Telarc 1812 revisited

Dear Boofer: Pioneer builded very fine TT. I owned the PL-630 ( that today is still running in my brother place. ) that is really good and the 540 is way better thaat what any person could think.

My sample of the Telarc 1812 is main part ( for very good reasons. ) of my whole items evaluation test proccess.

It's a magnificent top recording " even " that was recorded so many years with " digital " technology.

There is no " black magic " for a cartridge can track it.

If a tonearm always is important the main actress is the cartridge and in specific: the cartridge self tracking abilities.

Vintage cartridges had and has extraordinary tracking abilities ( as your Audio technica one and other AT cartridges as the AT 20SS. ) either MM/MI and LOMC cartridges.

I tested several of those cartridges in different tonearms even with tonearms that supposed could not be a good match but when the cartridge has the " right " tracking abilities it runs the Telarc 1812 with out trouble.

Tracking cartridge abilities depends on its design: cantilever/stylus/suspension and the like.

Why many today cartridges has not those tracking abilities is something out of my understanding because the knowlege about is " there ". Maybe because some cartridge designers are thinking as many audiophiles that when you ask about, the Telarc 1812 challenge, they give an answer like this:

" I don't care if my cartridge can't track the 1812 that's the only LP with that kind of high velocity recorded grooves. What I care is that my cartridge can track my normal LPs. "

but IMHO these persons does not know that the main cartridge characteristic is: tracking abilities. Everything the same a cartridge with better tracking abilities always will performs/sounds better.

What we need is that the cartridge always stay with dead applomb in the LP grooves follow it with out minute/microscopic " jumps " that generate distortions that we can hear it and that degrade the audio signal.

So, it's not a surprise that your humble TT/cartridge performs in that way when some today samples can't do it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Rauliruegas: Finally an answer I can live with; it's mainly in the cartridge itself! I know Audio Technica was instrumental in producing the Telarc recording; I have other older cartridges which can track the cannons, for exampe vintage Shures, and on many brands of TTs such as Onkyo, Kenwood, Technics, etc. of the 70's and 80's. TTs with Servotracer arms I also have found can track the recording, as on vintage Denon or Sony TTs. My Rega RP8 with Clearaudio Virtuoso is not up to the task, nor are other modern cartridges from Denon, Ortofon, Sumiko, and Rega, among others.

Dear Boofer: There are some today cartridges that I experienced can track the 1812: Denon S1, Linn Akiva, Wilson Bensh all these LOMC and from the past: FR MCX-5 or the Satin M21 or the Ortofon MC 2000 ( LOMCs. ).

As I posted almost all belongs on the cartridge overall design.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Interesting. I forgot some recent cartridges which could track the Telarc 1812: a Goldring 1022 GX and 1042, mounted in a Music Hall 5.1 SE. I'm sure there are more out there, but even more that cannot. I wrote the editors of our 2 most popular high end stereo magazines; one did not respond; the other one said that the industry in the last 20 or 30 years has been concentrating on sound and neglecting tracking ability.

You guys peaked my curiosity about the Telarc 1812. I have a much older version: Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, recorded on Columbia Masterwork. Also including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and cannons courtesy of the Valley Forge Military Academy. Spectacular recording. Now I have to source the Telarc version.

Raul ... do you think gizmo will be able to track the Telarc?? VPI Classic plinth, with Classic 3 tonearm upgrade. The cartridge is the Lyra Kleos (MC).

So far, no apparent problems with the rest of my LP collection.