Benz MC1

default -- Mon, 09/07/2009 - 05:01

Hi Folks
some years ago (early 90's or late 80's) I purchased a Benz MC1 - it has seen very little use since then as I went overseas for some years - and it lay in storage....
So here I am some years later - my LP's have come out of storage - I have an MC1 ...and I cannot recall whether it is the high output or low output model...
Does anyone know (remember from those dim dark days of the past) how to tell which model MC1 I have, and what would be the right MC pre to match up with it?
I do have a Creek OBH9 available to me....
thanks

David

Peter (not verified) -- Mon, 09/07/2009 - 15:22

The obvious thing is to wire it up, plug in the phonostage and have a listen.....if there is too much gain on the mc stage then you have the high output version and could use the MM input (assuming the Creek has one). As the high output version works well loaded at 47K, there should be no matching problem. However, that cartridge seems to be about 20 years old, and unfortunately the rubber suspension will probably be quite brittle by now. MCs do deteriorate over time, even if not used (a bit like us really!). If you can manage it, the best path could be to trade it in against a new Benz, the trade-in deals are very good, and something like (say) a Glider, gives a very fine sound indeed. Worth giving a Benz dealer a call?

dlaloum -- Mon, 11/16/2009 - 18:48

Hi There,

took me a while to get around to rearrangin things - pulling things out of storage etc...
OK so I have a Creek OBH9SE with OBH2 power supply (high gain designed for low output MC's) - and it is clipping on peaks....
So I definitely have the High Output MC1... (sounds good otherwise...)
Next question: What Phono Pro should I get?
Should I get the Creek current version OBH15/18? - can I use my OBH2 psu with these? is it a waste of time? (the current Creek phono pre's seem to come with a Wall Wart psu - and claim to have power clean up circuitry in them)
Should I look at some other pre?
Don't want to spend an arm and a leg... but I do want to get the maximum out of my setup that I can! (at a reasonable price)

thanks

David

dlaloum -- Mon, 12/28/2009 - 07:12

Update:
I purchased a Creek OBH18 MM pre... fixed the clipping issues!
OK so things are running again - TT operational - everything working....
but the sound is somewhat disappointing - not great - not bad...
More research ensues....
The Benz like most MC's is a mid/low compliance cartridge - the tonearm is a low (ver low) mass tonearm, with magnetic damping..... works best with a high compliance cartridge..... so I have a design mismatch.... This Turntable used to be sold with a Shure V15 cartridge.... which was one of the highest compliance cartridges made.
What now???
Can people please recommend high compliance cartridges that might mate well with by table?
Thanks
David