Congratulations! That should be perfect.
Sutherland Club House
- Thread starter AnthonyI
- Start date
bjshawk1980
New Member
I have run a oc9xml on the insight found 200db loading to sound better than a 100db on the Oc9 series. Specs state a min of 100 db loading just was my preference
@bluzuner @bjshawk1980 makes a good point. Increasing resistance from 100 to 200 ohms (or more) will increase high frequencies. There is no right or wrong (but you’ll want 10 times the coil resistance at least). It’s going to come down to your system and personal taste.
I tend to prefer “less bright” so I’ll usually load the cartridge down more- lower resistance.
I tend to prefer “less bright” so I’ll usually load the cartridge down more- lower resistance.
bluzuner
New Member
@HiFi Guy @bjshawk1980 Thank you for the info. I tend to run my stuff somewhat warm, but you know those ears aren't picking up highs like they used to! I'll play with both of those load settings. Thanks for all the help 
Slimwhit33
Well-Known Member
Did you get it? How are you liking it? What did it replace?
Slimwhit33
Well-Known Member
sulken
Member
Set to arrive this afternoon. I am beyond excited...I have been stuck with streaming lately so getting something on the turntable will feel nice. Before I upgraded to the 1200GR I was using an all-Rega set up with a Rega IO. I walked into a Cambridge CXA81 so now I'm just mixing and matching and experimenting. I think the Sutherland will be here to stay....assuming it gets here
Slimwhit33
Well-Known Member
Ahhh.. my favorite 3 words.. "out for delivery"! I can't imagine you not loving it tbh.. its a great phono stage.. Enjoy and let us know what you think!!Set to arrive this afternoon. I am beyond excited...I have been stuck with streaming lately so getting something on the turntable will feel nice. Before I upgraded to the 1200GR I was using an all-Rega set up with a Rega IO. I walked into a Cambridge CXA81 so now I'm just mixing and matching and experimenting. I think the Sutherland will be here to stay....assuming it gets here
MikeH
Well-Known Member
Loving it!
Slimwhit33
Well-Known Member
Awesome! Time to change your signature!?
MikeH
Well-Known Member
good point! updated
MikeH
Well-Known Member
That’s how I’ve felt about the insight too!
bluzuner
New Member
I received my Insight on Monday, and have had some time to run it in. My turntable gets about 50 hours a week playing time, perhaps a shade more, and I've played with MM carts (AT-95E), MI (Grado Gold), and a MC cart (OC9XEN). This replaced a LX-LPS (the first gen, from Music Direct when they closed them out). I like the LX-LPS a lot.
The Insight is a completely different beast. I always thought the Musical Fidelity sounded very organic. The Insight just expands on that in every way. That MF stage seems to throw up a fairly wide soundstage, but it's somewhat limited in depth. The Insight has that same width, but the depth of the soundstage is far far far deeper. Instrument separation is fantastic, there really isn't blur at high volumes. And the Insight is quiet, music plays from a much blacker background than the MF stage does.
The loading/gain options are spot on. When I unboxed it, it was set at 200 Ohms and 60db gain. With the OC9XEN, it sounded fantastic, but after a couple days I noticed that a song or two per album was a bit strident. Switching to 100 Ohms loading eliminated that. Just a great sound, and it was exactly what I was wanting. I like MC carts, but with how much my turntable is used I have to use MM carts most of the time (I get a new stylus about every three months). Even the AT95E sounded great with the Insight. Funny thing, I always thought the 95E was mostly balanced, but a bit weak in midrange (vocals). With this Insight I don't feel that way, the vocals have mostly returned with that cartridge.
This is an endgame piece for me, so don't tell me anymore about 20/20s and Duos
.
I'm 57, and am a disabled vet, so $1400 is a lot to spend on a phono stage. I got mine from Upscale, mostly because of their return policy in case I wasn't happy. But the Insight has TRANSFORMED MY ENTIRE SYSTEM. I don't think that any upgrade in any other part of my stereo would make anywhere close to the improvement in sound that this has. So I'm friggin done lol. I've pondered Lintons or KLH's, but I like my Emotivas quite a bit. She likes that look of the Lintons and KLHs, so maybe down the road, but I've spent a couple years moving from my old stuff I had forever, and am happy with each piece. I'll read what experiences you all get with new equipment, and be more than satisfied experiencing our hobby that way.
For anyone thinking about making a similar move to mine, I can't recommend this more highly.
The Insight is a completely different beast. I always thought the Musical Fidelity sounded very organic. The Insight just expands on that in every way. That MF stage seems to throw up a fairly wide soundstage, but it's somewhat limited in depth. The Insight has that same width, but the depth of the soundstage is far far far deeper. Instrument separation is fantastic, there really isn't blur at high volumes. And the Insight is quiet, music plays from a much blacker background than the MF stage does.
The loading/gain options are spot on. When I unboxed it, it was set at 200 Ohms and 60db gain. With the OC9XEN, it sounded fantastic, but after a couple days I noticed that a song or two per album was a bit strident. Switching to 100 Ohms loading eliminated that. Just a great sound, and it was exactly what I was wanting. I like MC carts, but with how much my turntable is used I have to use MM carts most of the time (I get a new stylus about every three months). Even the AT95E sounded great with the Insight. Funny thing, I always thought the 95E was mostly balanced, but a bit weak in midrange (vocals). With this Insight I don't feel that way, the vocals have mostly returned with that cartridge.
This is an endgame piece for me, so don't tell me anymore about 20/20s and Duos
.I'm 57, and am a disabled vet, so $1400 is a lot to spend on a phono stage. I got mine from Upscale, mostly because of their return policy in case I wasn't happy. But the Insight has TRANSFORMED MY ENTIRE SYSTEM. I don't think that any upgrade in any other part of my stereo would make anywhere close to the improvement in sound that this has. So I'm friggin done lol. I've pondered Lintons or KLH's, but I like my Emotivas quite a bit. She likes that look of the Lintons and KLHs, so maybe down the road, but I've spent a couple years moving from my old stuff I had forever, and am happy with each piece. I'll read what experiences you all get with new equipment, and be more than satisfied experiencing our hobby that way.
For anyone thinking about making a similar move to mine, I can't recommend this more highly.
Slimwhit33
Well-Known Member
I received my Insight on Monday, and have had some time to run it in. My turntable gets about 50 hours a week playing time, perhaps a shade more, and I've played with MM carts (AT-95E), MI (Grado Gold), and a MC cart (OC9XEN). This replaced a LX-LPS (the first gen, from Music Direct when they closed them out). I like the LX-LPS a lot.
The Insight is a completely different beast. I always thought the Musical Fidelity sounded very organic. The Insight just expands on that in every way. That MF stage seems to throw up a fairly wide soundstage, but it's somewhat limited in depth. The Insight has that same width, but the depth of the soundstage is far far far deeper. Instrument separation is fantastic, there really isn't blur at high volumes. And the Insight is quiet, music plays from a much blacker background than the MF stage does.
The loading/gain options are spot on. When I unboxed it, it was set at 200 Ohms and 60db gain. With the OC9XEN, it sounded fantastic, but after a couple days I noticed that a song or two per album was a bit strident. Switching to 100 Ohms loading eliminated that. Just a great sound, and it was exactly what I was wanting. I like MC carts, but with how much my turntable is used I have to use MM carts most of the time (I get a new stylus about every three months). Even the AT95E sounded great with the Insight. Funny thing, I always thought the 95E was mostly balanced, but a bit weak in midrange (vocals). With this Insight I don't feel that way, the vocals have mostly returned with that cartridge.
This is an endgame piece for me, so don't tell me anymore about 20/20s and Duos
I'm 57, and am a disabled vet, so $1400 is a lot to spend on a phono stage. I got mine from Upscale, mostly because of their return policy in case I wasn't happy. But the Insight has TRANSFORMED MY ENTIRE SYSTEM. I don't think that any upgrade in any other part of my stereo would make anywhere close to the improvement in sound that this has. So I'm friggin done lol. I've pondered Lintons or KLH's, but I like my Emotivas quite a bit. She likes that look of the Lintons and KLHs, so maybe down the road, but I've spent a couple years moving from my old stuff I had forever, and am happy with each piece. I'll read what experiences you all get with new equipment, and be more than satisfied experiencing our hobby that way.
For anyone thinking about making a similar move to mine, I can't recommend this more highly.
When I got my Insight I was completely blown away and it was by far the biggest improvement my system at the time had seen. I was coming from a Vincent PHO-8 and 30 seconds into the first song I couldn't believe how crazy good it sounded. Instrument separation and tone was crazy, soundstage was wide and tall and had texture.. it really changed everything I thought was possible in this hobby. Enjoy it!!
Angsty
Well-Known Member
It's been a while since there's been much posted here; let me give it a shot.
The question: How sensitive have your MC cartridges been to phono loading above the minimum impedance (which is typically 10X the coil resistance)?
I've been fiddling with the alignment on my Hana ML for a few days (trying to hone in the sound) when it occurred to me that my loading might not be optimal. I have the ML on the Bryston phono which has an internal SUT. I believe the SUT presents a load of 400-500 ohms to the cartridge. That was near optimal for my Hana SL, but may be high for the ML which has a coil resistance of 7 ohms.
Before I disassemble the system to reinsert the Insight at 100 ohms, I'd like to know about your MC loading experiences.
The question: How sensitive have your MC cartridges been to phono loading above the minimum impedance (which is typically 10X the coil resistance)?
I've been fiddling with the alignment on my Hana ML for a few days (trying to hone in the sound) when it occurred to me that my loading might not be optimal. I have the ML on the Bryston phono which has an internal SUT. I believe the SUT presents a load of 400-500 ohms to the cartridge. That was near optimal for my Hana SL, but may be high for the ML which has a coil resistance of 7 ohms.
Before I disassemble the system to reinsert the Insight at 100 ohms, I'd like to know about your MC loading experiences.
SnowmaNick
Well-Known Member
On my SL I ended up at 150 Ohms with the Rega Aria. For whatever that’s worth.
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
I actually found my SL sounded much better at 800ohms than 400ohms and I believe there are others on here with insights running it at 1k ohms
