How wrong you are. Best performance from a cartridge is when the sylus that's sitting in the groove is tracking at its optimum position. Something is wrong with your setup, and I am sure you can get better sound tracking the cartridge as it was designed to track. By reducing the VTF of your cartridge, you changed the VTA. It is a testament as to how good the cartridge is that it can be so wrongly set up and still provide acceptable sound. This comment is not aimed at Tzh21y...if you are happy, be happy... I say this so others don't screw around with their setup and ruin it. If my car says to put 35 pounds of air in the tires, and I find that it even gives me better gas mileage when I have 55 pounds of air, its just plain wrong.
JMW 9 maybe likes to track carts lighter
I am finding out that I am getting better results with tracking my carts towards the lighter side of the recommended force of the cartridge with the JMW 9 Memorial. For instance, my Glider recommended force is between 1.8 and 2.0. I was tracking my Glider close to 2.0. I was just not right. Then down to 1.95, still hearing tracking error, but more air. I read that when you get tracking error that you should increase the tracking force. The manual actually says to track heavier to alleviate antiskate related performance issues. I was caught up with that for quite a while. Then I decided to try going lighter. Right now I am around 1.7 (little above) and it tracks great. My antiskate issues have decreased and the cart just tracks more accurately with tons more air, a lot less distortion, and a lot less innr groove distortion. So maybe depending on what the cartridge wants to see could mean more than just going heavier. Maybe I will keep this table and arm after all. If you have a JMW arm, you might be pleasantly suprised if you try this. I thought lighter would be worse, not better. I am always learning in this hobby.
I am using an old Shure tracking force gauge. I am wondering about the accuracy. I may get a digital gauge as I can see how critical this is.
I am using an old Shure tracking force gauge. I am wondering about the accuracy. I may get a digital gauge as I can see how critical this is.
11 responses Add your response