I'm putting together a project using the Tonearm Audio 12" tonearm. This arm has a mass of 39 grams and so it needs a low compliance cart. I was looking around and the AT 440MLa seems to be just the ticket. Copied right from AT's site:

Dynamic compliance (x10-6 cm/dyne) : 10
Static compliance (x10-6 cm/dyne) : 40

People happily use this cart in mediumish low mass arms all the time even though the compliance seems so low, am I going to be okay using this arm and cart combination?

http://tonearmaudio.com/_wsn/page3.html

No, it isn't. You have to keep in mind that AT's dynamic compliance specs are for 100 Hz and not the usual 10 Hz. At 100 Hz the numbers are much lower.

I'd suggest a Denon DL103 instead, if your phono stage is MC capable.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

Hi,

thanks for the reply. I'm trying to keep the cost down so I have been keeping out of MCs generally except high output types. It looks like every company uses a different unit for measuring compliance. Doesn't make for much of an easy comparison. The Ortofon MC 1 Turbo is specified at 13 µm/mN dynamic compliance. I want to consider the Denon DL-110 or 160 but I can't find any information on their compliance.

Any help anyone?

8 and 10 µm/mN for the DL110 and DL160. But Denon also specs for 100 Hz, so for 10 Hz these two will be more around 16 and 20 µm/mN...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

You arm is not at all well suited for the AT440MLa or any MM cartridge that I can think of.

A 39 gram tonearm is heavy and generally well suited to very low compliance cartridges - but there are not too many that I know of. Some people might know of more but the DL-103 and variants (fairly inexpensive but a real bargain) and Ortofon SPU cartridges (typically fairly expensive) are what I think of right away.

Maybe you should go to the manufacturer of the tonearm and ask him for recommendations. If you aren't happy with the cartridge matches that you can get, then looking for a different tonearm might be the way to go.

You arm is not at all well suited for the AT440MLa or any MM cartridge that I can think of.

Hmmm, Decca London (Pod)? :thmbsp:

Grinnings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

I agree that the DL-103 is more ideal, the DL-110 is passable. Don't know what carts you have already, but if you're looking to stay MM or cheap, if you can find an old AT10 or AT11, they are very low in compliance, or possibly one of the Shure DJ carts. You won't often find compliance specs--look for a tracking force range of 2-3g.

Hmmm, Decca London (Pod)? :thmbsp:

Grinnings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

Interesting thought. I've heard of these cartridges but never heard one and it's certainly not a common cartridge. I understand they do well with damped unipivot arms but may dance without some damping.

I agree that the DL-103 is more ideal, the DL-110 is passable. Don't know what carts you have already, but if you're looking to stay MM or cheap, if you can find an old AT10 or AT11, they are very low in compliance, or possibly one of the Shure DJ carts. You won't often find compliance specs--look for a tracking force range of 2-3g.

Howard, it's great that you know about so many cartridges. Hopefully, the gentleman finds something that will work for him.