Ortofon OM20 lousy tracking

[magiccarpetride]

My dealer installed Ortofon OM20 on my Rega RB300 tonearm and according to my electronic scale, the VTF is set at 1.92 grams. The cartridge plays very nicely on the first track of any LP, but as soon as it reaches the second track, often halfway through, it starts mis-tracking, the sound becomes distorted, and it gets stuck in the loop.

Is that caused by the excessive VTF? Ortofon recommends 1.25 grams for this cartridge. Should I lower the VTF? What else could be causing this defect?

[struth]

tracking is recommended at 1.5g. i would check the set up of tonearm too.

[Shovel_Knight]

If it gets stuck, I would check if tonearm movement is free. Sometimes the cueing platform can interfere with the movement of the tonearm. Or the tonearm itself may have defective bearings...

[Mike Reed]

As above advice. A heavier than recommended VTF would be more likely to stay in the groove, but sound dull and unbalanced. As aforesaid, check the arm for free movement and no snagging on anything (like bias?). Also check the stylus for crud/fluff/whatever (using a loupe or similar if poss.).

If newish, a cart. should be played at v. near the max. recommended VTF; you can reduce a wee bit thereafter, but there's little if any advantage in so doing. Of course it's assumed the dealer set up the geometry correctly, but I doubt it's this cause.

[Stryder5]

I would check tonearm settings, take record off, put stylus guard on, turn bias to zero. Assuming you have a turntable mat, lower the stylus guard onto the mat and gently using the headshell arm nudge the tonearm towards the centre of the turntable. It should glide easily towards the centre, note where you feel resistance, this should be, at minimum, where the record label should be.

If the tonearm tries to return outward turn the bias a little. Whatever your tracking weight is, the bias as a rough guide should be the same.

Check the vertical tracking angle if you have a small vial spirit level try setting the arm horizontal. If you don't have a tiny spirit level, do this by eye.

If all the above are ok you need a set up alignment protractor, this sets the cartridge and stylus overhang and cartridge angle relative to the record grooves.

The dealer should have done all this if he had the turntable!

[Barry]

Good advice Gary.

I've never been happy with the bias mechanism on the Rega arms (for example, the bias is never truly zero when the dial is set to zero), and suspect that might be the problem.

Also, I assume the deck itself is level; easy enough to check with a spirit level.

[hifi_dave]

Never had any problems using thousands and thousands of Rega arms over the years with any cartridge. The magnetic bias is never a problem, the magnetic bias can never be dialled out completely but it shows how low friction the arm bearings are.

There might be a problem with the arm bearings mullered by the dealer, arm cue catching, cartridge wires hanging too low or a duff cartridge.

[magiccarpetride]

Good advice Gary.

I've never been happy with the bias mechanism on the Rega arms (for example, the bias is never truly zero when the dial is set to zero), and suspect that might be the problem.

Also, I assume the deck itself is level; easy enough to check with a spirit level.

Thanks to everyone for great answers. I've lowered the VTF to recommended 1.5 grams by dialling the spring to 3 (to disengage it), and then sliding the counterweight until the scales showed 1.5. The deck is level, and there are no other obvious blockages.

Now the problem arises only toward the end of the record. May be the time to change the tonearm. Any recommendations for what is a true step up from Rega RB300?

[Stryder5]

If it's now happening at the end I would hazard a guess that the cartridge has not been aligned correctly, do you have access to an alignment protractor?

What you have now is IGD (inner groove distortion). Can be caused by above.

I believe your tonearm is not the issue, i.e. The RB 300 is good enough.

Only my opinions though

Thanks to everyone for great answers. I've lowered the VTF to recommended 1.5 grams by dialling the spring to 3 (to disengage it, and then sliding the counterweight until the scales showed 1.5. The deck is level, and there are no other obvious blockages.

Now the problem arises only toward the end of the record. My be the time to change the tonearm. Any recommendations for what is a true step up from Rega RB300?

[struth]

Yup it needs setting up right. Can be a very small thing that gives u a lot of grief alas