Jimbos Audio ramblings

[struth]

I was told by a reputable music and audio shop that one should start with a VTF 0.25g below the maximum recommended value, and then experiment with with smaller values (in say 0.25g steps).
Contrary to expectation, more wear will occur to both record and stylus if the cartridge undertracks.

i usually did same oddly. dunno why but i agree that i'd rather it be slightly heavy than too light

[Barry]

Yes, I have followed that advice for the last 50 years with cartridges costing anywhere between £15 and over £1,000.

[Jimbo]

I suggest you follow the Linn school of arm/cartridge installation: tighten everything until the threads strip, then slacken off a quarter turn.

Yeah I remember that was the mantra.

[AJSki2fly]

I was told by a reputable music and audio shop that one should start with a VTF 0.25g below the maximum recommended value, and then experiment with with smaller values (in say 0.25g steps).
Contrary to expectation, more wear will occur to both record and stylus if the cartridge undertracks.

That makes sense. I’ve ordered a calibrated digital VTF gauge that’s supposed to be accurate. Once here I’ll try 2.1g and back off 0.1g and see where I like the SQ best, if there is any difference.

[AJSki2fly]

I was told by a reputable music and audio shop that one should start with a VTF 0.25g below the maximum recommended value, and then experiment with with smaller values (in say 0.25g steps).
Contrary to expectation, more wear will occur to both record and stylus if the cartridge undertracks.

The Pro-Ject Digital VTF gauge arrived this morning, not expensive £20, it comes with calibration weight, which I checked and is spot on 5gm, the spec says it is accurate to 0.01gm and will not deviate.

I first calibrated the gauge as in the instructions and then before doing anything else checked the existing tracking weight which I thought to be set at around 2.0gm using the balance gauge, the Pro-Ject gauge indicated 2.18gm, so quite a bit higher than I thought I had set. No big issue as still within the recommended 1.8-2.2gm tracking force advised. I did check the tracking force again with the anti-skate removed, this in fact added 0.15mg, so a reading of 2.33gm. So the effect of anti-skate devices on tracking force is possibly something to consider when setting up a cartridge, I seem to recall reading this somewhere once.

Next I adjusted the tracking weight to the originally intended 2.0gm, and then had a listen to two favourite test listening tracks. Result was a subtle improvement in clarity. Having watched the video posted previously https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__ApPo7htUg I decided to completely check on the cartridge set up, playing particular attention to VTA, azimuth, and cartridge alignment(Zenith Error). I had heard that a stylus could be incorrectly mounted at the wrong angle causing 'Zenith Error" but had not really understood this before. Obviously without a very powerful microscope it is impossible to determine if this is the case or not, however using the starting point of getting the cartridge perfectly aligned so that it is parallel with a set up gauge is where I started. What I found was it was minutely out of alignment, having adjust this I set VTA, and azimuth and rechecked everything, then set VTF. I listened to my two favourite test tracks Ravi Shankar - 'Tala Rasa Ranga' on Portrait of Genius and Eva Cassidy - 'Fields of Gold' on Nightbird, what I noticed was a slightly more focused soundstage, and more top end clarity.

Maybe I was lucky and just happened to get the cartridge set up better, who knows?, I certainly think that if a cartridge doesn't sound quite right that minute changes to the alignment that improve the VTA and Zenith can be worthwhile, but this can be a very tricky and an exacting process, requiring patience and very minute adjustments and listening after each to see if it improves.

I wonder if anyone has had their stylus checked to determine how far off it is mounted?

Having done the above this then lead me to mount my Goldring 2500 MI cartridge which was already on another head shell. I have been pleased with it in the past but always returned to the Benz-Micro as I felt some detail was missing with the Goldring. I carefully checked the cartridge alignment in the head shell and this was slight off, once on the arm I went through the complete set up process, checking all alignments and setting a 1.8gm VTF. On went the previous two test listening tracks and I was immediately taken aback, the Goldring had come alive in the top end, detail that previously I thought was missing was now present and the soundstage was great.

So to sum up I think that spending time to carefully get your cartridge right is very important, I doubt it matters how much it costs, probably a badly set up expensive one will sound no better than a perfectly set up cartridge a 1/10 the price. If it does not sound right then adjust it by very small increments and listen carefully to it using easy to listen to tracks with clear instrumentation, and highs and lows, rock music is probably not the best for this, and use a clear female vocal recording to listen for sibilance and try and minimise it. I've certainly learnt something and the result is very well worth the effort.

The Goldring is staying on the turntable for now as I am rather enjoying it.

[Jimbo]

Great account of your trials and tribulations with cartridge set up there Adrian. I have to agree that even small changes in any of the set parameters does have a significant effect on SQ but as you mentioned best to move in very small amounts until you hear what sounds right to you. Add in the complication of vinyl thickness and it can be a bit frustrating but once your in the ball park I don't hit this is too much to worry about unless your really anal about cartridge set up with different weights of vinyl.

I am going to have a few sessions myself in the next few days to see if I can eliminate some of the slightly negative aspects I am hearing currently which are prominent in the midrange, namely a bit of hardness and forward presentation. Not sure this can be resolved by stylus set up but the article I linked to suggested this could be the result of incorrect VTA so I will have a go.

[AJSki2fly]

Great account of your trials and tribulations with cartridge set up there Adrian. I have to agree that even small changes in any of the set parameters does have a significant effect on SQ but as you mentioned best to move in very small amounts until you hear what sounds right to you. Add in the complication of vinyl thickness and it can be a bit frustrating but once your in the ball park I don't hit this is too much to worry about unless your really anal about cartridge set up with different weights of vinyl.

I am going to have a few sessions myself in the next few days to see if I can eliminate some of the slightly negative aspects I am hearing currently which are prominent in the midrange, namely a bit of hardness and forward presentation. Not sure this can be resolved by stylus set up but the article I linked to suggested this could be the result of incorrect VTA so I will have a go.

Thanks James, as you and others may be aware I listen to my system and LPs a lot so I think my ears have become quite accustomed to how it sounds, for good or bad, so I was quite surprised by findings, as I said I though I had cartridge set up licked, but obviously not, hitting the sweet spot is not easy, but can be achieved with knowledge and patience.

With respect to VTA and its impact on SQ, I have definitely experienced this, one TT and arm seemed to be more effected than others I have had. I came to the conclusion, rightly or wrongly, the effect was exaggerated due to poor arm isolation from the platter and the platter had resonance issues. So lowering the arm as little as 0.5-1mm at the rear would result in what could be described as a bloated sound in the low registers, raise it up other way and the the bloat went but top end became forward and toppy, with sibilance made worse (possibly what you describe). I went back to basics and set the are height so that the head shell was dead level/parallel to the record, and set everything else up to spec, and test listened. After trying dealing in several VTF settings I found the best for me was with the arm raised at the rear very slightly by about 0.25mm.

With my current TT/arm I do not have the same issues and with the 3 main cartridges I use a perfectly level tonearm/head shell which seems to work for them all.

[Jimbo]

As you maybe aware I am a long time sufferer of the 2M Black and have spent years tweaking the alignment of this cartridge and definitely notice the difference VTA makes with the radical Shibata stylus. However I have come to the conclusion that it is probably best set up with the cartridge parallel to the record surface for all round listening enjoyment. Moving it into any other angle does probably find the sweet spot for stylus rake angle but it may not sound great on all records or to my ear.

[karma1967]

set it to 92 degrees and leave it imo.

[karma1967]

Thanks James, as you and others may be aware I listen to my system and LPs a lot so I think my ears have become quite accustomed to how it sounds, for good or bad, so I was quite surprised by findings, as I said I though I had cartridge set up licked, but obviously not, hitting the sweet spot is not easy, but can be achieved with knowledge and patience.

With respect to VTA and its impact on SQ, I have definitely experienced this, one TT and arm seemed to be more effected than others I have had. I came to the conclusion, rightly or wrongly, the effect was exaggerated due to poor arm isolation from the platter and the platter had resonance issues. So lowering the arm as little as 0.5-1mm at the rear would result in what could be described as a bloated sound in the low registers, raise it up other way and the the bloat went but top end became forward and toppy, with sibilance made worse (possibly what you describe). I went back to basics and set the are height so that the head shell was dead level/parallel to the record, and set everything else up to spec, and test listened. After trying dealing in several VTF settings I found the best for me was with the arm raised at the rear very slightly by about 0.25mm.

With my current TT/arm I do not have the same issues and with the 3 main cartridges I use a perfectly level tonearm/head shell which seems to work for them all.

if you have an off set headshell then you are also changing azimuth,that impacts the sound more than a 0.25mm of vta adjustment to vta.