Troubleshoot tracking issue


I have an SME V arm on a Michell Orbe SE. I've been trying this new cartridge for a little bit. Previously, I've been using a Shelter 901 which weighs in at 9.1g. The new cartridge weighs in at 10.0g, and the diamond is slightly more forward.

When I installed this new cartridge, I rebalanced the arm to account for the weight difference, and also readjusted pretty much everything else to make sure that it is set up correctly.

Several friends have been trying the same cart and they all told me that this cartridge is a tracking champ. But I've been having some tracking issue. Most noticeably at the outer rim. When I first put the cart down, it would just skip the first minute worth of the first track, but then it would play through the rest of the LP side just fine. The recommended tracking force is 1.5-2.0g. I'm trakcing at 2.5g with slightly higher antiskate and it is still doing that. I checked the lift beneath, and it is clear of the arm tube when the cartridge meets the vinyl.

The arm is about 8 years old. Is the anti-skate spring loosing tension? the damping fluid needs to be replaced? Something else I'm doing wrong to cause this problem????

FrankC
gundam91

Showing 1 response by dougdeacon

Agree with everything Nsgarch said.

Zenblaster's guidance on antiskate is backwards. Reducing antiskate will cause the arm to move more toward the center, not less. Using a blank side is certainly not meaningful, unless you play a lot of blank sides of course. I doubt your problem has anything to do with antiskating anyway. As Nsgarch said, you're probably using too much as it is already.

You say you checked "everything", but did you specifically adjust overhang and cantilever angle with an alignment protractor, either SME or otherwise? If the new cartridge is even slightly different in length than the old one (from the stylus to the plane of the mounting screws), your symptoms could happen.

Also, check the dressing of your tonearm wires. They could have become twisted or be brushing on something.