Phasemation with EAR MC4 Sucks?

[kiwibirch]

I have just received an EAR MC4 and compared to my Cinemag 1254 based SUT its not sounding very good.
The Unit is used. I've tried the 3ohm 6ohm and 12ohm. 3 and 6 ohm sound compressed and lifeless.
The 12 ohm input sounds more alive but not has good as the Cinemag.

The ratio's are 1:30, 1:24, 1:18 and 1:10. I'm using a phasemation pp-200 cart with 4ohm internal impedance.
The Cinemag sounds awesome at the 1:20 setting which matches Phasemations own SUT's that use 1:20.

Phono stage is Ifono3 black label set to 36db gain.

1:20 gives a loading of 118ohm. 1:30 and 1:24 give loadings below 100ohm. I beleive my cart is recommened to see a load of 100ohm
or greater so that explains why 1:30 and 1:24 don't sound right......

However i have read reviews where people have used Phasemation on the 1:30 and 1:24 with EAR MC4 and describe great sound ?!?!...

Does anyone have experience with the EAR SUT's with Phasemation carts? Could this be burn-in related?
If the previous owner never used say the 1:30 3ohm or 1:24 6ohm setting could it just need some running in time? or
am i just looking at a synergy problem where the SUT doesn't really go with this Cart?

Any advice greatefully received.

 

[Petrat]

Most EAR phono-stages have an mm gain of around 50dB iirc, so suggest you increase your iFi gain to 48dB and use the MC4 on the 12 ohm (18x) taps. I suspect the 3 and 6 ohm (30x and 24x) settings may load down the Phasemation a bit too much and possibly constrain dynamics? I owned an EAR MC4, and you are correct, ime each tap needed to be 'run in'.

 

[kiwibirch]

You're assumption gels with mine regarding the 3(30x) and 6 (24x) that would produce a load
on the cart of 52 and 81 ohm respectively. So this is probably constraining the cart too much
vs the >100 recommended. I would have though 81 being close would have sounded ok....

The 12ohm 1:18 sounded the best but sounded bad in comparison to the MUCH cheaper ned clayton cinemag 12xx SUT 1:20.... Not even close.

The cart is 0.3mv output, 30x is 9mv and 24 is 7.2mv so i would expect the phono stage or my leben CS300xs linestage to have enough headroom to cope with those levels.

I guess i'll try and run-in the 12 Ohm tap. Transients seem a bit slow and rounded with the 12
but not as lifeless as the 3 and 6 ohm detail seems off as well.

Its weird though as this reviewer was using a phasemation 4ohm 0.3mv output Cart
and loved it (same specs as mine). https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2024/4/24/ear-mc4-cartridge-step-up-transformer

I guess i'll put this down to experience and have to move it on if things don't improve quickly.

 

[Shuggie]

You're assumption gels with mine regarding the 3(30x) and 6 (24x) that would produce a load
on the cart of 52 and 81 ohm respectively. So this is probably constraining the cart too much
vs the >100 recommended. I would have though 81 being close would have sounded ok....

The 12ohm 1:18 sounded the best but sounded bad in comparison to the MUCH cheaper ned clayton cinemag 12xx SUT 1:20.... Not even close.

The cart is 0.3mv output, 30x is 9mv and 24 is 7.2mv so i would expect the phono stage or my leben CS300xs linestage to have enough headroom to cope with those levels.

I guess i'll try and run-in the 12 Ohm tap. Transients seem a bit slow and rounded with the 12
but not as lifeless as the 3 and 6 ohm detail seems off as well.

Its weird though as this reviewer was using a phasemation 4ohm 0.3mv output Cart
and loved it (same specs as mine). https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2024/4/24/ear-mc4-cartridge-step-up-transformer

I guess i'll put this down to experience and have to move it on if things don't improve quickly.

Weird also that the reviewer thought his Phasemation EA-350 phono amplifier has a solid state MC gain circuit, when in fact it has Phasemation's own 1:20 gain internal SUTs for MC!

 

[kiwibirch]

The 1:18 (12 ohm tap) is 0.3mv x 18 = 5.4mv and 25db + 36 db (phono) = 61db total gain which is plenty.
The load impendence is about 145ohms.
So this setting is the closest to perfect i can get from an MC4. I don't get it though
why is the sound so mediocre compared to the Cinemag 1254?...
I can only think that the 12 ohm tap needs to be run-in or the Cinemag is just a better overall
match.......
Strange when some koetsu users with (5ohm internal impedance) love the MC4 even above Koetsu's own SUT.

 

[Juiced]

Hi @kiwibirch,

Did you try different cables?

I use a Ear 88pb phono that i think have a MC4 built into it, a ZYX U-EX100 cartridge and SME 3012r tonearm.

With a 'Kondo LS-4' cable, the sound lacks focus, smudged and not engaging.
Clearly the cable is a bad match for the cart like their to much resistance or something.

With an extremely cheaper 'VDH The Isis' cable, although it lacks the nuances and smoothness of silver, the sound is dynamic, punchy and much more balanced.