Look inside the shield of the phono plug sleeves - that's where my problem was |
Digital multimeter solamente won't get you there without a lot of extra effort. |
Or just a simple digital multimeter! |
Great news for you, Audiorader. Like Almarg, I am wondering how it could be that the function of the Foz is turntable dependent. More likely there is some intermittent issue with the Foz so that it malfunctions only some of the time. I think I will keep on using my ancient Signet Cartridge Analyzer. |
So, it WAS the phono preamp -- but as I said, not necessarily the gear itself; in this case a tube.
Has anyone contacted Fozgometer for their response/reaction? |
Sounds great.It's always nice to be able to enjoy your system. |
Glad to hear the problem is finally solved, Audioraider. Thanks for letting us know.
In my (extensive) experience as an electrical engineer, it often turned out that when problem investigations involved baffling, confusing, or contradictory symptoms, there were two problems simultaneously present.
I'm left wondering, though, why the Foz's erroneous indication would have moved to the other channel when the cartridge connections were swapped. And why, as reported by one of your correspondents, the design anomaly it apparently has would be brought out by some turntables but not by others.
In any event, congratulations!
Best regards,
-- Al |
I have solved the problem! Thanks to Atmosphere and many others great advice, I have found the problem or two problems to be more accurate. I started checking all of the components and found a bad 5687 tube on the left side of my Steelhead, that explained why I was hearing the image shifted so far to the right. The second problem is the Fozgometer. I have now received 10 emails from people who had read this thread and have had exactly the same problem. It seems that the Fozgometer has a design flaw and does not work in all situations. One person that I have been emailing with has three tables and found the Foz works great on two of his tables but on the third it always reads much higher on the right side. He has also changed the arm, cart and cable numerous times and has tried many different manufactures but the Foz always reads the same. He is having none of the center image sound stage issues that would be obvious with a right channel 5-6 DB louder than the left. Thank you all for your help. It seems that I put too much confidence in a piece of measuring equipment and since it was confirmed by what I was hearing I was convinced it was right. It was wrong and once I found the bad tube I was able to move the right speaker forward to match the left, set the Azimuth by ear and now my sound is chilling! |
Audiorader, I am not sure this is even important, but when you say that the problem switched from one side to the other after you switched the pairs of leads at the cartridge clips, do you mean as measured by the Foz or did you also listen to some music and confirm that the lower output problem had now switched to the opposite channel in your whole system?
Apropos of the question of phase, I agree with Dave and Atmasphere that this could be the issue. One wonders whether your headshell is miswired so that in one channel the "hot" clip is really going to ground in the preamp, and the "ground" clip is actually going to the hot pin on the RCA plug. Thus all could appear to be correctly wired while in fact that one channel is out of phase with respect to the other. This defect also does serious damage to bass coherence and stereo imaging. It's hard to listen to, in fact. If your tt, platter, and tonearm mount are all level and plane parallel to each other, then phase error is a possible cause. |
I don't know if this would be a contributing factor on not.In the 70s to 80s,I did some recording from LP's to tape,it didn't matter what system or combination of gear,the right channel always read higher than the left,if memory is correct . When I tried to match them up with the VU meters,I ended up with a imbalance between left and right channels. |
Good point David. I had that demonstrated in spades at the recent RMAF. The complaint in the system was that the image was off to one side and it was being blamed on the amps. What was really going on was that the speaker was out of phase in one channel. As soon as that was corrected, the image was exactly centered. |
Ralph, I would add to your list the experimental reversal of cartridge phase on one channel-- no matter what the ohmmeter says. Incorrect relative phase will definitely shift the image to one side.
Also, has each tonearm wire been checked with an ohmmeter to confirm that there are no leaks between the wires or from any wire to ground? |
Ralph, note that in the first paragraph of his post of 12/11 Audioraider indicated that the new cartridge had not ever been connected to the phono stage, yet still measured identically to the previous cartridge (with the Fozgometer, I assume).
And the Fozgometer itself can apparently be ruled out as the cause of the measured imbalances since the imbalance followed the channel swap that was performed with the cartridge connections. And also because of the consistency that was observed between the measurements on the first two cartridges and the listening results.
It is indeed baffling. Perhaps another rope should be obtained, and spliced onto the first one....
Best regards,
-- Al |
Audioraider, if you swapped the arm wiring at the cartridge clips and the problem moved, its the cartridge.
However now we have 3 cartridges that all seem to have the same problem, so its getting less likely that the cartridge is to blame. I also doubt setup, and I also doubt that moving the 'table will do anything.
Right now I suspect that the problem is very close to the cartridge. It could be that the arm wiring is damaged right be the cartridge clips (although I am struggling with how that would work) but the other thing that is worrying me is that you might have DC at the input of one channel of your preamp, so that any cartridge you put on there gets damaged. The only problem with that idea is that if that were the case, swapping the channels would introduce the 'damage' to the other channel of the cartridge and it seems like that has not happened.
Since there are all dead ends, I suspect that there is a procedural error that is confusing things, like a channel that was swapped with the other but for some reason really was not, even though you were sure it was- some sort of thing that you are convinced of and so you can't see it.
If it were me at this point I would start from square 1:
swap the interconnect cables at the inputs of the amps and see if the problem moves
if no => amps, if yes => preamp
if preamp then swap inputs to the preamp (phono input since CD seems OK).
if problem moves then its the arm
if stays put then its the preamp
If arm, swap channels on the cartridge. if problem moves its the cartridge, if not its the arm.
Now I would do this and take notes, being certain that at each step you *change only one thing*. So this means you can't touch the volume or balance controls. Sorry to lay it out like this, but I can see why you are at the end of your rope... |
Hi Audioraider,
I reread your problem statement again amdit is puzzling especially since you ahev mounted a new cartridge and problem remains. So, it seems like its down to the arw or TT. Assuming its not the wiring for a minute (which you will know soon with your reiwred toenarm coming), then we have to aask if there is a mechanical problem with eitehr your amr or TT. You have said that your TT is level but what about your arm? Could you arm on its mounting board be slightly tilted? If you set the VTF to zero and balance the arm/cartridge to be level, does the arm tend to swing inward or outwards? Maybe your toenarm cabling is giving a little bias? Anyway, just my 2 cents.
Hang in there and don't give up. Get someone else to come listen and take a look. When I get a problem, it is sometimes good for me to just walk away and then come back to the problems a few days later and get someone to listen in also. |
Thanks Ddriveman, I will take that into account. I am at 5db but that does get me closer. As far as my hearing, I have thought about that but My CD player is perfectly balanced. I have to pull my spiked speaker forward 8" every time I want to listen to CD's. Just FYI, I have had 3 people email me with exactly the same problem, one of them has three of the most expensive tables in the world and many arms but on one table, no matter what cart or arm he uses he gets 5db higher on the right side. His other tables read perfectly. Thank god I am not alone with this problem. |
Hi AutoRaider,
Since you are using the Fosgate Fozgometer to help diagnose your issue, I thought you should be aware of the following advise that I receive from Audio Revelation when I bought a Fozgometer from them: "The "Right" channel shows about 1.5db higher than left. I've tried 3 Fosgates and all the same, so account for this when doing measurements. You can tell by switching the phono leads while doing the balance check. Its a small amount but good to know. Also, for me and 3 other customers we found directions on Fozgate backwards for which way to turn the headshell in adjustment. Whatever instructions say, try reverse: clockwise instead of counterclockwise! I know, crazy!"
So just be aware that the Fozgometers may not be perfectly balance itself.
FWIW. Anyone else seem the same characteristics with their Fozgometer?? |
Have you thought about getting your ears checked? I had a right bias in my system many years ago in the way you describe and went to get my ears syringed - and it disappeared.
My left ear had a far greater buid-up of wax than the right, which was reducing the ability to hear high frequencies clearly.
Just a thought... |
To be certain about correct relative phase, forget the ohmmeter and just try switching the red and green cartridge clips. |
I don't want to bother you guys anymore but here is the update. I purchased a used Titan with the idea that if it was not the cart I could resell for the same amount. I received the new cart and installed. Based on your advice, I have not used the meter on this cart and it has never been hooked up to my phono amp. The new cart reads exactly the same as the old one. Much stronger on the right side. I will get the rewired tonearm back on wednesday and install. I dont have a lot of hope that this is the solution because when I switched the clips the stronger signal moved to the left side. If the tonearm rewire does not solve it then there are only two options left, that I can see, the table or my setup. I would figure there was a problem with the fozgometer but I checked the calibration with my CD player and, beyond that, I can clearly hear it louder on the right side. I have to move the right speaker back about 8" to get a center image but that causes other sound problems.
I have the table and platter perfectly level but I thought that maybe when I ran the table the 60lb platter might be shifting on the magnetic bearing. I see no side to side movement. It seems rock solid. As far as set up, I am using the DR Feikert analog protractor with the Lofgren Geometry. I have confirmed the spindle to pivot for my arm with Frank Schroeder at 222MM and I am dead on with both that and overhang. I have moved the head-shell in both directions and Azimuth with very little change in the signal output. I can twist the antiskate all the way to the left and the channels will balance, right before the needle skips across the record toward the spindle.
I am going to move the table to another location. It is a big job considering the extreme weight but I will get some help and move it on Wednesday. I really wanted to figure this out but if moving the table does not work I will drive it down to the Analog Room in San Jose and see if Brian can figure it out.
Thank you so much for your assistance, You are all great!
Arlan |
"I am going to throw the entire system in the ocean and take up another hobby."
NO!!!!
Give it to me first.
Then chuck yourself in the ocean.
Oh, do get it the right way round Audioraider... ahem ... ;) |
In the old days it was not a good idea to do a resistance check of an MC cartridge because the meter would put a substantial DC current supplied by a battery through the coils which might leave a magnetic field.
Then in the new days the DVMs put an AC signal through the circuit under test instead. The concern is really not a lot different- an AC current through the coils could demagnetize the cartridge somehow. In practice I've not seen it happen, but if you are concerned I would get a 50-ohm resistor and put that in series with the cartridge when doing the test, then subtract the actual resistance of the resistor from the reading. |
Dear Audiorader, You wrote, "I find it an interesting theory that the higher voltage of the meter may be reading the small resistance in the cart as continuity." Either we are experiencing a problem of semantics or you really have not quite understood what Al, Atmasphere, and I have been saying. This has nothing to do with the voltage of a meter. It has only to do with the fact that some meters, especially but not only cheap ones, have a setting that only gives you a quick reading for continuity of a circuit vs that the circuit is shorted. This could be done via an LED that glows in one color vs another, etc. But the point is that in such cases, you don't actually see a resistance reading (always in "ohms"). Meters used to check "continuity" will not "see" a 5-ohm resistance at all. Such a meter will show continuity between green and red pins or between white and blue pins on your Lyra but probably not on your MM cartridge, which likely has a much, much higher internal resistance. But if you are using a real ohmmeter or a good digital meter on the resistance setting, such that you get real numbers in ohms, then you indeed may have a problem with your Titan.
Then there is an entirely separate issue that says you might not want to try measuring resistance across the pins on a delicate MC cartridge, because doing so can burn up the coils inside. Thus, you conceivably already damaged your original Titan by taking this measurement, and indeed in that case you truly may have "continuity" between pins. So, some guys who have your interests at heart are advising you not to make this measurement on your new Titan. (In truth, before I knew better, I made this measurement several times on a Koetsu Urushi cartridge I wanted to buy, and no harm was done. The Urushi has a 4- to 6-ohm coil resistance, similar to your Titan(s).) |
Yes, very odd story. Perhaps too odd to be true. Maybe the man is having a big laugh while we are trying to figure it out or at least make some sense out of it. If I am right - I salute him for such an unusual approach. |
Send it to me, I'll throw it away for you cheap. But seriously, why did you buy another multi-thousand dollar cartridge instead of spending a couple of hundred or even less for an inexpensive trial cart? Your story is just so odd. $83,000 spent with no auditioning, no local shop etc.? For 5% you could fly almost any expert out to you and put them up in a fancy hotel. |
I am going to throw the entire system in the ocean and take up another hobby do it slowly, start with the Arm first... |
Did you try both of your "suspect" cartridges on another table/system/speakers? Or how about a cheap/different brand cartridge on yours?
In addition-I'm just going to throw this one out to you because it happened to a friend of mine, so please don't get upset.. the woofer of one of his speakers had it's wires reversed from the factory. That volume on that side always sounded lower whenever any portion of the recording was in mono. Yeah, that's right..a simple out of phase canceling effect.
We also played with/relied on our meters and test records to no avail. It's what you hear after all, isn't it? |
Audioraider, what hobby would it be?
Do other people hear what you do while listening to your stereo? Do you have anything near or around your turntable and cartridge that might cause the damage each time you replace things? It appears that there is some kind of unusual process going on there. |
Good points by Hifihvn and Atmasphere, of course.
Audioraider, in line with my earlier posts I would advise that you resist any temptation to perform any resistance or continuity measurements that would include your new $5800 cartridge in the measurement path. As I explained earlier, doing that may or may not be harmful, depending on the design of the meter, the design of the cartridge, and how long the test voltage from the meter is applied for, but an overabundance of caution would certainly not be inappropriate.
Regards,
-- Al |
Hifihvn makes a good point. The way you assure that the reading you are looking at is real is to start out by shorting the leads of the DVM together and looking at the reading you get. If the leads are in good shape you will see about 0.1 ohm.
Now if the leads in the tone arm, say from the red lead to the center of the right channel RCA are more than about 1 ohm I would say that you have a problem. Now you might see a reading like 1.1 ohms; don't forget to subtract whatever the reading of the DVM is when you short its leads together. You are going to see some resistance because the wires are very thin. Some phono cartridges have source impedances as low as 5 or 6 ohms, so you can see that a series resistance like that could have an effect.
If you have beeper in the DVM that register continuity, it might beep if you have anything less than 400 ohms, so it cannot be trusted. |
When I touch the white and blue pins on the cart I get a complete circuit. I don't think that should be happening. when I do the same to my backup MM cart I do not get a complete circuit. I am thinking that the cart has a short. Seems a little strange that it would be on both sides but my question is, Before I spend thousands on a new cart, is there any difference between a MM cart and a MC cart that would cause a complete circuit on an MC and not on an MM? Am I supposed to get a complete circuit?
Audioraider (Threads | Answers | This Thread) Audioraider,Your reference to continuity is most likely causing confusion in this thread.There are good suggestions by knowledgeable people.Techs,Designers,Engineers,and hobbyist,are used to seeing 0 ohms for continuity.This may help give some clarification,if you are using the continuity setting in a digital meter.My meters that have it(feature),all give similar characteristics on continuity setting.This should tell you why you get continuity with the MC cartridge,but not for the MM cartridge.The link at the end is for one of my meters that has a continuity setting.It works best for tracing a broken connection,or direct short.It will beep below 25 ohms,and if the item being tested is above 250 ohms,is does not beep.It thinks nothing is being tested if it is above 250 ohms.Its just for quick convenience.That may explain the MM vs.MC question adding confusion.Your Lyra is around 5.5 ohms.Your MM is probably over 400 ohms.Here is the manual link for it.Hope this helps.Pdf reads page 6,actual page 2.Its for a Fluke 179 meter.[http://assets.fluke.com/manuals/175_____umeng0100.pdf] |
I appreciate all the suggestions but I am not responding to some posts because people are not reading my posts. like suggesting this can have anything to do with the phono stage since it is not even hooked up. These readings are coming from the Phono RCA plugs. If you had read my last post I went into great detail about my SCHROEDER arm and how it is wired. I am using a digital meter for continuity and I find it an interesting theory that the higher voltage of the meter may be reading the small resistance in the cart as continuity. If that is true than I am completely back at square one. I have tried everything and nothing has worked so I am going to do this; I have ordered a new Lyra Titan i and will install it tomorrow. If I get the same reading than I will have the tonearm rewired. That is all there is in the chain so if those two things don't work I am going to throw the entire system in the ocean and take up another hobby. |
The problem here is that Audiorader is not always responsive to the questions, which perhaps is understandable given the large number of inquiries. But as a result, we are going off in all directions basing our ideas on incorrect assumptions in some cases. Al, I asked the same question you asked re whether he is using a continuity checker or a real ohmmeter. He has not responded. However, it would seem that he is indeed using a continuity checker, which, as you, and I earlier, surmised may not distinguish the 5-ohm resistance across the Lyra Titan coils from "continuity".
If he really has changed out all the interconnect wiring without any benefit, I stand corrected. It was not clear to me that he has tried that. As far as I could tell back when I made my last post (and I do mean my LAST post), he had changed out cartridges and tonearms. The typical Grandezza I have seen in photos provides female RCA jacks into which one then inserts ones ICs of choice. It was not clear to me that he had swapped channels at both ends of his ICs. Or indeed simply inserted a fresh pair of ICs. |
From the last set of measurements, it sounds like the arm wiring is fine.
OK- so with 2 different cartridges the same thing happens. And if you swap the cables from the tone arm left for right at the input of the phono section, the problem moves. All that is left really is the cartridges. So its either something common to their setup in the arm, or both have a similar problem. Now, the latter is really rare, but it could happen if both cartridges got subjected to something that could damage them.
I would put the DVM on DC voltage, and connected it to the inputs of the phono section, just to make sure you are not dealing with a malfunction that is putting DC on the inputs (like a shorted tube). If that's OK- the idea that you got 2 bad cartridges at the same time gains credence. |
Forgive someone who has NO ee knowledge from chiming in, but you may want to consider contacting member jcarr who, IIRC, designs and manufactures Lyra carts. |
Almarg,Thanks for the info.It would help if they did give more info about Digital Meters.I can't find any info either.I think the info that came with my meter,is the same as they provide on the net.They seemed to help phase out Vacuum Tube Voltmeters.I hope I don't ever run into this type of situation. |
Hifihvn, all of the specs that I've ever seen for digital multimeters do not provide enough information to determine the safety of their resistance or continuity functions with respect to a LOMC. The things that have to be known are the voltage the meter puts out into an open circuit when in those modes, and the output impedance of the meter when in those modes. That information together with the coil resistance specification of the cartridge would allow calculation of how much current would flow through the coil.
Without intimate knowledge of the design of the cartridge, it would then still not be possible to precisely say how much current would be safe, or for how much time a given amount of current could be safely applied.
The meters on analog multimeters typically move to full scale (which would indicate 0 ohms for the ohmmeter function) when the current flow is somewhere between 50 ua (microamps) and 1 ma (milliamp). The Lyra Titan i cartridge is spec'd to provide 0.5 mv (millivolts) into a load that can be as low as 10 ohms. 0.5 mv/10 ohms = 50 ua. So an analog ohmmeter for which 50 ua results in full scale meter deflection would certainly be safe. But one which required 1 ma for full scale deflection would be putting 20 times as much current through the cartridge as it would normally be called upon to provide under worst case loading.
Regards,
-- Al |
If this is correct,it is low ohms for the Lyra Titen.If I have the correct one.[http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=vinyl&m=940292] |
Pardon,87v is the correct one.To late for me. |
Almarg,I understand that.Would a Fluke be safe for a LOMC.I never had to measure one.I use a model 179 or 85 for good stuff. |
Thanks, Hifihvn. If I understood one of Audioraider's earlier posts correctly, he already tried swapping channels at the cartridge, and the problem DID move to the other channel.
One further note to Audioraider: If you measured continuity using a yes/no "continuity" function the meter may provide, that for example simply indicates the presence or absence of "continuity" via a buzzer or some other comparable mechanism (as opposed to measuring the specific resistance quantitatively), then the detection of "continuity" with the LOMC connected would definitely have been expectable, and not indicative of anything abnormal. That kind of meter function will indicate "continuity" even when a considerable number of ohms are present.
Regards,
-- Al |
Oops,Almarg,I didn't see your post.It popped in while I was typing. |
Almarg talked about doing damage to the cartridge with an ohmmeter.The only thing that I can think of without measuring is(write color code and position down first), switch the left and right leads at the cartridge like someone mentioned above.The left and right plus(+),and the left and right(-)negative.That is a good way of telling if one channel in your cartridge is shorted.If the sound coming out of your left channel becomes the loud one,then I would guess the cartridge is the problem,minus tracking problems.I've never heard a tracking problem make a large volume difference.Again,using the meter may be causing *damage*,and especially an analog meter,with a dial gauge.Like Almarg said,the meter your using may appear to be showing a short.There should be continuity if I'm reading your post right.Again,the meter may be *harmful*.That's why I'd go with the left and right channels swap at the cartridge.And if the left gets loud after swap,it may be the cartridge,but I can't say for sure.
I don't want you to cause damage to the cartridge if it may
be something else being overlooked.This is a mystery. |
Audioraider 12-08-10: Here is the problem; when I disconnect the cart, the meter reads perfect continuity from red clip to pos, green clip to neg on the RCA and white clip to pos and blue clip to neg on the RCA BUT when I hook up the cart, the red then has continuity to both pos and neg on the RCA. The green also has continuity to both pos and neg on the RCA. The same goes for the white and blue on the other RCA. This leads me to believe that the cart has the short. With the cart disconnected, I also checked to see if there was any continuity from each clip lead to the base of the tonearm, thinking that a wire may be shorting to ground, and found no problem. As I said in an earlier post: Almarg 12-07-10: Since there are far fewer turns in the coils of a lomc compared to a mm, the resistance will be much less in a lomc. As a very rough ballpark guess, perhaps a few ohms in the case of the lomc, and many hundreds of ohms or more in the case of a mm. Depending on the resolution of your meter, and the resistance scale you are using, the resistance of the lomc may be low enough to appear to be a short even though it is not. Are you certain that the "continuity" you are seeing when the cartridge is connected is in fact a zero ohm short, or might you in fact be reading the very low resistance of a few ohms that I would expect the LOMC cartridge's coils to normally have? Regards, -- Al |
I have thought from the beginning that it was a tonearm cable problem. The Schroeder tonearms use very very tiny copper wire with a clear coating. The wire runs directly from the clips to the RCA plugs. The wire sticks out of the tonearm in two locations and would be very easy to damage. If some of the plastic coating was scratched off you would never see it, even with a magnifying glass.
Here is the problem; when I disconnect the cart, the meter reads perfect continuity from red clip to pos, green clip to neg on the RCA and white clip to pos and blue clip to neg on the RCA BUT when I hook up the cart, the red then has continuity to both pos and neg on the RCA. The green also has continuity to both pos and neg on the RCA. The same goes for the white and blue on the other RCA. This leads me to believe that the cart has the short. With the cart disconnected, I also checked to see if there was any continuity from each clip lead to the base of the tonearm, thinking that a wire may be shorting to ground, and found no problem. |
Also,set your meter to a low volt setting.With your Fozgometer turned on,touch one test lead to the left channel center connection of the RCA input on Fozgometer, and the other lead to the RCA outer shield ring,make sure it reads 0 volts between the two on that RCA.Repeat the same for the right channel.This is to make sure it(Fozgometer)doesn't have a problem(short feeding voltage to cartridge),that could have damaged your cartridges. |
I don't know if this could be what happened.A lot of people just turn of the power switch when plugging or unplugging interconnects.A lot of the time,there is a voltage/current difference between the two components.If your plugging a RCA plug into something,the center pin may make contact first.This will feed that voltage/current difference to whatever that IC is plugged into. This could damage a cartridge coil,the gain stage at the input(especially solid state),from that voltage/current that may be there.It's always best to unplug everything first,before swapping cables,or components.I don't know if this is what happened,but if this was done,it could have damaged the coils.With winter,static electricity from us touching the RCA plug,catching a small spark,will also do it (damage) .Touch the metal case first,to discharge any static buildup we may have in our body.I hope its something simple,but just want people to give this a thought. |
Gentlemen,
Please note that Audioraider indicated in his initial post that he has already replaced the tonearm wiring, as well as the tonearm itself (perhaps twice, if I am interpreting correctly). My interpretation of what he has said is that those replacements encompassed all of the wiring, from headshell to phono stage input.
Also, he appears to have stated in a subsequent post that he swapped channel connections at the cartridge pins, and the problem followed the swap.
Ergo, it seems to me that there are only two possibilities. Either both cartridges are bad, or some kind of error in the mounting, alignment, settings, or adjustments of the cartridges or the tonearms caused both cartridges to behave in a similarly incorrect manner.
"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." -- Sherlock Holmes, as authored by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Best regards,
-- Al |
Audiorader, You are getting some questionable advice along with some good advice. Just do what Atmasphere has suggested, and you will likely be thrilled with the result. IOW, since it IS quite unlikely you have identical defects in two entirely different cartridges, you must first eliminate the much more likely possibility that you have a problem with your ICs, just as several others even before Atmasphere have suggested. This is Sherlock Holmes deductive logic. |
I had the same exact issue with a Dynavector XV1's last year. The right channel was louder. Switching the phono cable at the phono stage input, the left channel became louder. Looking at the styli with a 10X loupe i noticed that the styli was ever so slightly tilted. It appeared that the cantilever had rotated c-clockwise on its axis. I tried to fix that by adjusting/compensating with azimuth but to no avail. I ended up sending the cartridge to Soundsmith. Peter found that the cartridge was seriously flawed. The coils were rotated. He could not re-aligned the coils but was able to fix the problem, removing the styli and mounting one of his Optimized Contour Nude Line contact Styli. Sounds perfect now.
Note: i had bought the cartridge used so i could not use any type of warranty service with Dynavector. The cost for the repairs were approx. $400.00
Send it to Soundsmith and Peter Ledermann will tell you what's wrong with it.
|
