Vinyl Asylum

Welcome Licorice Pizza (LP) lovers! Setup guides and Vinyl FAQ.

Return to Vinyl Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

Totally baffled by Benz

100.0.183.98
Posted on December 14, 2014 at 11:29:28
Steve Franklin
Audiophile

Posts: 164
Location: New England
Joined: June 28, 2010
 The other day by Benz Micro Silver had begun some odd behavior.
The right channel has begun intermittently failing.
When left unused for a brief period I get no sound from the right channel. It can be restored be unplugging and reinserting the inputs to the phono preamp about ten seconds later. Removal or power for the same period also seems to do it.
This is very un scientific or accurate troubleshooting or given times, but it seems to restore sound.a bit of additional pressure with a finger to the headshell gets a bit of sound,very briefly, but isn't repeatable .
I have tried three phono pres as well as preamp inputs, cable swapping etc.
Tone arm is a Pro-Ject 9c on a Music Hall mmf7.1.
It would make sense as well to ask for a similar cartridge recommendation,without starting a battle,since it appears the cartridge is most likely doomed.
The benz sounds fine, but this is the second with problems. The first was replaced under warranty when the foil tape covering the coils came loose.
I'm hesitant to go with Benz again .
I use all tube gear . Speakers rotate ,although I really like Full range drivers..phono pre os a Hagerman Bugle 2 for now. Music ranges from big band to old country to female vocals. Linda Ronstadt with Nelson Riddle is a favorite

Any thoughts what's going on would be appreciated.
Fwiw, left and right channels positive to negative read about 150 and 170 ohms IIRC. Positives to each other and negatives to each other read open.
sf

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 14, 2014 at 12:26:35
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 Buy a different brand cartridge and see if you get the same results. If so, it is very unlikely that the cartridge is at fault. It sound like a wiring problem or connections problem. There are numerous places in the wiring that can cause problems like this. A cold solder joint or a broken wire that makes intermittent connections would cause this type of problem. I would check all the wiring from the cartridge clips and leads to the phono interconnect. Then I would check the phono stage.

Good luck,
John Elison

 

RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 14, 2014 at 12:35:55
Steve Franklin
Audiophile

Posts: 164
Location: New England
Joined: June 28, 2010
 Thanks. That was my first thought.
I now have another cartridge installed with no issues. That's what has led me to suspect the cartridge.
sf

 

RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 14, 2014 at 12:43:23
Cuernavaca
Audiophile

Posts: 878
Location: NW
Joined: December 23, 2011
 I had a Music Hall 7.1 about 7-8 years ago, it had problems with the tonearm wiring where it connected to the RCA jacks in the back of the turntable. I had to rewire that little box. But it sounds as if your Benz cartridge may be to blame if a different cartridge solved the problem.

TR
"I've never owned a firearm, but I do have an attack parrot!"

 

RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 14, 2014 at 13:03:03
Steve Franklin
Audiophile

Posts: 164
Location: New England
Joined: June 28, 2010
 I had the same wiring issues and have since rewired the tone arm and box.

sf

 

RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 14, 2014 at 13:46:03
spindoctor
Audiophile

Posts: 1661
Location: Virginia
Joined: December 31, 2002
 Seems like you should now reinstall the Benz and see if it continues to have trouble.
Sim

 

RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 14, 2014 at 15:08:30
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 Do you use Caig DeoxIT Gold. If not, I highly recommend it for all your contacts including cartridge clips. It does wonders!

 

RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 14, 2014 at 17:16:01
Steve Franklin
Audiophile

Posts: 164
Location: New England
Joined: June 28, 2010
 Thanks for the suggestions,but I've already reconfigured my phono pre for my emergency MM cartridge.
No comparison , but it works.
sf

 

RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 15, 2014 at 20:48:22
learsfool
Audiophile

Posts: 1001
Joined: August 4, 2008
 My brother would certainly tell you it was the Benz. He had a VERY bad experience with them, both with the cartridge, their "repair," and their customer service. He will never be using them again. After watching him go through all that, I won't either, and I would not recommend them. To be fair, there are a lot of happy Benz owners, too.

 

RE: Totally baffled by Benz, posted on December 16, 2014 at 02:47:58
Steve Franklin
Audiophile

Posts: 164
Location: New England
Joined: June 28, 2010
 It is really a shame . It is a very good sounding piece ,especially for the price.. When I had originally bought mine , ,a little piece of foil tape covering the coils came loose and the cavity accumulated dust. Musical Surroundings, the importer,as I understand, replaced it. Now another failure. He did give suggestions how to verily the problem does not reside in my other equiptment. I removed the tape on this one, since there is nothing to be done, and it too has dust inside. My guess is it has ruined the suspension.
They want me to opt for a "trade in" at a slightly reduced price.
Benz had chosen to manufacture only their four top tier models.
I must say I am very disappointed in their quality control.Needless to say Im all done with them. I got four years out of two cartridges.
I am now looking for suggestions for a new cartridge.
What did he buy, and how does he like it?

sf

 

Same problem with my Benz ACE, posted on December 17, 2014 at 19:46:42
Eddie T
Audiophile

Posts: 267
Location: Bombay
Joined: September 18, 2000
 I've been grappling with this issue ever since I installed the ACE. The right channel would intermittently drop off altogether, sometimes in the middle of an LP. Tried checking everything, from twiddling cables to examining or re-soldering every link in the chain. Am now sure it's the cartridge, and the cartridge alone. Changing the armband (with a diff cart) on my SME III, brought back both channels. Clearly an issue of QC at Benz Micro, which is a shame as their cartridges otherwise sound excellent.

 

RE: Same problem with my Benz ACE, posted on December 18, 2014 at 02:28:20
Steve Franklin
Audiophile

Posts: 164
Location: New England
Joined: June 28, 2010
 That sounds exactly like my problem. The channel is now dead. Pulling the tape on the bottom showed dust had gotten inside. I tried to clean it ever so gently, with no luck.
I agree the cartridges sound great. I would not hesitate to replace it was an isolated incessant. But as I gather it occurs more than is acceptable. Now with all but the top four models being built, there may not be enough stock to last the warranty period .
I'm looking for suggestions for high compliance MC suggestions for a similar sound.
Needle doctor recommends the Ortofon 2m bronze . It's.a MM. I have a 2m red . Very inexpensive. No comparison th the benz
sf

 

Page processed in 0.024 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]