2. analog
  3. 180677-89202

What a difference a setting makes.

I recently got a new turntable (Feikert,) Arm (Origin Live,) and cartridge Hana ML.) A whole new analog setup. I talked myself into thinking the sound was good, although I had doubts when I compared the SQ with the sound I was getting from the digital side. It was really great on some records (the equal of digital,) but the majority of discs were mediocre. Finally, I decided that with such good equipment I should be doing better. So, I contacted my salesman/advisor for help. He had initially recommended that I set the preamp with the gain at 58 and the load at 100 (evidently the standard for the Hana cartridge.) I kept it on that setting for several weeks.  
When I called him he suggested that I increase the load to 200. 
All of a sudden everything opened up! Almost everything I played had a presence it lacked before. The proverbial veil was lifted.  Records really did sound wonderful!  
I can’t help but think, that if I hadn’t had enough with the old sound I would be blissfully ignorant of what my set was capable.

 

128x128rvpiano
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,414 posts
 

I finally figured out how to change the anti skating setting. A bit of problem to do.  Again a change in this setting improved the sound noticeably.

newbee
4,751 posts
 

RV, good on you! As I've said or implied in other posts, it all matters. 2 things not to overlook are the VTA and how it is affected by record thickness, and the VTF which by the way affects the VTA. I used to have two mats, one for records of a standard thickness and one for records which were thick. The mats made for a standard height to set your VTA for so you didn't have to fiddle with VTA for every record you used. Be nice to have a tonearm which had a scale for VTA or one that you could adjust VTA on the fly. Enjoy your new stuff!

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,414 posts
 

Newbee,

Thanks for your good wishes.

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,414 posts
 

@newbee 

You were so right in pointing out there are significant sonic changes available with manipulation of the turntable.
I’ve found great improvement with very slight changes of settings. 
I never would have thought it.

 

lewm
12,453 posts
 

For every cartridge, dependent upon its internal resistance and inductance, there is a "critical" load resistance, below which (in terms of the ohmic value of the load resistor) its output starts to roll off noticeably and there can be a gradual loss of treble, as load R goes toward zero.  For your Hana ML, the recommended load resistance is "greater than 100 ohms", not 100 ohms as recommended by your dealer or whomever you relied upon.  This might indicate that Hana perceived that a 100 ohm load was not going to bring out the best in your cartridge, that at 100 ohms its output and treble extension would both be compromised.  So changing to 200 ohms would be expected to effect a big improvement.  As someone else suggested, you might consider further increases in load R, just for the fun of demonstrating the principle.  But you shouldn't be surprised at your results reported here.  At higher and higher load R values (load on cartridge goes down) there will be much less difference to be heard, because you are moving away from critical load value, but you might like some higher value of R even better than you like 200R.

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