the foreward voltage
of the multimeter . Thats not good for any
cart , don`t do this because that damages
the cartridge !

Jürgen

[inertial]

Thanks for the advisement but this man that "fix"/ re-stylus cartridges
for work, has said that it is a metropolitane legend !
If the multimeter is little, the current is very low and it can't damage the voice coil.
I don't know anything about this,I'm a rookie, maybe I am lucky but the Asaka is still in good health

Thanks,
Paolo

[YNWOAN]

The SME S shaped arm you mention is probably an SME III and is intended to work with high compliance cartridges - the Asaka is a low compliance cartridge - the two are not well matched.

[inertial]

Oh, thanks, very precious suggestion. I have to inform my friend.
I was always skeptical about that arm, never liked it.

Cheers,
Paolo

[YNWOAN]

Actually, it may not be an SME III but my earlier statement still stands as all the S shaped arms that SME made were intended to be used with high compliancy cartridges (as these were most common in those days). You may try adding mass to the headshell (not forgetting to rebalance the arm).

[inertial]

Thanks,
I have jet suggested to my friend to sell that S arm and find a decent RB300!

Indeed now I am more interest to know WHY the sound of the asaka change in huge mode when I lower the load.
Maybe because asaka into 5 ohm work in "power" instead of in "voltage" ?

Cheers,
Paolo

[Panicos K]

If the impedance of the asaka is indeed 5 ohms then I would say that a load of 50-100 ohms should be sufficient.The recommended 470 ohms might work on Linn or NAIM phono stages for some reasons.I have never achieved correct balance by loading a MC cartridge with loads more than 20 times its impedance,There might be some exceptions though,and some explanations come to mind.Usually,a too high load will make the cartridge sound thin in the mids and highs,and anaemic/bloated in the bass,especially if the suspension damping is low(among other reasons).The above are more valid when the arm/cartridge matching is correct.In the case of SME III/Asaka,the resonance frequency is propably too high,making things even worse.So,either the SME or the Asaka must go If I were you,I would send the Asaka out The Thorens and SME are a nice couple,try to make it work and you won't regret it.