tracking ability definition

As I understand it, the tracking ability of a cartridge is the ability of the cartridge to maintain the stylus in the groove of a record in order to extract the maximal information. Lower tracking forces prolong the life of your stylus and reduce record wear, but make the cartridge more susceptable to tracking error (stylus literally being transiently thrown from the groove during playback). Shure used to make an evaluation (test) recording that demonstrated, among other things, tracking ability, and one could actually see how well their own particular setup tracked the Shure "torture grooves" of the test record. Others please join in and let me know if I have it wrong.

Hello again. I just thought of something else. In my previous post, I described tracking error as the difference between a cartridge moving across the record perpendicularly, and a cartridge moving across the record in an arc. Some tonearms can mimimize the effect of this error a bit if it holds the groove well. This is "linear tracking error"

If the linear tracking is off, the cartridge isn't situated properly in the record groove. The stylus will be pushing against the outer side of the groove and not making as good a contact with the inner side of the groove. This imbalance in pressure on either side of the groove will cause a loss of detail on information recorded on the inner side. It may also cause an imbalance in the signal from one channel to the next.

There is also "vertical tracking error". Vertical tracking error occurs when the angle of the stylus on playback is different than the angle of the cutting stylus which made the record. You adjust for this by raising or lowering the height of the tonearm at its pivot point. If the tonearm is too high, the sound will tend to be bright, maybe even a bit screechy in extreme circumstances. If the tonearm is too low, the sound will be darker and muddier.

Dear Fadeawayman: +++++ " would i be right in assuming that this means the stylus makes good contact with the groove therefore better reading the recorded sound and playing it more accurately, with more detail? " +++++

+++++ " As I understand it, the tracking ability of a cartridge is the ability of the cartridge to maintain the stylus in the groove of a record in order to extract the maximal information. " +++++

That is all about in plain terms.

IN two cartridges with similar performance I will choose the one with better tracking ability.
There are several parameters that define the better or worse tracking subject, between them: compliance and kind of cartridge suspension, tip mass ( stylus ), kind of stylus and tonearm matching. Normally the high compliance/low tip mass are the best trackers.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Viridian: +++++ " tracking ability in modern cartridges has more to do with the compatibility of the arm and cartridge, and correct alignment geometry, than in any specific tracking problems of the cartridge itself, " +++++

Your statement it is not exactly true, the cartridge itself is the first subject on the tracking ability issue.

Take any 5-6 modern cartridges, each one matched with the tonearm and make a test of tracking ability ( usually in a test record at 315 Hz ) and you will find that each one has different tracking ability: 70um, 80um, 100um, etc etc.

The tracking ability subject is a critical issue and the cartridge designers take care in extreme about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.