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Cartridge fresh out of the box

If this question has been popped previously, my apologies!

Anyways, I just installed a N-I-B Benz Micro MC20E2H cartridge (replacing a vdH MM-1) and I noticed that the sound from one channel (right) is significantly softer than the other.

Could this be due to the cartridge which has (obviously) not being broken-in yet?

Also, when I play a mono LP and set my amp to mono, both channels produce the same level of sound.

Thanks for any feedback.

beck
tubemoose
kirkus
502 posts
 
Mekong56 is correct, fine tuning the azimuth affects the channel SEPARATION, not the channel BALANCE. Unless of course, we're talking about something like a tilt of 20 degrees . . .

Provided that there are no problems with connections and wiring (quite possible after a cartridge installation), or a problem downstream (verify by swapping phono output leads left for right), then the mismatch is indeed the cartridge. In fact, channel balance is a very typical cartridge specification . . . precisely because it is the component which usually determines it.
headsnappin's avatar
headsnappin
295 posts
 
Kirkus is correct. I did not say that anywhere near as well.
headsnappin's avatar
headsnappin
295 posts
 
The key word here is "significantly".
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
But, when he plays mono, the level is the same. Couldn't one of the grounds on the cartridge be loose?
onetwothreego
54 posts
 
2-18-09: Cerrot
But, when he plays mono, the level is the same. Couldn't one of the grounds on the cartridge be loose?

Actually, he said he put on a mono record and hit the mono button on his amp. I'm thinking the mono button on an amp is just going to combine the channels anyway so any volume difference will be hidden.
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