Does anyone know the tracking error of a SME 3012 or SME V-12? I've heard that 12" tonearms like the 3012 have a tracking error of 0.67%, is this true?
Does anyone know the tracking error of a SME 3012 or SME V-12? I've heard that 12" tonearms like the 3012 have a tracking error of 0.67%, is this true?
SS
CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10
VALVE
PRE Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 542
I'm mark.
If you put the numbers in Vinyl Engine, Lofgren A submits 0.47% maximum distortion.
I'm assuming maximum distortion = tracking error ? I can always be wrong though
No, tracking error is the difference between the ideal tracking angle (when the stylus is tangential to the groove) and the actual tracking angle.
The only reason I ask is because I'm considering a 16" tonearm and just want to see how much of an improvment in tracking error improves from 12 to 16"
SS
CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10
VALVE
PRE Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 542
I'm mark.
Same figures show 1.36 degrees maximum error. With 16" arm that goes down to 1 degree. Distortion from 0.47>0.34%.
Same as everything, which set of compromise's do your ears prefer? Extra length may reduce distortions, but adds it's own issues with rigidity, effective mass and lots of other technical issues.
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 542
I'm mark.
Doh, wrong again, I'm off :-)
For a given arm geometry both the offset angle and overhang are inversely related to the effective arm length.
The distortion caused by deviation from tangential tracking is proportional to the tangent of the angular error, so is more or less inversely proportional to the effective arm length.
Thus the tracking distortion of a 12" arm will be 3/4 of that for a 9" arm: in the case of the SME arms 0.65% maximum distortion for the 3009, and 0.49% for the 3012.
It therefore follows that a 16" arm will have 3/4 of the distortion of that for a 12" arm, or 0.37%.
However longer arms will have their own disadvantages: increased effective mass and reduced torsional and flexural rigidity, so are not a panacea by any means.
Barry
A ten inch tone arm is a very good compromise in terms of rigidity and effective mass.
Try to hear a Phonomac modified Audio Technica AT 1010 (PMAT1010) superb sound quality, dynamic and highly detailed with both MC and MM cartridges. Completely outclassed my SME IV.
SS
CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10
VALVE
PRE Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker