I want to chime in here!
Jonathan:
Did you began by making sure SRA was set to 92 degrees preferably using a USB based microscope? Correct SRA is critical to this extreme stylus profile. I thought I was 'locked in' doing it by naked eye and listening until i got the USB microphone and I was way off...after getting it set using microscope the sound was hugely improved.
In fact Ortofon's specified VTA (were you to use the cantilever angle to set VTA) does not yield the correct result.
And of course you must use the rear edge of the Replicant stylus not the shank as the reference for the 92 degree angle.
In my experience tracking significantly lighter or heavier than recommended by the people who design these products may result in different sound but never better, particularly if you don't compensate for the SRA change made by changing VTF!
In this case, less than a gram will probably result in less than a degree change in SRA ASSUMING YOU WERE AT OR VERY CLOSE TO 92 degrees to begin with but still, you may be hearing that and not VTF change....
My motto: when in doubt play by the rules and stay within the manufacturer's recommended settings.....
BTW: I was involved in an A90 set up this weekend. Replacing a Dynavector XV-1t. The Ortofon is far superior IMO.....right out of the box
Jonathan:
Did you began by making sure SRA was set to 92 degrees preferably using a USB based microscope? Correct SRA is critical to this extreme stylus profile. I thought I was 'locked in' doing it by naked eye and listening until i got the USB microphone and I was way off...after getting it set using microscope the sound was hugely improved.
In fact Ortofon's specified VTA (were you to use the cantilever angle to set VTA) does not yield the correct result.
And of course you must use the rear edge of the Replicant stylus not the shank as the reference for the 92 degree angle.
In my experience tracking significantly lighter or heavier than recommended by the people who design these products may result in different sound but never better, particularly if you don't compensate for the SRA change made by changing VTF!
In this case, less than a gram will probably result in less than a degree change in SRA ASSUMING YOU WERE AT OR VERY CLOSE TO 92 degrees to begin with but still, you may be hearing that and not VTF change....
My motto: when in doubt play by the rules and stay within the manufacturer's recommended settings.....
BTW: I was involved in an A90 set up this weekend. Replacing a Dynavector XV-1t. The Ortofon is far superior IMO.....right out of the box