2. analog
  3. 1145023688

Are some tracks impossible to track?

I had been having a problem with a few lps, that I thought were completely solved...distortion on highly modulated tracks in 1 channel due to not enough anti-skate. For the most part its gone.

But I just got a 45 rpm recording (Maria Muldaur...Richland Woman Blues) whose 1st track still distorts, a little on both channels. So I increased the VTF to 3 grams and got rid of the problem. BUT...the recommended VTF is 1.8-2.2 g. Am I screwing up my other 99% of lps by tracking at 3g. I do not notice any negative effects when I play other lps at 3g.

Now even at 3g, when I play Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata (Pollini/DG) there is still very slight distortion, when he "hammers" at the piano.

Rig: Scoutmaster/Sumiko Blackbird

So are some tracks simply untrackable or should a properly matched arm/cart, properly set up track anything? VPI swears the Blackbird is a good match for the JMW 9. I have triple checked everything re: setup, but I am new to analog.
dolifant
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Dougdeacon...Just to be fair, a blank disc is good for demonstrating that a significant skating force exists. It is no good for setting accurate antiskating compensation.
biomimetic
252 posts
 
Actually I've heard the blank surface thing - and I think as a rough guesstimate of where your antiskate is set, it should work, if you have it set way too high or about right, but tone disks are always best. Most of my post concerns not having one, but in the original post he sites high frequency wobble or tizzyness, which is usually symptomatic of not having enough weight set on the cart, however I think the blackbid exhibits some of this anyway, and the rest of the set up may just be that good, that it's getting picked up overall.
sberger
146 posts
 
i have a scoutmaster/jmw9 combo. i've used a sumiko celebration and benz glider with it previously, and now im using a dynavector 20 x-l. i've had no problems tracking anything. my normal vtf is in the upper range per the suggestion of vpi, so the dyna i'm at 2.2 . the comment that the jmw9 is not a good tonearm is rubbish. it's very good, and is not the reason that you're mistracking. and you should not have to set vtf as high as you are. i would make certain that you're set up is spot on, particulary if somebody else did the initial set up for you. if you've never done this before, it isn't hard. i assume you have the vpi jig that comes with the table? there's loads of information on proper alignment here and on the vinyl area of audioasylum.com . also, make certain that your table is absolutely level. and make sure that azimuth is on as well, although this shouldn't have that big of influence on tracking. the bottom line is if all these things are checked and double checked and are perfect, then it's a cart issue and you may need to think about trying something else, although i too have heard that the blackbird is a good match for the jmw9.

good luck.
qdrone
1,039 posts
 
A blank record is what is used by Brooks Berdan and he is the one who told me to do it that way. Since he knows more about this turntable than God I'll take his advice.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Qdrone...God has more important things to worry about than antiskating force.
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