Mono Cartridge: Best Practices?

[Ceburaska]

I’ve got a Graham Slee phono amp that can cover a couple of non RIAA curves.

 

[watchnerd]

There is a graph somewhere on the net of all the curves the Devialet does, that might help you decide.
Frankly I'd choose whatever sounds best to you, and ignore the science, unless you have vintage mono test records you trust.

The 1976 curve(IEC RIAA) introduces an additional filter(cut-off) at 20Hz which also adds amplitude, and even more undesirable, phase errors. It is not considered to be desirable for more aware users.

See in this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization

Earlier than 1953 is mind-boggling: https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/78rpm_playback_curves#78_rpm_EQ_Curve_Generator

Is this helpful? View attachment 16174

Okay, this is weird:

I have a 1962 mono reissue of Dave Brubeck's "Time Out".

Given that it's pre-1976, I would think the 1953 would be the one the LP was EQ'ed with.

And yet the 1976 version sounds far superior in the bass; the 1953 sounds absolutely truncated in the bass by comparison.

What gives?

 

[Soniclife]

Okay, this is weird:

I have a 1962 mono reissue of Dave Brubeck's "Time Out".

Given that it's pre-1976, I would think the 1953 would be the one the LP was EQ'ed with.

And yet the 1976 version sounds far superior in the bass; the 1953 sounds absolutely truncated in the bass by comparison.

What gives?

Do you have the subsonic filter on?
Are you using Sam?
Is the record flat or warped?
Do you see where I'm going with this?

 

[Wombat]

Okay, this is weird:

I have a 1962 mono reissue of Dave Brubeck's "Time Out".

Given that it's pre-1976, I would think the 1953 would be the one the LP was EQ'ed with.

And yet the 1976 version sounds far superior in the bass; the 1953 sounds absolutely truncated in the bass by comparison.

What gives?

Does this help?

https://www.discogs.com/The-Dave-Brubeck-Quartet-Time-Out/release/385684

 

[watchnerd]

Do you have the subsonic filter on?
Are you using Sam?
Is the record flat or warped?
Do you see where I'm going with this?

Subsonic = whatever the default is
Record = flat
SAM = 50%

 

[watchnerd]

Does this help?

https://www.discogs.com/The-Dave-Brubeck-Quartet-Time-Out/release/385684

Interesting, I'll have to try it with Columbia.

 

[watchnerd]

Does this help?

https://www.discogs.com/The-Dave-Brubeck-Quartet-Time-Out/release/385684

Oh, wait...that's the stereo version.

I have this version:

https://www.discogs.com/The-Dave-Brubeck-Quartet-Time-Out/release/6695318

 

[Soniclife]

Subsonic = whatever the default is
Record = flat
SAM = 50%

Subsonic is probably on for vinyl, but worth checking, I think it should be on.
It's possible if there is a lot of low frequency signal, either deliberate or from vinyl errors Sams excursion protection is stepping in. Or they have labeled the curves wrongly.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I always use the 1976 curve because it reduces the amplification of sub-sonic cartridge garbage.
I was just leaving the industry in 1976 and it was introduced to deal with one of the many faults of record players ie the amplification of the erroneous signal they produce below about 2xFn which is unavoidable in seismic vibration transducers.
The "audiophile" LP lovers tend to slag it off for the same reason, perhaps, that they love LPs in the first place...

On the Devialet the subsonic filter probably does the same thing.