suitable tonearm for audio technica AT-150mlx


I'm getting a bit confused about arm compatibilty/cartridge compliance etc. I have a relatively high compliance Audio Technica AT-150mlx and wonder if my Origin Live Encounter MK3c (latest version) with an effective mass of around 12.5g would be suitable or do I risk damaging the cartridge? I also have an OL Conqueror MK3c with a higher mass of around 14g that I would like to try out with the cartridge. Also is it just a question of mass or also quality of bearings? - obviously the bearings on the Origin Live arms are excellent. Thanks in advance.
arco123

Showing 1 response by fleib

While the 150MLX is not a high compliance cartridge, you might have problems with a 19g arm. 100Hz cu figures are not directly comparable to standard 10Hz numbers. The equivalent 10Hz figure for the 150MLX is around 18cu.

Many people seem to get good results using an arm heavier than recommended. Much depends on set-up, physical and acoustic isolation and the particular arm and cartridge in question. Also, resonance estimators are just an estimator and results often vary. Sometimes an arm heavier than ideal can sound sluggish with a higher cu cartridge. Because of other factors such as electrical loading, results seem to vary widely. By all means try it. With that cart it's recommended that you keep the total capacitance load as little as possible. < 200pF is recommended for most ATs.
Regards,