VdH VTA setting preferences

Raul, according to the vdH website, the recommended load for the .35mV Condor is 500 ohms, not 200 ohms, and 500 ohms is within the suggested range. In any case, the "optimal" value will not be exactly the same in each system because of the difference in tonearm cable impedance and the effective impedance of the circuitry of the phono preamp (or the impedance of the step-up transformer if you are using one.)

That is why it's important to have a mathematical method to determine a working range (a high load limit and a low load limit for each cartridge) and then to have a reliable way to hear when the load is a little too high or a little too low, or just right.

Just to clear some things up. I changed my load from 1000 as suggested by a few magazine reviews of the Condor w. a 0.35 output version (one w. gold coil & one with copper) and dropped it to 500. I don't have 800 unfortunately. I prefer currently 500 to 1000 or 200. VdH recommends on the box 200 & it is indicated as such in the review. The website is different. I am not sure why.

The impedance of the tonearm cable & phono preamp is in the end the key. Mine is a custom job. I can order any resistor set to try luckily.

I agree about adjusting SRA/VTA when your tonearm makes it easy. Once you get that amazing sound I would note your settings so as to never lose it. Nothing like having the magic. Unfortunately an SME V isn't the easiest to work with in this regard.

Boy do Ellan & Louis sound good right now.

Dougdeacon,

You make sense about the difference in mastering. I still feel having a reference for a 180 gm record would be ideal. I wonder if someone sells such a tool. We could then dial in perfectly. Maybe they would have a 200 gm & 160 etc. All w. the same mastering.

I found that once my Koetsu found its sweet spot (though not for all records) I refused to take a chance & tweek any more as I wouldn't be able to find it again. Everything was very palpable & music was the end result.

I am running my tonearm positive right now. I can't get it to what AJ recommends. It just isn't possible, but it does sound good. I am giving it some spins on a few sides before I start playing around.

Thanks to everyone for the help.

Dgad, check your Condor box again. I betcha it says ">200 ohms" which means "greater than 200 ohms."

On the vdH website, in the "recommended load" column of the specs for your cartridge, it says "500 (>200)" which means that van den Hul recommends 500 ohms, but NO LESS than 200 ohms.

Nsgarch,

The information from the box is Loam Impedance is 100 ohm - 47 KOhms.
Opt. Load Impedance, 200 Ohms.

It mentions an effective arm mass of 12-20 gm. the SME V is 11 gms if I remember correct, yet they recommend it for the SME V. This leaves me confused.

The Antiskating force is 0.1 - 0.3 grams. Does this correspond to the SME V antiskating scale?? as listed on the side of the arm?

I just finished listening a bit & had great sound @ 500 ohms. Very impressed. Positive VTA as you suggested. I prefer this anyhow as it allows for a record outer ring.

I have some issues. I am using a battery operated Phono Stage. I am still having a ground loop. Any ideas on that? I unplug the charging unit & still have thumps when I turn off lights (flourescent) and do other things. It is on a dedicated breaker but still the lights in the kitchen affect it.

Dear Dgad: I don't know how many hours had your Condor on work, but when already get between 300 to 500 hours you can send to AJ to a " final touch " for free.

I do this with my Colibri and I have a great quality sound improvement: highly recomemnded !!!!!!

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.