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Article Index
McIntosh MT-5
p2
p3 Sound Quality
p4 Sound Quality
p5 Conclusion
p6 Measured Performance
All Pages

 

The d.c. servo motor has a single capstan step for the belt; manual speed change

by moving the belt between steps is unecessary.

 

You can, however, fit any cartridge into the arm and a full range of arm adjustment is available, including arm height; only headshell azimuth adjustment is not possible, but neither is it in most fixed-head arms (e.g. SME, Rega). The three speed adjusters sit behind a small cover; to use them a stroboscope disc is needed or, better, a test disc (Clearaudio) and frequency meter (Maplins). Also on the back panel are synch inputs for a Mcintosh hi-fi system. You get a turntable mat and even a heavy puck to hold records flat.

   And now to the Sumiko Blue Point 2 moving coil cartridge and what the handbook doesn’t make clear. This is a high output moving coil (MC) cartridge purposed for moving magnet (MM) inputs, not MC inputs as suggested in the handbook. It needs a 1000 Ohm (minimum) load Sumiko say, where most MC inputs are 100 Ohms. If you plug it into an MC input it will work OK, as output will drop substantially into 100 Ohms and being a resistive generator treble is maintained (I tried it). But I felt MM sounded better, a tad more dynamic. The Blue Point 2, although an MC with non-removable stylus, costs just £200 or so; it is a super budget design – and sounds it. It tracks well at 2gms, but gives a dynamically lacklustre sound with overly strong high treble; I soon changed it for something better – then the MT5 showed its mettle.

 

 

 

The arm is lowered and lifted with a damped platform, operated by a lever. Manual

cueing isn't so easy, because there's little clearance between the flat finger lift and the

record surface. Finger lifts are usually curved upward to avoid this difficulty. 



 

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