First, many thanks to sirspeedy for the typing upgrade. 15 paragraphs in two posts, wow! Seriously, your always valuable content is much easier to read. Go ahead, blush!
Remote control VTA, wouldn't that be nifty? It really doesn't take much time on a TriPlanar or JMW though. Once you know the right setting for a record you can dial it in while the TT is spinning up. Real time loss is virtually zero. It's not so good on a Graham 2.2 because the arm height adjustment lacks adequate resolution.
Back to topic. It's not surprising that damping acts differently on a Graham vs. your friend's AirTangent (or my TriPlanar). Their damping devices are so different mechanically that you wouldn't expect similar sonic effects.
I'm not surprised your AirTangent friend prefers no damping. We don't use it on the TriPlanar either. The damping troughs on these arms are well away from the pivot point, which means the greatest effect of damping is to present resistance to lateral arm movement in response to cantilever deflections. This resistance must feed back to the cartridge and affect the way the cantilever acts in the suspension. The sonic effects seem detrimental IME and apparently in your friend's also.
OTOH, the damping on a Graham 2.2, Basis Vector and other unipivots is concentrated at the pivot point. Depending on the size of the bearing surfaces, it has a negligible effect on lateral arm motion. What it does is dampen arm and bearing resonances at certain frequencies. The damping on an AirTangent or TriPlanar does not dampen resonances very much because the fluid is not in contact with the arm very much, nor with the bearing at all.
With an Airy 3 on Cello's Graham 2.2, a little too much damping started to kill the HF's. Backing it off by even a pinhead made the highs zippy and immediately killed some of the bass. We could not find a happy medium with that combination in his (strongly dynamic) system (in a bright room).
With an Airy 2 the sweet zone for damping was sufficiently broad that we had room to tune it, a pinhead or two this way or that, without feeling like we were giving up anything. We achieved full dynamics with no loss of HF control, full bass without bloat. This was a happier setup, again possibly due the overall characteristics of his system and room. |
Oh,yeah!!You put the fluid on the tip of the bearing,you have just taken off,that is now facing up.This is for fine tuning.Originally the fluid is squeezed into the bearing well at the pivot.Don't overfill this. |
I hope I'm about done adding to this thread.This is a
popular arm,so I guess it isn't a wasted effort.Now you see why I was so pissed off with the mainstream audio press for not EVER mentioning any of this stuff.Arthur Salvatore sure has my devoted respect!!
Sbrown,Although there has been statements to the slight colorations in the Air Tangent design,my friend took it to the extreme and replaced the standard compressor with his dentists commercial unit.I can hear the laughter.I did too, when he told me of his decision,and I saw it(looking exactly like a motor boat engine,in his spare room).However this allowed more pressure to be applied to the bearing,in effect stiffening it.This cancelled out any colorations and really improved the bass and mid bass.I really don't think any arm can match this level of performance.
As for the 2.2 I am really,so happy with the current performance that I don't care about attaining that last degree my friend has.However when I go to his home I immediately hear that "Breathy Ambient Glow" the Air design affords.Remember,there is NO resonant bearing characteristic that has to be "STROKED".I know some other pivot designs don't have the need for bearing damping,but IMO only,since I am no expert,they also have their own issues.Anyway,at this point I really think this is an advantage of the 2.2!!Tuneability to the max!!
The best way to improve our systems,and I've seen descriptions of many of your set-ups,that look GREAT,and probably sound as well,is to hear other hobbyists' rigs.Live music is essential,but since we know it cannot be reproduced,how would you begin to suspect that something like tweaking out a resonant characteristic would help your own sound,if you didn't hear it elsewhere!
Cjsmithmd, I should have mentioned this,but,my way doesn't have to be exclusively adhered to.I carefully unscrew the bearing cap and place it down,with the fluid facing up,obviously.Then,since I work with such small amounts of fluid,I allow a pinhead's amount to be picked up(from the syringe) with a needle tip or pin.Sometimes I've been lazy and used my wife's bobby pin tips.There were times when my "always hyper-critical" pals showed up where I had to improvise, on the fly,during a listening session,and have used other pointy articles.It is up to you.Just take it off the end of the syringe(sp?).Even if you squeeze out just a light bubble of the stuff.This way you are assured of working with small and exact quantities.Also,REMEMBER to hold the bearing in place for about a minute or two,exactly over the fluid housing,so as not to drip any residue into the arm assembly,or you will hate me!All in all,it is really not hard to work with.I used to "HATE" to touch my stuff,and my sound suffered.
Whew!!! |
I (and others I suspect) would be interested as to just how sirspeedy makes those micro changes in the damping fluid level. The blue goop is messy stuff in my hands!
Type anyway you like. Your info is worth parsing.
TIA |
sirspeedy,
Did you ever get your Graham to the point of the same level of lack of grain that your friends Air Tangent has?
Regards,
Scott |
sirspeedy and Doug, Thanks for the details in your procedures. I now see that both methods are variations on the same theme and pointing in the same direction.
sirspeedy, I very much enjoyed the Mercury man parable. My friend told me years ago when I was going to a highend store, "If you want to save a lot of money and a lot of time, don't listen to the good stuff." And thanks for the paragraphs!
George |
Sorry! I forgot to mention a key point,that will let you know you are really close to optimum, in set up.That is the way "Acoustic Bass" (double bass instruments)should sound when you have gotten into the "ZONE".I was content with a close approximation of what I thought was fine until I brought some of my discs to my friend,who owns the Air bearing arm.He happens to be a firm believer in NO damping.He chose the Air Tangent for this reason.
What I heard(this was the main reason I started to play around,in the first place)was "Real" visceral impact from "Very Lightly Plucked Notes" on side #2 of the EMI recording of Ida Haendal performing Sibelius violin music.There are some beautiful interwoven lines of music on three tracks,after the Violin Cto. has ended.These consist of softly plucked double bass that I was not coming close to getting.
I told my friend of my frustration and since he is the opposite of almost all Ego Driven Magazine types I've met(he did write the Mercury column in TAS) he suggested,actually demanded he come over to my place and listen.Since he does not own my stuff all he said when leaving was," the performance I was looking for was potentially there,but it was up to me to learn how to get to it".This guy NEVER tells anyone to "go buy new stuff" and he is the most critical listener I know.He also knows how these damn records should sound since he has the first pressing of almost anything.Classical or Jazz,with some cute different stuff thrown in.He's my YODA!
Getting back to the double bass issue.Even at low level,as opposed to low volume,once you have the fluid level "Right" you will hear a real sense of "SNAP".That is the only way I can describe it.When fingers are plucking, it will sound slightly "Muddled" if there is too much fluid.When you have reached the correct point there will be a sense of a bit more depth to the bass,and more ambience to the space where the event was recorded.This is when you crack open the bottle of "GOOD STUFF".You're done!
Only because I felt I had good equipment,and could get more from it(after hearing a superior set-up)was I willing to get this OBSESSED with this detail.I'm sure my tennis pals would never understand why I was putting in this kind of time on a dumb tweak,when I should be practicing my serve.
Only because I had a really great friend with a superior set-up(and was open minded enough to admit it to myself)and he knows the sound of what is on these discs, for what they should sound like,and honestly told me to save my money(when I was unhappy)and keep trying,did I decide to get "ADMITTEDLY, OVER THE TOP OBSESSED" that I'm sure you all must think I am.But,I did learn something.I'm never going to take anything this far again.My arms hurt from holding that bearing so still,and my eyes ache from watching out, to make sure the fluid doesn't leak into the outer assembly.
If I had not done all this I probably would have found a way to ratioalize my sound.At least I know for sure I'd have had a much better serve! |
You guys really are getting the hang of it.Obviously quite a few already know a great deal.
As for me,and my habits,I dial in a wide variety of program material,over quite a few listening sessions.When I am satisfied I go back to the most troubling discs,to re-hear them (some discs just plain suck,and you have to be able to realize when to give up and move on).
I do not overly concern myself with the fact (correctly stated)that the fluid must settle over time.If I did wait, the results from tweaking would not be remembered easily,and the difference is not really all that great.A wait of only 5 minutes will tell you all you need to know!
Other than that, Doug is on the money!!The only thing I want to stress is that you don't have to feel as though you have to continuously play around with this thing.You definitely will,and must,in the beginning,but that is to get the feel for the differences the three parameters each contribute.Once you are in the "Close to Being Right" zone,you may only need to dial in one parameter.
Technically, the VTA can be changed for each record,but,to me that is rediculous (unless you have an arm,like the mega-buck Air Tangent,with electronic/remote VTA adjustment).Boy would I love that!!
I would have to assume that it would simply be a matter of common sense, when we change to a different cartridge.I would certainly have to re-dial new parameters,but,at this point you already have a real feel for what you want.
As for the effect of the VTA/Damping/Downforce being adjusted in conjunction with one another.They definitely affect one another.To play around(within safety parameters)a bit here will only make you a better set-up person for this arm.Obviously, once you learn how each of the three variable parameters effect the music on hand(there better be plenty of different musical stuff here)you don't have to get too "NUTS" with dialing in all three, everytime you want to illicit a amall change. One thing,for sure,is that a difference of 1/100 of a gram in downforce can make a huge difference in sound.
In summary, I just want to state that my approach is not something written in stone!! I don't like to overdampen,by adding too much fluid.In some set-ups a bit more fluid than I like may be better.What I try to do is go a bit under(just a little) the smoothest resulting fluid level.This to me,as I've mentioned,gives the most open and dynamic sound,but you really have to be careful not to bring out the potential "BRIGHTNESS" that can be a result,if you aren't careful.To counteract any overly bright sound or hardening,from going(just a "smidgen")light on fluid,and as long as you are not at the top of the manufacturers recommendation for downforce, you should(at least I do)add a very small amount of additional downforce.This seems to stabilize the tracking and keeps resonance at a minimum.
If this does not work for me,than I need to add just a TINY bit more fluid,and decrease the downforce to my original point,to hear for that setting.Always you can,also,at any point,ply around with the VTA as an alternative to any of the above,BUT,you WILL KNOW THAT ALREADY,if you don't accept "good enough is fine" performance.I don't.
I promise you this is my last thought here.When I speak to the downforce amounts I adjust to,I'm talking about no more than 1/100 of a gram at a time.Sometimes I move the adjustment so little,that there is no reading on my stylus force guage,but I hear it,and,NO I do not check my stylus force guage for every adjustment.You won't have to either,once you get the feel of all this.At the end (yes there is an end)I check my guage to make sure I'm tracking at a safe setting.I'm now at a point where I'm done tweaking my system,thank goodness.So what is my reward? I just had my table updated,just to come back to me with a faulty motor.Now, an additional month,at least.This hobby really "SUCKS" sometimes!!!
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I don't doubt sirspeedy's statement, based on much longer damping experiments than mine, that these adjustments interact to some degree. Certainly VTF and VTA do. To "perfectly" adjust one parameter you need to have the other two optimized as well. But in the end damping should be much more stable over time than VTF, and VTF is much more stable from record to record than VTA.
To my ears, adjusting damping in the Graham emphasized or de-emphasized different parts of the frequency spectrum, probably because different damping amounts attenuated different resonance frequencies within the arm/cartridge system. The sonic changes from adjusting VTA or VTF are very different from that, and from each other too for that matter. For this reason it seems right to me to make these three adjustments as follows:
Damping
Adjust for the cartridge. Once you find the right amount it shouldn't need further adjustment unless the cartridge behavior changes (eg, with break in) or you switch cartridges. Silicone is a very stable material. Its behavior should be little affected by the temperature and humidity swings in most listening rooms.
VTF
Adjust for the cartridge and then for the atmospheric conditions that effect compliance and tracing ability. The elastomers that make up cartridge suspensions behave far more chaotically than silicone when subjected to temperature and humidity changes. A materials scientist will groan in despair if you ask for predictions (trust me, I have and he did). Therefore, changes in weather require frequent changes to VTF but have much less affect on damping fluid.
VTA (SRA, please!)
Adjust for the record if you like. As you said, every record was cut at its own particular angle. Emulating that angle during playback brings out the best from that record. Because the large proportion of SRA adjustments involve keeping the arm at the same angle relative to the (changing) vinyl, the net effect on VTF is minimal. I do change SRA for every record. I change VTF much less often, typically a little more at the start of a session and perhaps a little less after several sides have warmed the cartridge up. |
Everyone, can you give a few examples of the LP's you used for this tweaking? How dependant on the cartridge in use is the "correct" amount of dampening fluid? If I set up for a 103R and then change to something with more compliance, will I need to re-do the fluid level? |
Doug and sirspeedy. Thanks for the answers. It was a little tonge-in-cheeck but I wanted to check for asking the next question.
sirspeedy said: "VTA/downforce/Fluid level all work in conjunction with one another." I do understand this is true and how the mechanics work.
What I don't understand is how once you get these three perfect for one record they can be perfect for the next record. To state the obvious, record thicknesses vary dramatically as do the original cutting angles. If VTA is different on the second record, the combination of VTA/downforce/fluid will be different.
I have no doubt that sirspeedy achieved the results he said with the method he said. Would it be correct to conclude that once VTA/downforce/fluid are dialed in for one record (your most difficult) that it will be dialed in for all records (within reason) with a Graham? I imagine it is possible that if VTA/downforce/fluid reach some "golden ratio" that altering VTA may actually make things worse.
|
George_a,
If you changed the fluid level on a Graham 2.2 for every record you could only spin 1 or 2 records a day. It is a potentially messy process that must be done with considerable patience and care. If you only have one pair of hands it may take 5-10 minutes per change, and if you're using the (reportedly superior) new blue fluid it takes hours to settle in thoroughly, as sirspeedy has explained.
I admire your spirit and dedication though. You're even more insane than I am, and that takes some effort!
Once you find the right fluid level there's no reason to change it until you change cartridges. Each cartridge requires its own unique level. Even the three similarly compliant ZYX cartridges we listened to on Cello's Graham performed best when damping fluid was fine tuned for the individual cartridge. |
I hope you are kidding!I use a series of records with complex,and difficult to track material.I also use some discs that have a variety of different instruments,showing off their timbres and harmonics.The most difficult thing to get right is CORRECT timbres and harmonics.That is when you know the arm is "RIGHT".Forget about setting up for percussion,as it can fool you into thinking you have it.
Once you have spent a few listening sessions, and are happy with the results,there is no need to "FOTZ" around anymore.Of course unless your audio pals are like mine.Never happy!!
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sirspeedy,
Do you change the fluid level for each record? Or once you get fluid level, VTA, and weight where you want them for your most challenging record do you just leave them there?
George |
.
Sirspeedy's post (and David's) are right on the money. It is well worth anyone's time to fiddle with the damping fluid levels on a Graham 2.2.
.
After reading Sirspeedy's and David's post a while ago, I played with the damping fluids and was rewarded with some stunning improvements in detail, dynamics and bass attack/control/tunefulness.
.
Rgds & Thanks again to Sirspeedy & David,
Larry
. |
I like to offer my school boy explanation. The fluid level is critical because it affect the sonic energy resonates and dissipates from the tonearm. For bearing tonearms such as gimbal and unipivot, the bearing friction is critical. Remember your good old school days, when you drag your finger nails across the black board, the screechy noise frequencies depend on the pressure on your finger nails and the dryness (friction coeficient) of the board. Frictionless tonearms don't have this problem but they have problem with stability. |
Metralla,sorry for being so obnoxious,in my response.I am a "one finger at a time typist",though getting better.I will try to learn a bit more as you seem sincere.Originally,I thought you were putting me on.The thing is that I got so excited about sharing this info I just started to fly on the keyboard(slowly)without thinking.Also,to be criticized,after putting in such an effort,with the nagging of my family to "get off the computer,and take us out to eat"really rubbed me the wrong way!But,that's the past!..........As for any ego, for readership,though the responses are a true compliment,and,I appreciate them,I was only concerned with the RESULT,of other hobbyists gaining REAL pleasure,from what took me eons to learn............Bfuerher,I have a dear friend that has an,almost,exact system as mine.We do our tweaking together,for comparative results.The "Blue" fluid IS DEFINITELY superior.No contest,actually.Also,for those with a 2.0,the upgrade to the 2.2(which I did)is FAR superior to the 2.0.Also,very easy to do,and not expensive..........I suspect(just my opinion here)the Phantom is not as critical to fluid level,since the literature claims that the magnet assembly aids "damping".I don't like this,as I feel the tuneability of the 2.2(once understood)is a REAL ADVANTAGE.Also,as I understand it, the Phantom is a MUCH more massive design.Since I have a cartridge weighing only 7gms.I like the idea of putting less mass(arm/cart.)over the groove.The benefit of this is mentioned on,both,the Van den hul,and, Air Tangent web-sites.Though,for heavier cartridges,the Phantom is probably the way to go(lets see some"REAL" reviews).Enough with the endless quantities of pages,every issue, of recommended components.This takes copy away from "real" issues.I'm not holding my breath!!Anyway,the 2.2 is a rediculously good arm.Why do you think Graham kept it in production? |
Brad:
I was told by Bob Graham that the blue fluid (if you can call it a fluid!) is the result of refined development and is superior to the older clear fluid. He mentioned the viscosity and breakdown properties being better. Never compared the two, though. |
Thanks for the informative post SirSpeedy. I spent all day yesterday dialing in the loading on my cartridge, and I now need to tweak the arm itself. I will use your guidelines to start that process. Already I am impressed with the sound of the arm especially in the bass register.
I am looking forward to keeping this arm for a long time. You know, "THE FINAL TURNTABLE". hahaha. I have said that before, but this Teres with the Graham arm may fill the bill.
BTW. I have some of the old style, clear silicone fluid. Should I be ordering the new blue fluid since I am starting this process from scratch? Will there be any major improvement, or is blue just the color of the day?
Thanks, Brad. |
sirspeedy,
Please don't come down so hard on me. I enjoy your posts very much, and am grateful for your presence here. I am not your third grade teacher - I am one of your loyal readers.
I always read your posts and have often wondered about your writing style, and have thought about making this suggestion before (use paragraphs, more white space etc). This particular post is the longest one of yours I've read, and I decided to speak up.
I have all The Absolute Sounds.
Regards, |
For your edification,I simply wanted to be helpful,regarding the topic.I wrote this info out last night, and my daughter accidentally erased it.So,I spent a good time, in the A.M. re-writing it,as both my wife and daughter were,literally,dragging me off the computer,to go to brunch.I am no typist, and I did not have time to proof my copy,due to having my hair pulled!I do notice quite a few errors in my copy,but,it's just "tough luck"if you don't like it.What are you,my third grade teacher?The info I listed took me about an hour to keyboard in,and,can be fully understood.More importantly,it is ACCURATE!I really do have to learn to create paragraphs etc;but, I suggest, for those that are bothered,don't read my posts!Sorry for being so defensive here.I knew that if I responded to this particular subject,it would take me a really long time.I even debated whether to respond,due to the length necessary to cover it.It would have been longer,with more annoying grammatical errors,if it was not for the fact that my family wanted sustenance.For those that can get something out of it,I'm REALLY happy.For everyone else,sorry to inconvenience you!By the way,Metralla,I assume the "OLD", Super Small format of the early Absolute Sound would have bothered you too. |
Not dense, but informative, and spot-on from my experience Agreed. I like the content but not the formatting. Do we write to be read? Regards, |
I was the one who started this thread topic back on 9/30/04. Many responded, but it was SirSpeedy who rose to the occasion and has developed the most informative and detailed analysis regarding this tweak. My hat's off in tribute, SirSpeedy.
This 'tweak' - damping fluid amount, can make or break the Graham for many people, it seems. Thank goodness we have this venue, Audiogon Forums, to make known this all too important factor. I wonder if too little information about this point is also included with the new Phantom. |
Not dense, but informative, and spot-on from my experience. Metralla, I sympathize with your plight but, in fairness, I'm not sure anyone can be expected to write in a form accpetable to a speech converter. |
Crikey sirspeedy, your posts are dense reading.
A few paragraphs would help your loyal readers. A space after a period and a comma too.
Do you realise there is at least one blind reader here who uses software to "read" the post and then convert it to speech? This software needs to see the space character after the commas and periods to recognize the natural break and insert a pause.
I know we all have our own writing styles, but please think about it.
Regards, |
Boy did you touch on my pet project of winter 2004!!This is a critical adjustment that can make or break the ultimate performance of this arm.I spent the good part of winter into spring RE-LEARNING to dial in these parameters.What I'm really refering to is the CRITICAL FLUID LEVEL!Obviously the adjustments for anti-skate/VTA/downforce/and azimuth are critical,but,it is the amount of fluid in the bearing that really brings out the supreme level of performance that this arm is capable of,IN A HIGH RES SET-UP.What I find so frustrating is the fact that the mainstream audio press has never been really specific as to just how critical it is.Afterall,this arm is very popular,and,has been discussed(in length)on numerous occassions.I guess they are too busy pushing Home Theater to the YUPPIES that will ultimately own SKY BOXES (BIG BUCKS)in the proposed JETS STADIUM,in NYC,that will ultimately push out all the "REAL" fans.The same way the audio press is pandering to the "JUST GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE CROWD".Hoping to SHILL some 5.1 stuff.What about those CLASSIC covers of old TAS issues that were printed in TAS.Those audio journals really catered to the true hobbyist.Now we are a forgotten breed and must use forums like this to find out technical stuff that used to be covered regularly.Those that go back a ways know what I'm griping about.Afterall in"The analog Column"of a famous audio journal,the reviewer,who owns this exact arm, has never been specific in lettimg the reader know anything about the INCREDIBLE SENSITIVITY OF THE FLUID LEVEL.All that had been mentioned was,from my memory here,"the fluid should be about half way up the bearing shaft".I have found that going up and down a pinhead at a time results in clearly audible changes that you will recognize immediately!Why this could not be mentioned in one of the Audio Mags is a mystery to me,but, I have a sneaky suspicion that these so called reviewers never experimented to this degree, to find out.Too many new updates for them to keep up with?So, they never get to the actual EXACT SETTING?Believe me there is No approximate setting with the Graham(2.0 or 2.2,I have no familiarity with the Phantom),but,once you have learned to play around with the "RUBIC'S CUBE personality of the Graham,you will find that when it is dialed into an EXACT SWEET SPOT,you KNOW IT!OK.Let's get specific.Firstly I'm going to assume that you have your arm set correctly regarding Azimuth and correct antiskate(easy to do).Even though you ask about the fluid level,only,the fact is that there is a definite correlation between fluid as well as downforce,and VTA.I read a fine article last year in HI FI NEWS that discussed in length the effect of downforce on VTA and visa versa.This started me thinking about what I was hearing in my system,as well as some of my friend's set-ups.I have a friend with an air bearing arm (AIR TANGENT).It always frustrated me that every time I heard my records on his set-up there was an INCREDIBLE lack of a subtle grainy thinness,that I have come to idetify as groove distortion.I believe that some of the colorations we hear in an analog rig,are actually these distortions,which are easy to confuse with those of what we think other components are adding!Obviously other things,in my friend's set-up could be helping,but,because I'm so familiar with his rig,and the fact that I have pretty good stuff,I've come to these conclusions by TORMENTING MYSELF in trying to find the secret within the Graham's fluid level.There were many occassions,on Saturday evenings,when I had my wife screaming at me to "shut off the stereo or we'll be late for a dinner engagement".I always needed to hear one more piece of Oboe material or flute,for the airyness in the players breath when you have it right,or massed voices etc.It was a "REAL NIGHTMARE" and, I LOVED IT!!I want to stress that in order to get the fluid level EXACT(as it MUST be)you must SLIGHTLY RE-ADJUST THE vta AND DOWNFORCE EACH TIME YOU MAKE A slight change.iF YOU CARTRIDGE HAS A RECOMMENDED FORCE OF BETWEEN 1.7 AND 2.2 GRAMS,START AT ABOUT 2.0.vta WILL HAVE TO BE DONE BY EAR,SINCE THER IS no EXACT SPOT.Start with the armtube parallel to the record.The fluid level should be set slightly under halfway on the bearing shaft.Ultimately, you are going to be better off with the level slightly lower,since this will open up the sound and increase bass.There is a resonant signature from too little fluid.Don't worry. Experimenrt as you play music and you will soon be able to make chamges,ALWAYS slight,on the fly.You will ultimately become intimately familiar with how the 3 parameters(VTA/downforce/Fluid level)all work in conjunction with one another.If you have a bit of undershoot in fluid,and you don't want to add anymore(since too much overdamps the sound)you can add a tiny bit of downforce to compensate.Remember to only work with TINY amounts of adjustments at a time.Always stay within the recommended parameters on downforce.The fluid should,MUST,be added or subtracted a PINHEAD at a time.It is that critical!!!Don't worry,you will get the feel quickly.Vta can be moved up or down until it sounds open and clean.ALL three variables,as I've stated work in proportion to oneanother.This whole procedure will take MULTIPLE LISTENING SESSIONS.Just when you think you have it right,you probably DON'T.As I said multiple sessions.Remember,and I'm not kidding,though it sounds crazy,"the fluid HATES YOU".It is SO critical to work in adding or subtracting PINHEADS AT A TIME,THAT YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT.I really believe that those who have been unhappy with this GREAT arm never mastered this.I don't really blame them.It has taken me and my friend's who have it ages to realize how critical dialing in all 3 parameters TOGETHER are.Every time we think the fluid level is perfect,some other complex LP brings out an area where it needs further tuning.This is a fact!Patience will reward you,and you will easily learn to listen for the types of inner groove distortions that will help you to identify problem areas in other systems(analog based,of course).It may be a pain in the ass,but will be an education as well.I was invited to my Air Tangent pal's house recently,to hear his new TITAN cartridge.It was immediately clear to me that there was a subtle grain riding with the music.A vta adjustment solved it.If I hadn't been so fanatical with my Graham's signature,I don't think we would have taken care of the problem as quickly as we did.You will learn to identify this groove distortion in other systems.It won't make you popular with some of your less critical audio friends,but,you will know the signature sound I'm talking about.As for what I listen for in the music.I have a recordingcalled La FESTE DE LE ANNE(The feast of the ass) on the Harmonia Mundi label.There is a ton of difficult to track stuff on this disc.Difficult to track in the way the timbres should sound.There is a hand held shaker of tiny bells that overwhelm the listening area when all is right.These tiny bells should sound almost like a series of tiny metallic bubbles,shimmering with a real dynamic of their own. They must sound like metal,not,glassy,or the dialing in,is off.I,also,listen to a Melodya(EMI) recording of Rachmaninov's VESPERS.This has TONS of complex male and female chorus that can be VERY demanding of tracking.It should sound clean with a real sense of hall,and vocal naturalness.Hard to describe.This may sound crazy,but,you want to shoot for a subtle degree of what I call RESONANT LIFE in the arm's set-up.You can easily damp this down too much to cover up distortions.OR,you can make it sound too brittle and hard.What you want is a Resonant Glow from your system.There should be a real dynamic"jump"that cames from having the arm's parameters set.The fluid level is of Paramount importance here.If you want to control resonance and want a bit of undershoot in fluid,which will give the most openness,but can sound too bright and hard if too little is used,you can add a bit of downforce or lower vta slightly.YOU must experiment.A LOT.There is no other way.I have an album of hand bell music which is useful here.It is called The Pealing Bells of The Weatminster Handbell Choir.Great stuff.Gorgeous music.If you have ever been to a hand bell choir concert you will be able to dial in,with the arm,a metallic glow that should jump up the walls of your listening room.This should also be accompanied by an ultra delicacy,that is gorgeous to hear.Well I'm sorry for BLOVIATING. Hope you find this helpful! |
