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  3. 128442-18279

Ahhhh...breaking in a cartridge.

While I'm pretty sure most loudspeakers and components do have some break in period, I KNOW cartridges do break in because I've heard the diminishment of surface noise (and other stuff, which may be more subjective) over time. 

I'm breaking in a new Audio Technica ART9 cartridge.  I'm 5 hours in and my ear is either getting used to it or it's sounding better. :)  This is not much time, I know.  I am trying to listen to the same records (about 5 albums) over and over, of which I'm well familiar to see how things go.  If I had to sum up the break in thusfar in one statement I'd say things don't sound as tight and reserved. 

By the way, this cartridge is going to be killer.  It's tonal balance is superb.  Not one region of the spectrum is emphasized. 
128x128jbhiller
tooblue
1,945 posts
 
Break in times, especially carts, suck.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
why not to record those 5 albums on tape or digitally during "break-in period" and then realize what is break-in (if you have not changed cartridge settings) by listening documented material, not your memory. If it works the last file must be much better than first file. 
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Carts ''tuning'' seems to be the prerogative of ''carts masters''.

This imply that those ''masters '' are clairvoyant because they

know how their cart will sound ,say, 100 hour later. The question is

what their  tuning means. To my knowledge only Van den Hul is

willing to (re) adjust his carts after 300 hour of use. Why should

he do this? Is he less clairvoyant than his copmetitors? My guess

is that people accomodate to a particular sound and think that

not their hearing but the cart changed. ''Self-deception'' is the

name of this phenomena.

jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller OP
1,437 posts
 
@tablejockey 

I agree wholeheartedly!  I love your posts.  Your positivism is just what is needed on the forums!

I'd love to try an "exotic" cart next to this ART9.  I scooped mine from LP gear for $900.  This cart is a steal at the price.  

One thing that I really like is the evenness of this thing.  That will keep me listening for long periods and avoid a honeymoon phase, wearing off to reveal weaknesses.  

Oh, this thing tracks amazingly well.  It handled the antibiasing torture tracks on my setup record better than my Ortofon 2M Black and Dynavector 20XH.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,478 posts
 
You should recheck the setup parameters after the cartridge breaks in...the suspension will be in a different place.
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