Optimal loading for the Orpheus

As asked,the internal impedence of the Orpheus is 2.5 ohms.This is an astonishing figure,that only(as of now) the Air Tight PC-1 matches,though the Air Tight may actually be better,in this measured parameter.I am not so sure about the PC-1 vs "O" on an overall comparison though.In truth the "O" is just SO good that I am currently in the "could care less" state of mind.

AMAZING in virtually every way!Sorry for this sort of over the top post,but it SO outclasses my beloved "V" that I literally "need" to post this!...As to the "V",I had previously owned the Temper and Temper Supreme,and the "V" absolutely was the best of the lot!I loved it,in every way.Yes,it was/is sensitive to set-up,but before I upgraded to the "O" I was just SO happy,that I sincerely questioned why I should spend the extra money.Though I know the "O" is far superior,the "V" is still an amazing cartridge!Speed/detail/and much more authority than some will let on.

Yet,the "O" just put my jaw on the floor,it is totally astounding!!This absolutely "needs" to be heard to make any sensae at all!The "O" wipes the floor with the "V",in dynamic terms,and has far better tonal qualities.
Please don't take this as any negative "shot" against the "V",which was amazing in resolution,detail,balance and had fabulous stage depth and presence.To get all it has to offer though,one really MUST experiment ALOT with set-up variables as well as having a group of reliable audio friends to reinforce these impressions.

I am ONLY talking in the frame of Transfiguration designs,as I have heard almost all competitive designs and love them all...Almost! -:)
Good luck.

Reb1208,

You are right, I could make different loading plugs to experiment. That is a very good idea. I think I will get some high quality low wattage resistors for this purpose. Still, once I selected the permanent resistor and hardwired my unit, I would have to go into my unit and disconnect one leg of that resistor to then do further experiments (I have hardwired a resistor in parallel to the back of the RCA jack). This is not quite as easy as spinning a knob on something like the Manley Steelhead.

Sirspeedy said about the V:

"To get all it has to offer though,one really MUST experiment ALOT with set-up variables as well as having a group of reliable audio friends to reinforce these impressions."

IMO, more so than any cartridge I've ever owned. To the point of it being a real PIA to deal with cause you really have to keep after the darn thing. And I'm not sure really why this is.

"In my rig, there is really no easy way to change loading"

For parallel resistors you need not be that good at math:

1/R1 + 1/R2 = 1/Rsum

1/47000 + 1/1000 = 1/979

Hickory, the thing is that if you are looking for a load anywhere from 0 ohms to say 2000 ohms, you can do fine by just inserting a loading resistor of the desired value -- since having a 47,000 ohm resistor in parallel with it won't reduce its value by any significant amount, as your calculation illustrates. BTW, the formula you give only works for 2 resistors in parallel -- there is a more general formula for multiple resistors in parallel.

I have often stated that a good place to start loading a given cartridge (getting into the ballpark) is to multiply 25x the cartridge's internal resistance/impedance. The optimum will vary, but not more than +/- 50% of the 25 multiple. Raul and I agree that the best procedure for discovering the optimum load is to listen to the bass while starting at the low end of the loading range and working up to higher resistances. If you do it this way, the bass will go from looser to tighter and then as you go too high (in load) the bass will begin to weaken (thin out and lose strength) the mid/high won't change (except in relative terms, to the bass) that much throughout the procedure.

If the load exceeds a cartridge's optimum by even a small amount (say running a cartridge at 800 ohms where it should be optimum around 100 +/- ohms) it will be hard to detect because it will sound pretty much the same (bright) from 800 all the way up to 47,000!