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Tonearm/Cartridge pairing.

Hello to everybody.

My turntable’s tonearm has a mass of 15.6 g (cane + head shell). My cartridge weighs 6.9 g. If I calculate the effective mass of the tonearm the way the maker did (arm’s mass with head shell + cart + tracking force) I get a global 24.5 g mass. The arm + shell mass is 15.5 (15.6 actually); the head shell weighs 10.1g.

My cartridge’s static compliance is rated 20mm/N (I ignore whether it’s @10Hz or 100Hz).

Will someone more experienced than I am please tell me if the cart and the tonearm are suited to each other statically? My cart (Goldring E3) did fine on a friend’s turntable (rega P2) but seems a little ill at ease on mine (Technics SL-1510, ca. 1978).

Opinions welcome,

Thanks
M.

martinguitars
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,505 posts
 

Compliance is listed in um/mN. The Goldring is British and measures compliance at 10 Hz. 20 um/mN @ 10 Hz would be a medium compliance cartridge and should be OK in your arm if it is operating correctly and the bearings are in decent shape. The only real way to know what is going on would be to get a test record and measure the resonance frequencies. 

martinguitars OP
23 posts
 

Hi,

thanks for the reply. I think my tonearm is operating correctly - tracking force at 2 gr (digital scale) and anti-skate at a little more than 1.5.
A test record would be a good idea, I'll look for one. While I don't intend to jump on the complex merry-go-round of Perfect Vinyl Replay I certainly care a lot for smooth operation as intended by the makers.

M.

lewm
12,876 posts
 

  Nothing in your OP suggests you’re having a problem associated with resonant frequency. What is it that makes you concerned about effective mass and cartridge compliance?

martinguitars OP
23 posts
 

Hi,

I moved the cart from a rega P2 ( which had minor, inherent issues with pitch) to a good, s/h SL-1510, that hasn’t.

Some old records, though, that the RB220 tone arm tracked well, sound very bad on the Technics. Being in doubt as to what can be the cause, and feeling smooth articulation in the Technics arm by hand, I am investigating the only objective parameter I am aware of.

Thanks

M

 

dover
2,237 posts
 

@martinguitars 

Antiskate too high - should be in the range  0.7-1.0.

What about VTA ?

Good stylus clean.

 

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