Recommended Cartridge Impedance
The cartridge coil impedance for which the manufacturer recommends the selected input or step-up setting.
Cartridge internal impedance describes the cartridge itself. It is different from the load presented to it, and a recommended range should not be read as the input’s own impedance.
Recommended Cartridge Impedance — Step-Up Transformer (SUT)
For a Phono Step-Up Transformer, this recommendation helps match a moving-coil cartridge to a particular tap or fixed ratio. Different taps can suit different cartridge impedances and output levels.
Keep each range with the corresponding turns ratio and cartridge-output recommendation. A nominal tap label or an input impedance calculated from the secondary load is not automatically a recommended cartridge-impedance range.
Compare the cartridge’s published coil impedance with the stated recommendation, then check its output and the following MM stage. Falling within this range alone does not establish correct gain, overload margin or the complete loading arrangement.
Recommended Cartridge Impedance — MC Head Amp
For a Phono Head Amp, a recommended cartridge-impedance range identifies the moving-coil sources the input is intended to work with. It is one part of matching the cartridge to the active gain stage.
Read the range with any stated input mode or gain setting. Do not replace it with the head amp’s adjustable load setting: the source impedance and the load connected across that source describe different sides of the connection.
Compare the cartridge’s coil impedance and output voltage with the manufacturer’s guidance. A suitable impedance alone does not establish the required gain or noise performance, and missing recommendations should not be inferred from an unrelated setting.