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Newbie Issues: Grace F9 with Micro Seiki DD-40

Hey all - total newbie here. I’ve only been researching phono setups for a few months. I ran into some serious playback issues after trying to replace my cart. Wondering if anyone can tell me what is causing it?

A friend actually gave me a DD-40 with original MA 505 tonearm (14 g effective mass) and stock headshell. So I have been thrown into this (awesome) world of hifi in an effort to live up to this amazing gift. The DD-40 came with a Stanton 681eee cart and I immediately replaced the broken stylus with an LP Gear replica as a placeholder before upgrading. To my ears it sounds really really good after calibrating it properly (I am an entry level digital audiophile but this is my first analog experience). 

Because my setup is MM for now I have fixated on the Grace F9 series as my first cart upgrade. I bought a used F-9 L on ebay from someone with great reviews and an easy return policy. The problem is the playback is absolutely horrid:

- distorted muffled sound
- incessant skipping
- needle gets stuck between tracks

I have recalibrated and readjusted many many times including starting from scratch and calibrating the entire TT and tonearm setup. Every time it still sounds the same. While doing the same steps but going back to the Stanton cart works just fine. I even replaced headshell wires and have nice cables (Kimber Kable and Van den Hul) and a Furman power conditioner. It’s running through the phono input of a Pioneer SX 838. 

When I increase the tracking force beyond the recommended range for the Grace the skipping issue gets a bit better but not really. And the sound always remains distorted and muffled - that never improves.

Visibly the cart, cantilever and stylus look totally fine meaning not bent or broken. But again I’m just a newbie and have not put anything under a magnifying glass.  

So all that said, with the issues I described above, what do you all think is the problem?

1) Worn out needle?
2) Bad / bent cantilever?
3) Busted cart?
4) Bad newbie calibration?
5) Cartridge / tonearm mismatch?
6) Something else?

Any help would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

YL
hauie88
hauie88 OP
23 posts
 
Hey thanks all for the help! I will take a look at your recommendations for new and vintage carts. 

What do you all think of the Shure VST or V15 series?

@rauliruegas When you say the cartridge has damaged it’s suspension is that something inside the cartridge? Or is that physical damage you can see from my pictures?

Generally speaking how sensitive are carts and stylus parts to damage? What are your experiences with accidentally damaging your carts and needles in the past? I am definitely returning this one for a refund and I don’t believe I damaged it (maybe at most the needle fell a couple inches from my fingers to a rubber pad I was working over) but just curious for future reference. 

Thanks!
Hauie


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rauliruegas
13,101 posts
 
Dear @hauie88 : Is a damage you can't see at sigth. All cartridges are very sensible and can damages easy. Just think that the VTA value is at around 0.75grs. to 2.5grs. So if you by accident grace with your finger or sweater the stylus or even when you are cleaning the stylus tip with a brush a little more pressure than it need it makes the damage. I expericed these kind of " accidents " several times in my audio life.

In the otehr side, just forgeret about those vintage cartridges think on this: there is no original parts as cantiler/stylus assemble, from where you will found out the original when you need it in the future? a vintage cartridge that an audiophile use it a couple hours a day for how many hours he could follow playing it before the vintage cartridge suspension collapse?  could last for 400 hours or 50 hours: you can't know about and no one can gives you a warranty of change after those hours. The money is yours so is up to you.

R.


mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,993 posts
 
In the other side, just forget about those vintage cartridges.  

+1...As much as I love vintage carts, (and I have a BUNCH of them), there are some excellent new cartridges on the market. 

Without knowing the exact provenance of vintage cartridges, it really is a crapshoot.
hauie88 OP
23 posts
 
Ok thanks all for your help and advice! It's all new to me to really appreciate you helping me along.
lewm
13,168 posts
 
I agree completely with Raul. You just had a bad experience with a vintage phono cartridge. Why go on that pathway again? Also, while the cartridges that Chak  recommends are indeed excellent, no one else I know can find them for sale as easily as Chakster seems to do. I don’t know where he shops, but NOS vintage cartridges are an increasingly rare find.
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