Dynavector 10x5 - tracking


I'm having a bit of trouble dialing in this cartridge. I have it paired with a Basik LV-X tonearm on an LP-12 TT.

I've used a Geodisc and the protractor that comes with the Hi-Fi news test record. The shape of the Dynavector makes it tricky to sight-up with the grid.

My issue is that I can only pass the first two anti-skating tracks on the test record, whereas with my Marantz/Clearaudio combo I've had no problem passing the third track as well.

I'm sure that I could use more practice with setting up cartridges, but is the Dynavector just an "ok" tracker or possibly a bad match with the Basik arm?
roblanger
Thanks,

I'm not sure how to achieve this with the protractors I currently have. The GeoDisc does have a sight line for the stylus. Perhaps by sighting the the point where the cantilever and suspension meet?

I'd like to get a Mint tractor but I don't plan on living with the Basik arm for very long.
I was going to recommend the MintLP. I wonder what you could sell it for when you are done with it? Could you possible ask Yip not to put your personal name on it? Might be your answer here. These things really work.
Markpao,

The Mint protractor certainly works, brilliantly, but it's tonearm- and turntable-specific so he could only sell it to someone using the exact same rig. Having his name on it would be the least of it.

Roblanger,
Headsnappin was correct (or nearly so, since aligning the cantilever rather than the stylus is about all any of us can hope to achieve). Aligning the cartridge body is better than nothing, but that's about all.

Far from complaining about the Dyna's small body, you should be grateful. The toughest carts to align properly are the ones with big, square, blocky bodies like Koetsu or Sumiko. Easy to align the body, difficult to even see the cantilever.

Aligning the cantilever requires viewing it while sighting *exactly* down the centerline of the alignment grid on the protractor. The latter is actually the tricky part, and it's impossible to do accurately without a mirror protractor (which makes it easy).

***

To address your actual question, you're operating under a false assumption. Tracks 6-9 on side 1 of the HFN&RR Test LP are not "tests" to be "passed". The fact that one setup tracks 6-8 cleanly while another only tracks 6 cleanly (or none) means nothing. That's exactly what should happen, and tweaking the latter setup to play the more difficult tracks cleanly would be a serious error.

If you must use those tracks (which I don't recommend) at least understand them. They provided four different tracks so that you could find ONE that causes YOUR arm/cart to mistack (buzz), barely. Adjust antisakating until that buzzing is equal/minimized in both channels. Ignore the other three tracks. They have no application for this cart/arm. They are certainly not "tests" or "hurdles" to be "passed". Every new user seems to have that idea, and it's wrong.

This record has once again proven itself useless and misleading, as you've just demonstrated for the n-thousandth time. God only know how many seriously mis-adjusted rigs are out there, tweaked in some fantastic way to "pass" the 3rd or 4th "hurdles", probably with excessive VTF and antiskating that's smothering the life out of someone's music.

Better to toss that LP into a dark corner and adjust antiskating the way most people with higher end arms do. Start with "zero". If you ever hear R-channel mistracking on dynamic passages during real music, increase antiskating until it tracks cleanly. If you never hear R-channel mistracking, leave antiskate at or near zero. Leave the test records for the laboratory and enjoy the music.