|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
68.104.55.224
In Reply to: RE: If it is really a problem... posted by EdAInWestOC on April 07, 2021 at 13:58:59
I did already raise the VTA from previous setting during installation of the new cart. Not completely sure it is correct now but I raised the VTA to the point where the very bottom plane of the cart is parallel to the record surface.
Based on your idea I may try raising further because it definitely doesn't sound right at this point. I have been using Audacity tone control bass to -10 db and then it sounds more correct to my ears, which can't be right really.
I am listening with ELAC Reference DBR6.2 speakers powered by QUAD909 amp and tube preamp.
I expected exactly the opposite problem changing from a Grado Gold to the AT mc cart - if anything I expected stronger mids and highs.
I think the sound of the mids and highs is perfect now, very sweet, extended, not even the tiniest bit of harshness.
But the bass can't be right as it is...
. I judge any sound system by how tiring it is to listen to.
Linkwitz
Follow Ups:
if having the cartridge body parallel to the record surface had some sort of guarantee of suitable SRA setting. That's not the case.Long ago when the best stylus you would find would be a 3 x 7 elliptical, the setting of making the tonearm or cartridge parallel to the record surface might have been close to ideal. It really wasn't ideal then and it's nowhere close to ideal now.
Starting with the cartridge or tonearm parallel to the record surface is a good starting point, but it's exactly that, a good starting point.
You cannot arrive at optimized SRA/VTA without making small incremental adjustments and listening to a familiar LP. The familiar LP needs to be a very well recorded and pressed LP, and you listen to the deep bass and high-end frequencies like cymbals for ideal SRA or VTA.
Once you arrive at optimized SRA be aware that what you have arrived at is only optimized SRA for the LP you made the adjustment with.
LPs mastered at different mastering houses, using different lathes, can have different cutting angles, and even small differences can make an audible difference when you are critically listening, or when you spend lots of money on gear to get that last xx% of sound from.
We agonize over lots of things and spend money on gear and pressings to get small increases in sound quality. VTA/SRA is an adjustment that has a direct and very real effect on the sound quality you get from your playback rig.
Now that re-issues are available on heavy weight vinyl and cartridges sport advanced profile styli the SRA/VTA setting is more important than ever. It is not something to ignore if you really care about sound quality.
For some reason people have ignored and shoved this last LP playback parameter into the folder titled "Does not matter" when it really does.
I don't get people who spend lots of mental energy on reasoning away the importance of optimized SRA/VTA. I have noticed it is usually the people who have spent significant money on tonearms without VTA on the fly, who try and explain why VTA/SRA is not important. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems that way.
It isn't important if you use a cartridge with a conical stylus. The more radical the stylus profile, the more important the SRA/VTA setting becomes.
It is one more thing when all we want to do is enjoy listening to music. It is important if you want the absolute best from your playback gear. If you have the extra energy and always wondered why its sounds the way it does you might find that there is extra sound quality in that LP. You just aren't tracking it.
Edits: 04/08/21 04/08/21 04/08/21 04/08/21
Brought the VTA up two more times and no significant reduction in bass response that I could hear. I am at -9 db on the bass tone control in Audacity to make the digitized files sound balanced in tone to my ears.
Nothing like this was happening with the Grado Gold. Maybe the AT9 is just a "bass heavy" match for the Project 9 aluminum arm.
Or there is some electrical mismatch between the cart and the IFI ZEN phono.
I do not have any other low output MC compatible phono preamps to use for comparison testing.
Will have to think about next steps but I can't see continuing with the LP archiving project while I can hear a significant tonal balance issue.
. I judge any sound system by how tiring it is to listen to.
Linkwitz
thanks, Interesting info.
My MMF7 does not have on-the-fly VTA.
I might try a VTA change to bring the arm pivot point higher, re-digitize one of the LPs I have already digitized, and comparison listen.
I believe another inmate suggested going higher if the bass seems excessive.
. I judge any sound system by how tiring it is to listen to.
Linkwitz
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: