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Tracking Force?

I have a Clearaudio Concept turntable (about 7-8 months now). Beautiful piece of work. It was bought already factory  setup. In 50years of buying records I have only had three turntables and never really bothered too much about doing my own setups.
Last week I bought digital scales for measuring tracking force.
In the Technical details in the manual it states Tracking Force as 2.2 g(+/- 0.2g)
When I placed the scale on platter and lowered the tonearm it read out 3.8.
My thoughts now are: should I alter, that is, tamper with this?  OR Should I trust and go with the factory setup?

vinowino
solypsa's avatar
solypsa
462 posts
 
Anyone with a cartridge required to track greater than 2.0 g in this day and age should have his/her head examined.

Please elaborate.
lewm
12,981 posts
 
I don’t know what other misunderstandings pertain but if the max recommended VTF is around 2.0, then 3.8 is likely to collapse the suspension over time and to damage any LP. Don’t do it.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,787 posts
 
First, confirm that your tracking force gauge is non-ferrous (with a magnet). If it is, your arms counterweight must have moved during packing, shipping, or unpacking. Readjust your counterweight to achieve correct VTF.
dwette
166 posts
 
Anyone with a cartridge required to track greater than 2.0 g in this day and age should have his/her head examined

@stevecham 
Can you please explain that? I have a Clearaudio Concerto V2. All their cartridges in that range and up have a 2.8 gr. recommended tracking force, which is what I use based on listening tests. I've used it for years and it sounds fantastic. Would like to know what it is that you know better than Clearaudio.
vinowino OP
53 posts
 
Thanks everyone for your input. (Well, nearly everyone) It has helped me to plan ahead.
My cartridge at the present is the basic Clearaudio Concept. For the last 20 years I have had Grado's, the last being a wood body Reference.
I find this Clearaudio Concept to be very "bright" by comparison. That is what moved me to buy the scales to check it out, I just assumed Clearaudio would have it right.
dwette69, have you had experience with sound of other Clearaudio? Would you describe the Concerto V2 as "bright"?
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