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Possible Cartridge Suspension Collapse?

I dunno, it seems like my Hana SH is riding lower and lower as time goes on.

I got it new in 2018 and haven't spun all that many LPs on it - maybe have 350 hours?

Yesterday, I was spinning some LPs after not using it for about 2 months and at the start of every LP, there was a whoosing sound from the speakers - turns out the bottom of the cartridge was making contact with the very outside raised edge of LPs. Then as the record plays it would stop, but the cartridge body is darn near touching the LP surface - I mean practically an "RCH" distance.

On my Technics SL1200mk2, I run my VTF right at 2.0g (double verified with a Shure gauge and an electronic one).

Was thinking of moving up to the Hana ML, but now skittish of Hana's - may have to start thinking of getting a replacement regardless as my SH is just too low.
erikt
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,914 posts
 
@whart a 49% OCD guy like you needs a SOTA Roadrunner….

but then, so do I…
whart's avatar
whart
3,046 posts
 
You know in all this time I've now been in Texas, I have yet to see a roadrunner. I keep looking. I guess I have to leave town....
:)
alvinnir2's avatar
alvinnir2
116 posts
 
I had a Hana SL that was starting to do that as well. It had 300 hours on it. I replaced it with a new Benz Micro Wood Cartridge, and it did the same with about 400 hours on it. Both were less than 2 years old. All on a VPI arm that was set up properly. I’ve been spinning vinyl for over 50 years, and know how to set up things, and never had such issues before. I got the dealer to send me a new Benz which I promptly sold.

You likely don’t want to hear this but that was the last straw for me. I am now happily in the digital camp.... streaming Tidal into a high quality tubed DAC and I don’t regret it at all. Goodbye to all the fussiness of turntable set up, tonearms/cartridge matching issues, phono preamp loadings, record cleaning, stylus cleaning, noisy pressing, etc. etc.

Some people just love the ritual of that. Not me. Digital, when done right, is just as satisfying to me as analog was, but it took a lot of trial and error to optimize my digital source to get there.

Now I can just relax and enjoy the music.
wolfie62
353 posts
 
Long live the replaceable stylus!!!

This is just one reason I don’t have any MC cartridges.

Ive been relaxing and enjoying the music from vinyl for over 50 years. Tidal doesn’t have half my collection. If playing vinyl records was tedious and troublesome, I would have realized I was doing something wrong, long ago.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
whart,
I live in Az. How many roadrunners do ya want? They're like ants out here!
Lol. :-)))
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