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AT33PTG

99.21.55.157
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 07:57:26
BPoletti
Audiophile

Posts: 931
Location: Midwest
Joined: October 3, 2010
 It seems like the AT33PTG is still in production or at least available in Japan and Hong Kong. There are several dealers offering them on eBay. Was wondering if this can be confirmed. Does anyone have any experience with those merchants? Are any of them "difficult" or toxic?

After considerable research on this site and a bit elsewhere, this cart seems like a good step up from the [original] OC9ML I'm currently using. But that is for a different thread. :)

Bill

 

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RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 08:12:07
Meatface
Audiophile

Posts: 189
Joined: November 26, 2011
 The ptg33 II is available, and wonderful! IGD is a thing of the past. It's not fussy at all, but once you know it enough to dial it in, it can be refined further. Don't worry about the AT brightness reputation. This thing is smooth as pudding (on my rig). I feel no need to upgrade for a while. Yes, you have to buy grey market. I had no problems.

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 09:17:21
overhyped
Audiophile

Posts: 211
Location: NoCal
Joined: October 22, 2005
 The AT33PTGII has a flaw (production or design) where it does not track across both sides equally as well causing more surface noise and distortion in the right channel I think it was. I had 2 of them, both did it and confirmed with another user who also had one and experienced the same thing, BTW my arm is linear and his is a Jelco

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:45:32
Lew
Audiophile

Posts: 11011
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Joined: December 11, 2000
 You wrote, "it does not track across both sides equally as well causing more surface noise and distortion in the right channel". What do you mean in saying it does not track across both sides equally well? As suggested from the remainder of the text, do you refer to R vs L channel?

It seems to me that some cartridges are good trackers and some are not so good. But when you have an issue that lateralizes to one channel vs the other, then I think of alignment, skating force, or some other tonearm function as being the cause, even though I know you and your friend use two entirely different tonearms and got similar results. The first thing to question is whether or not you truly did get the same result as your friend, before proceeding further. Thanks.

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:05:03
overhyped
Audiophile

Posts: 211
Location: NoCal
Joined: October 22, 2005
 skating force is not an issue in my case because I use a linear arm, alignment is pretty straightforward as well. Both myself and my friend are "audio archivists" meaning we record vinyl, so we both are pretty good at hearing anomalies.I have long since move don from that cart but had a AT33PTG for years with no issues

 

Record damage to one side of the groove?, posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:08:28
BPoletti
Audiophile

Posts: 931
Location: Midwest
Joined: October 3, 2010
 Can a record be damaged or have higher noise on one side of the groove due to set-up / alignment issues or anti-skate errors? (Seems possible but I've never experienced it that I know of.)

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:34:26
kotms
Audiophile

Posts: 359
Location: Breyukeleen
Joined: February 18, 2009
 If that's the case, then it's bad news. Older PTG is my fave cartridge, and, as it is getting older, I am thinking of upgrading to Mk II. It sounds like a stylus, that is not even on both sides. Or, it's just picking up stuff that others don't. Some of the records that I buy at flea markets etc have pronounced damage to the right channel, because of the previous owner's rudimentary table/cartridge and anti-skate being out of wack, or non-existant. Fat styluses quite often glide over this problem, but ML picks up everything.

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:39:15
overhyped
Audiophile

Posts: 211
Location: NoCal
Joined: October 22, 2005
 I never said it was overhyped

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:41:57
kotms
Audiophile

Posts: 359
Location: Breyukeleen
Joined: February 18, 2009
 Sorry, my stupid mistake - edited out!

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:42:20
BPoletti
Audiophile

Posts: 931
Location: Midwest
Joined: October 3, 2010
 Please let me know if you're planning to make that change. I might be interested in the old cartridge.

 

RE: Record damage to one side of the groove?, posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:47:35
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 24045
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 Yes, worn styli can damage record grooves and they can damage one groove-wall more than the other. However, it is usually the left channel (inner groove-wall) that receives the most damage due to using tonearms without antiskating mechanisms.

If the cartridge is at fault, my guess is that either the stylus is incorrectly installed or broken, or else their is an asymmetrical problem with cantilever damping. Another cartridge problem that could cause this is a cracked or broken cantilever, but I don't think this is possible with a boron cantilever. I would think that a boron cantilever would either be intact and functional or completely broken off.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Record damage to one side of the groove?, posted on August 13, 2012 at 12:08:46
BPoletti
Audiophile

Posts: 931
Location: Midwest
Joined: October 3, 2010
 I supposed I never considered that. But it seems like to much anti-skate would create more pressure against the right side of the groove. Add a damaged stylus (because the wear would not be symmetric) and the results could damage one side of the groove.

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 12:40:57
kotms
Audiophile

Posts: 359
Location: Breyukeleen
Joined: February 18, 2009
 Will do. But (especially with this new info) not any time soon...

 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 13:23:25
Lew
Audiophile

Posts: 11011
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Joined: December 11, 2000
 You are probably right. One other thought is that if the stylus tip is not perfectly set on the radius of the LP, as defined by a straight line from any point on the circumference drawn through the center of the spindle, then there IS a constant amount of tracking error and a small amount of uncompensated skating force associated with a SL tonearm, which over time could.... who knows?

 

RE: Record damage to one side of the groove?, posted on August 13, 2012 at 13:37:19
bjh
Audiophile

Posts: 18614
Location: Ontario
Joined: November 22, 2003
 That certainly seems a lot more plausible than to assume a fundamental flaw (that damages records) in one of the top products from a company with a long history in manufacturing phono cartridges ... or maybe I'm just being a little presumptuous?

LOL






 

RE: Record damage to one side of the groove?, posted on August 13, 2012 at 14:03:00
overhyped
Audiophile

Posts: 211
Location: NoCal
Joined: October 22, 2005
 Or maybe you just have not experienced it in 2 brand new cartridges on records both old and new. Or maybe you would not know what to listen for to hear the problem. Or maybe your system is not resolving enough to hear the problem.

 

Call me lucky that way! ;) nt, posted on August 13, 2012 at 14:18:45
bjh
Audiophile

Posts: 18614
Location: Ontario
Joined: November 22, 2003
 .


 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 13, 2012 at 15:10:08
welly
Audiophile

Posts: 1657
Location: QLD
Joined: January 22, 2001
 I bought a 33PTG II a few months ago and have had no tracking problems with it at all.

Using it on a jelco 750d on my Feickert Woodpecker....
Cheers

Welly
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife.
- Douglas Adams


 

RE: AT33PTG, posted on August 14, 2012 at 07:47:16
Meatface
Audiophile

Posts: 189
Joined: November 26, 2011
 Just the opposite here. Surface noise was reduced significantly compared to others in their price range (and much more) that I've used. Both channels equally as nice. Beginning of record to end.

They could have production issues, but mine is flawless.

I really can't say enough good things about this cartridge.

mark

 

My time spent with the AT33PTG II left me wanting..., posted on August 14, 2012 at 08:33:52
audio39
Audiophile

Posts: 669
Joined: July 15, 2003
 ...to purchase it, it's a very fine cart and I experienced no abnormal surface noise.

I would suggest you check your linear tracking tonearm for the problem.

 

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