Originally Posted by
YNWaN
Forgive me if I’m telling you something you already know - but, here goes anyway. The suspension of, all but a select few, moving coil cartridges consists of two components; 1/ a rubber bushing that is just behind the coils and, 2/ a very fine tie wire that is attached to the rear end of the cantilever. This is pulled to a tension and held by a really tiny grub screw. The tension of this wire pulls the whole coil and cantilever assembly against the rubber element and creates most of the tension/spring in the system. Usually, when you read that someone’s cartridge suspension has collapsed it has nothing to do with ageing of the rubber component (which is almost always what is blamed). Instead it is a sign the tie wire has broken or slipped free from the tiny grub screw holding it. Also, it is common to find that slightly rough cueing can cause a little bit of slippage in the wire. Just check this hasn’t happened to you. Look directly at the side of the cartridge as it is lowered onto a record. If the suspension moves more than before, and the cartridge ends up closer to the surface of the record than before, then the tie wire has slipped and needs readjustment.