Cartridge Experts

Doak, That is interesting. Does the Decca track well compared to the other carts you have owned?

Thanks Doak, I will put it on my list of carts to hear. It is a very interesting design.

Thanks Elizabeth, I realize this is a difficult question to answer. I think only a cartridge designer and or rebuilder can really say for sure. I understand if they are reluntant to answer. Maybe they use whatever length is optimal for any given design?

I sent in a Colibri XGP to van den Hul to match the compliance to my tonearm. It came back with a longer cantilever than before. I'm not sure if it was to help with compliance or if it was just what they were using at the time? From what I have read there is usually a wire attached to the back of the cantilever and compliance is adjusted by how tight the wire is stretched. The suspension material also plays a roll by being either soft or harder.

Any experts care to explain?

Sean

Sure, if you're a girl.

Yes, I saw that on his site. One problem with short cantilevers is the cart will bottom out on warps easier. Before I had to be careful that the coils did not hit the warps in records. Now there is more clearance. I think it sounded better with the shorter cantilever. Hard to say for sure as it was about a month turn around.

Nandric, It would not be the first time. ;) Why do you say that?

Got it. I was not sure which post you were referring to. I imagine there could be alot of money in the cantilever enlarging business. Anyone want to be an investor?

Stringreen, are you trying to say if I'm not an artist I should mind my own business? If everyone listened to that advise nothing new would ever happen.

Sorry, must be male pms.

I have a theory. It seems to me that a shorter cantilever will cause the coils or magnets to move a larger distance than a longer cantilever. The effect of this would be a difference in output voltage.

When I got my Colibri back from vdh with a longer cantilever I had to turn up the gain alot to get the same output as before. I contacted them about it and was told they had not changed the coils and did not know why the output would be different. I asked if the longer cantilever had anything to do with it and the person (not vdh himself) I was in contact with did not think so. I asked about having higher output coils installed and was told around $800.00. This was sometime ago and I have still not done this.

That makes sense. In the case of the Colibri the coils are visible. I don't believe it is possible to changes the distance of the coils away or toward the pivot point. I could be wrong though.