tracking ability definition

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.

those are GREAT explanations, thank you! I have learned a lot so far. Raul you said:
++IN two cartridges with similar performance I will choose the one with better tracking ability.++
i am having a hard time deciding between 2 cartridges, the trackmaster II AE and the pros40.. punchy bass is very important to me (for rock) and that is how the pros40 is described. however the trackmaster is described as having better tracking ability, and in your opinion tracking ability is paramount.

however, you also aim for accuracy (and probably acheive it to a high degree), which is a luxury i cannot afford.. i think at the level i am at budgetwise (poor music lover) it is all about deciding what KIND of distortion is acceptable (please let me know if you disagree). will it be 'punchy bass' or will it be 'emphasized midrange' or something else.

listening at home is a lot of rock, pop, electronic music and classical. in classical my favourite things to listen to are solo piano, cello, guitar and violin. not so much orchestral music however.

one knows what a piano sounds like, one knows what a cello sounds like. when they are distorted, it becomes obvious and ugly. an overdriven guitar amp or a drum machine on the other hand have no frame of reference and therefore do not require an accurate playback system as much as acoustic music. sometimes, in my experience, a distorted (i use this term loosely to describe any discrepancy between the recording and the playback) playback system will embellish or 'sweeten' a rock/pop recording (especially given that many rock/pop recordings are sub par, overcompressed etc, their aim is to sound good on car speakers and ipod headphones).

sorry i go off on a bit of a tangent here because i am thinking out loud in the context of choosing a cartridge/stylus that will be best for me playing all types of music, but wanting 'impact' with rock/pop.

raul i had a look at your system and oh my do i feel like a novice (which i am of course). i am also impressed with your commitment to attaining neutrality and accuracy through a 'less is more' approach.

its real hard making buying decisions without hearing...