Cartridge loading and capacitance

[Bill Beausol]

FWIW, i thought that some of you might be interested in knowing that DB Systems in New Hampshire (I have no connection to them other than I own a bunch of their stuff), manufacturer of very high end electronics, has pretty neataccessories for turntables.

The DBP-6MC Resistive Loading Kit Allows 10 to 200 Ohms load for moving coil cartridges with custom values of resistor or capacitor plugs for changing the load or capacitance;

The DBP-11MM Phono Capacitance Switch Box selects 1 of 2 turntables with individual loading, allows 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 pF loads;

The DBP-11MC Resistive Loading Switch Box selects between 2 turntables with individual loading, allows 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 ohms loads, and

The DBP-11MM/MC Combines above in one box, one side MM, one side MC.

I have no affiliation to DB Systems other than being a very satisfied customer. I bring these to everyone's attention because if you are like me, you change cartridges and whatever load and capacitance that it sees is what it sees. It has finally occurred to me that not loading the cartridge correctly is like not setting the tracking force and anti-skate when you change cartridges and these solutions beat getting out the soldering gun and adding resistors and capacitors inside your pre-amp when you change cartridges.

I hope this is of interest to some of you.

 

[cdk99]

Thank you.

If anyone wants to make their own for a specific value...http://daveyw.edsstuff.org/vinyl/loading/

 

[totem]

There were a few preamps made with an automatic [within a set range] depending on cartidge k loading feature
and likely their owners would know if they had one, not sure how they would fair if connected to an
additional external load?

Example being a Classe DR-6 MKII and others I don't recall.

 

[marcmorin]

FWIW, i thought that some of you might be interested in knowing that DB Systems in New Hampshire (I have no connection to them other than I own a bunch of their stuff), manufacturer of very high end electronics, has pretty neataccessories for turntables.

The DBP-6MC Resistive Loading Kit Allows 10 to 200 Ohms load for moving coil cartridges with custom values of resistor or capacitor plugs for changing the load or capacitance;

The DBP-11MM Phono Capacitance Switch Box selects 1 of 2 turntables with individual loading, allows 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 pF loads;

The DBP-11MC Resistive Loading Switch Box selects between 2 turntables with individual loading, allows 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 ohms loads, and

The DBP-11MM/MC Combines above in one box, one side MM, one side MC.

I have no affiliation to DB Systems other than being a very satisfied customer. I bring these to everyone's attention because if you are like me, you change cartridges and whatever load and capacitance that it sees is what it sees. It has finally occurred to me that not loading the cartridge correctly is like not setting the tracking force and anti-skate when you change cartridges and these solutions beat getting out the soldering gun and adding resistors and capacitors inside your pre-amp when you change cartridges.

I hope this is of interest to some of you.

I own 2 DB-1B preamps, one of them since 1978 but up graded to the 1B some years ago. had the pleasure of test driving a DB 8HG for a couple of months. Fortunately my carts run fine into standard R loading, and don't care one wit about cap values.
DB Systems, not much to look at. still some of the purest electronics.

 

[Bill Beausol]

True that. I probably have more DB Systems stuff than anybody except Dave Hadaway.

 

[bimasta]

Another vote for DB preamps. The proverbial 'straight wire with gain'. I found mine over 20 years ago at a pawn shop for a giveaway price of $50. Over that 20 year period I've used or owned over a dozen preamps, tube and solid. Most are gone but the DB will always remain. I also kept a vintage Luxman and MFA Magus, both tube, but it's been ages since I've used them.

I'm not sure which model my DB is. I can't use the knobs to identify it, because I changed them for much sexier ones (it's bling to me but the X-wife liked them so much she said the whole system sounded better). I also substituted some gold RCAs, but that was just me, nothing official.

My power supply has a green LED, and according to something I read on the net, that indicates some kind of upgrade.

Can any of you help me determine the model, just based on that little detail?

Thanks.

 

[marcmorin]

Another vote for DB preamps. The proverbial 'straight wire with gain'. I found mine over 20 years ago at a pawn shop for a giveaway price of $50. Over that 20 year period I've used or owned over a dozen preamps, tube and solid. Most are gone but the DB will always remain. I also kept a vintage Luxman and MFA Magus, both tube, but it's been ages since I've used them.

I'm not sure which model my DB is. I can't use the knobs to identify it, because I changed them for much sexier ones (it's bling to me but the X-wife liked them so much she said the whole system sounded better). I also substituted some gold RCAs, but that was just me, nothing official.

My power supply has a green LED, and according to something I read on the net, that indicates some kind of upgrade.

Can any of you help me determine the model, just based on that little detail?

Thanks.

quick question, on the phono low cut switch does it say 18hz/36hz or 20hz/36hz? Were your original knobs lumpy or round?
the 1st upgrade was of course the "knobs" but some other upgrades were done inside to make it a DB-1A

 

[bimasta]

quick question, on the phono low cut switch does it say 18hz/36hz or 20hz/36hz? Were your original knobs lumpy or round? the 1st upgrade was of course the "knobs" but some other upgrades were done inside to make it a DB-1A

I have no idea how I missed your question, Marc, a full 18 months ago. Apologies, it certainly wasn't intentional.

I don't remember the knobs it came with, I changed them the same day... but I think they were the 'diamond-cut' (an upgrade). The low-cut switch is 18hz/36hz.

There may be another sign of upgrading. DB offered a +6dB gain boost as an upgrade — someone published how to DIY it: paralleling a resistor of a certain value with a second resistor of the same value. I searched the boards and found no paralleled resistors, nor a single one of the old value — and I assume the old resistor was replaced by a single one of higher value — which suggests to me a factory upgrade. (Hope that complicated sentence makes sense).

I don't know if this meager info sheds any light, but if you can give me a clue I'll sing your praises.

 

[marcmorin]

the diamond cut knobs indicates it is a DB-1A. the 18/36 indicates its an early model DB-1 that was upgraded to 1A. The DB -1B as a complete unit from David would have had 20/36 on the front.
The +6db gain wasn't part of the phono section, but the amplification section, along with that gain was further flattening of the gain bias of the amplification. just about ruler flat from 5hz to 70khz.

 

[LESONAUSSI]

FWIW, i thought that some of you might be interested in knowing that DB Systems in New Hampshire (I have no connection to them other than I own a bunch of their stuff), manufacturer of very high end electronics, has pretty neataccessories for turntables.

The DBP-6MC Resistive Loading Kit Allows 10 to 200 Ohms load for moving coil cartridges with custom values of resistor or capacitor plugs for changing the load or capacitance;

The DBP-11MM Phono Capacitance Switch Box selects 1 of 2 turntables with individual loading, allows 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 pF loads;

The DBP-11MC Resistive Loading Switch Box selects between 2 turntables with individual loading, allows 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 ohms loads, and

The DBP-11MM/MC Combines above in one box, one side MM, one side MC.

I have no affiliation to DB Systems other than being a very satisfied customer. I bring these to everyone's attention because if you are like me, you change cartridges and whatever load and capacitance that it sees is what it sees. It has finally occurred to me that not loading the cartridge correctly is like not setting the tracking force and anti-skate when you change cartridges and these solutions beat getting out the soldering gun and adding resistors and capacitors inside your pre-amp when you change cartridges.

I hope this is of interest to some of you.

Hi, thanx so much, this is exactly which I have been searching for weeks. You've greatly helped me.

There were a few preamps made with an automatic [within a set range] depending on cartidge k loading feature
and likely their owners would know if they had one, not sure how they would fair if connected to an
additional external load?

Example being a Classe DR-6 MKII and others I don't recall.

GREAT MAJOR QUESTION
If you have an additionam external load, the k loading used buy the preamp will be the one entering the preamp, that is the one modified (ex. 20k) and the preamp will adjust if needed as if is was a 20k cart. On the preamps offering automatic loading, it has to be enable / disable just in case it doesn't work properly. That's what should be checked

 

[totem]

Seems the "auto adjust" K loading feature was short lived to be taken over by manual options as the TT resurgence occurred,
does anyone know what other models other than the above noted Classe' DR-6 MKII that incorporated it?

The time period would likely be early 90's.

 

[LESONAUSSI]

I made a big error, I thought the DB Systems allowed to lower MM loading but I think I'm wrong. The best seems to be the DaveyB kit. Only one problem : can' solder as I have one hand paralysed

 

[DaveyW]

No need to solder if you use RCA Screw Connectors

 

[LESONAUSSI]

Hi Davey, thanx. I've read you page will really great interest. I have learnt a lot, it is fascinating.
I'll read it again because there is still much more to learn.

I wondered if with one hand I could do cartridge modding (after having learnt on a lot of dead bodies)

I wish I could do cantilever Graft ing

I've tried one of those the following way : great mono record, phono cable with one no modified plug and the other with an RCA screw connector (without any resitance). So that was 47K against 47K but the RCA screw connector side not sounded as good as the side with a sheer plug.

So I'll keep on trying find someone who could make a high-end kit and sell it to me (read my lips lol)

Yesterday, I though I have found an equipment (changing loading with a knob) but for MMs, it changes the impedance.

Below is my most desperate cartrige. a real challenge lol.

Thanx for your help.

Best,

Philippe