Home General Asylum

General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.

You Might Have a Defective Cartridge.......

It's rare that a cartridge has equal output on both channels.... It's also hard to determine if the improved sound with the azimuth slightly "off" is a sign of a misaligned stylus on the cantilever....

I personally go with the perfectly parallel setup, and gradually adjust VTF, VTA, and anti-skate off of that. The issue with the cantilever not perpendicular to the record surface is that unequal forces on the cantilever can over time cause it to drift out of alignment. Which could then create (mis)tracking issues on heavily-modulated recordings. Not to mention periodic re-adjustments needed to keep the stylus in the "ideal" position.

I'd have a dealer look at the cantilever/stylus under a microscope. A misaligned stylus could drastically reduce the life of the cartridge, and accelerate wear on the grooves. I think "perfect" alignment is everything in vinyl playback, and a cartridge should sound best when all the alignments are "dead on".

When it comes to preserving the life of your vinyl, there is nothing worse than a cartridge with a misaligned stylus on the cantilever.


This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Parts Connexion  


Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?
Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
  Remember my Moniker & Password  (What's this?)    Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:
Message:   (Posts are subject to Content Rules)
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:  Automagically notify you when someone responds.