...the cartridge should be loaded to what is known as
'critical damping'. This is the point wherin the loading value damps ringing,
but does not roll off the normal response of the cartridge. An excellent way
to do this is to 'ring' the cartridge with a squarewave generator and observe
the output on an oscilloscope. A ringing waveform will be seen in an
unloaded cartridge. Installing a loading resistance will reduce the ringing
until a bare amount of overshoot is seen, this will be at or near critical
damping.
Atmasphere (Threads | Answers)
Atmasphere knows his analog like few others considering he builds his
products around the (balanced) analog source signal.
However, I have to wonder how 98% of audiophiles who don't own square
wave generators and oscilloscopes can ever hope to properly load their MC
carts?
I use the 25 times internal resistance +/- 50% method (taught to me by
member Nsgarch), and it works quite well.