Dodgy SPU quality and a tale of woe with an Ortofon RS-212D...

[YNWaN]

Well, there's nothing much to expand on, I'm just passing on second hand information. I haven't personally ever had anything to do with the Ortofon cartridges in question (they aren't my thing), but I have been told in the past about misaligned ones in the manner you have described.
______________________

would it not be feasible to make a claim for all expenses experienced and compensation for breach of contract

No, it definitely would not.

[Marco]

No worries, Mark. I just wondered if you'd heard of anything specific

What this has highlighted though, is that there is obviously an inherent quality control problem, which badly needs addressed, so hopefully Ortofon will take note now that it's been brought to their attention.

Regarding the SPU, if you can get hold of (borrow from someone?) some Naim MM boards for your preamp (if that's how your system works for phono), I can let you hear the SPU in your system, via my A23 MC step-up transformer, when I bring my T/T round again.

That is once my new armboard is ready and I get my tonearm and cartridge fixed. As far as the SPU is concerned, you may be surprised at the results

Marco.

[YNWaN]

I've got 322 MM boards (just got to find them - they are probably in my bits box) - I could fit them to either my pre-amp (which has two phono inputs) or my stand-alone phono-stage.
_____________________

I've done the basic armboard CAD. Unfortunately, the best potential solutions (that currently occur to me) aren't likely to be very cost effective - I will consider it some more.
_____________________

Actually, looking at it now, a cunning plan does occur to me - and it doesn't require the deck to be disassembled to fit it .

[Marco]

Ha - I always enjoy cunning plans!

Marco.

[alfie2902]

Wow! That's bad luck Marco!

I've not heard of an SPU headshell & mounting bayonet coming loose fault before. Hope it gets sorted quickly. I think I would be wanting a brand new SPU TBH.

Unlucky with the tonearm too mate, see you should of bought an FR

[YNWaN]

I've not heard of an SPU headshell & mounting bayonet coming loose fault before.

It hasn't come loose - the bayonet fitting is glued at the wrong angle.

[Marco]

Indeed... That was exactly it.

Instead of the connecting link on the bayonet fitting pointing, smack on, at the 12 o'clock position (as one was looking at it face-on), it had been fixed at '11.57', so consequently when the cartridge was fitted to the arm or sitting on a record, it was 'drooping' down to the left at an angle, resulting in azimuth being out by a good millimetre and a half!

I should hopefully be hearing today when I'm likely to get both back

Marco.

[YNWaN]

I should hopefully be hearing today when I'm likely to get both back

Marco.

Hope it's not too long Marco, I know what it's like to be without ones music.

[Marco]

Thanks, Mark. Hopefully I'll have good news soon!

Marco.

[synsei]

That totally sucks Marco, I hope Ortofon get you back on track asap.

I'm absolutely stunned the SPU was allowed to leave the factory in that condition. It's disturbing enough that sufficient care wasn't taken during the manufacturing process, however I find it totally unacceptable that the fault wasn't picked up during the QC procedure. It's such an obvious and easily identifiable fault that it raises the question as to whether this particular unit went through QC at all...

Here's hoping Ortofon review their manufacturing and QC procedures accordingly as a matter of urgency. I'd expect a written apology at the very least if this had happened to me.