Cartridge sag

[Bogester]

Hi all

A catalogue was delivered to me this week that contains the following item: http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/mobile/products.asp?dept=121

I've never heard or read anywhere that cartridge VTF should be adjusted every few months to compensate for cartridge sag. Is this a well-known tweak? I was under the impression that once the suspension is broken in there's no need to faff around with the VTF.

Any comments appreciated!

Cheers

Bogester

 

[CJSF]

Hi all

A catalogue was delivered to me this week that contains the following item: http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/mobile/products.asp?dept=121

I've never heard or read anywhere that cartridge VTF should be adjusted every few months to compensate for cartridge sag. Is this a well-known tweak? I was under the impression that once the suspension is broken in there's no need to faff around with the VTF.

Any comments appreciated!

Cheers

Bogester

Dont know about 'sag' but its a good idea to keep up with stylus down force every so often.

You dont have to pay an arm and a leg though? Have a look here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-1pc-Professional-Digital-LP-Turntable-Stylus-Force-Scale-Gauge-MC-MM-Cartrid-/310718741780?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Garden_Plants_Bird_Bath_Feeder_CV&hash=item485847bd14

Its a good idea also to set the down force by ear starting at known point, ie., say 2 grams, then reduce a little each time, there will come a point where the sound will become wispy, loosing weight, and/or miss-tracking occurs.

Back up a 10th or two? . . . to a sound and presentation you like, then check the down force with your digital scales. You now have a reference point to check against in the future.

CJSF

 

[letsavit2]

Been looking at them cheap little electronic devices, i have just been setting it manually, setting the weight to hover just over the platter then setting the down force to the manufactures setting. So is it worth owning one then?

 

[CJSF]

Been looking at them cheap little electronic devices, i have just been setting it manually, setting the weight to hover just over the platter then setting the down force to the manufactures setting. So is it worth owning one then?

Not sure the cheap digital scales are as good as they look, the weighing platform is not at the right height and they are often atracted to magnets! However the proper ones ar OK in both respects.

Worth having, yes . . . my Rega arm was way out 'to heavy' using the arm dial.

 

[letsavit2]

Thanks for the reply, what do you consider a "proper one" ?

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Obviuosly the cartridge sag nuance scale is a nonsense, and may, in fact, degrade performance rather than improve it.

Generally you set VTF to close to the manufacturers maximum. This gives you the best tracking with most tonearms. If you use the manufacturer's minimum, tracking flaws are more likely to show up, especially on records with complex passages of music. Bad tracking can also damage the record, so it is better to be safe than sorry, you don't want too light..

That's the rules we used to use back in the day, anyway.

 

[CJSF]

Thanks for the reply, what do you consider a "proper one" ?

Here you go:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-1pc-Professional-Digital-LP-Turntable-Stylus-Force-Scale-Gauge-MC-MM-Cartrid-/310718741780?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Garden_Plants_Bird_Bath_Feeder_CV&hash=item485847bd14&clk_rvr_id=535760090389&afsrc="1"

CJSF

 

[CJSF]

Obviuosly the cartridge sag nuance scale is a nonsense, and may, in fact, degrade performance rather than improve it.

Generally you set VTF to close to the manufacturers maximum. This gives you the best tracking with most tonearms. If you use the manufacturer's minimum, tracking flaws are more likely to show up, especially on records with complex passages of music. Bad tracking can also damage the record, so it is better to be safe than sorry, you don't want too light..

That's the rules we used to use back in the day, anyway.

Sorry 'altruistic lemon', I have to disagree. The figures the manufacturer gives are as a guide, its not a figure etched in stone. On a decent set up, you can set VTF by ear, using the manufacturers recomendation as a starting point, obviously mistracking is undesirable the same as the stylus 'ploughing' through the grove at maximum VTF inducing excess wear, is equaly not recomended. There is an ideal weight that matches the arm, TT, system sound and the individuals taste, that is what I have sugested the OP trys to home in on.

In my experiance, to much VTF usualy sound dull, slow, stodge, over blown, to little and it gets light and airy reduced base and miss-tracking, neither extreem is correct. I can see Plug and Play can take advantage of maximim recomended VTF . . . but it dont get the gest from the large financial investment you make in your hifi.

As ever, a personal opinion of course . . . CJSF