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Analog Help Please

I have been getting quite a bit of mistracking at the beginning of many of my Lp's just recently. Bought them used, and I am wondering if it is because they are wore out?

I am wondering though if it is something to do with my cartridge/VTF/VTA. I even realigned my cart today with no improvement. I increased VTF with no success. It seems like this problem has been happening more and more and sometimes even on Lp's that it never happened to before.

Please note that by the second song or so, the mistracking noise is generally gone completely and everything is fine.
I've visually inspected the cantilever and needle, they seem fine as far as I can tell. I've cleaned mu Lp's thoroughly.
I've played around some with antiskating to no avail.

One thing I have not done is lower VTF. Maybe? Then again I am not even sure if the sound I hear is mistracking. I can only describe it as a "flutter" or "shutter" evey revolution at a certian place in the Lp.

I just tested an Lp that is had never happened to before on and is is definately there. here's a funny thing though. The "mistracking happend last night on one Lp. So I put another on. No mistracking sound. So I put the previous one on and the mistracking sound was gone. What's up with that? The sound did not appear the rest of the evening but has been present all day today. Bummer.

Any suggestions. I'm stumped.

The arm is triplanar, the cart is ZYX Atmos, proabably 40 or so hours on it.
mariasplunge
mariasplunge OP
174 posts
 
Thanks for the info gentleman. Always appreciated. One thing I noticed, and I have not had a chance to play around today, is that volume made a difference. Right now I know my TT is insufficiently isolated, I can jump on the floor and have the needle mistrack lightly. Plus my speakers, for the time being are maybe 5 inches feom my table. I will be getting a rack soon that will move the TT well away from my speakers as well as provide better isolation and dampening.

But here's what happened. When I had the volume set high, and i dropped the needle, set the mute switch to operate, the "mistracking would occur. When I lowered the volume some, did the same process, no mistracking. Then I would turn the volume up to the desired level and no mistracking.

I did this expereiment based on watching the needle through a mag glass and seeing it mistrack with certian responses with the speaker.

Has anybody else ever experienced this? I certinaly will invetigate further the point where AS engages as well because I am assuming, I should be able to drop the needle at any volume i like?

Again, thanks for the help.
acoustat6
357 posts
 
Mariasplunge said " because I am assuming, I should be able to drop the needle at any volume i like?"

I say that no you should not be able to "drop the needle" at any volume you like. Properly adjusted a "hi-fi" system will not like a needle drop or a "needle pick-up" either. There is a lot of energy being produced when you do this, much more so than the recorded LP dynamics. I do believe that at the correct playback level this may be a problem because of this. Your system should be able to handle the dynamics in anything but the most severe needle drop or abuse at your systems capabilities however.
Bob
markd51
763 posts
 
Tough to evaluate, but I will comment a big "no" on your last sentence. Unless you are saying that with your system "muted" it still mistracks? Tough to understand your last post, can you elaborate better please?

Without better isolation, I doubt it would make a difference if the Turntable is all the way across the room if your system throws enough SPL's. Do you have Headphones? Try playing as loud as you like, or at different volumes through the Phones.

This will at least eliminate any acoustical interference.

My System is nowhere near as expensive as yours, just a measly VPI HW-19 MK-IV, with AQ Arm, Ruby 3 Cartridge, etc, but running two Mac Amps, four JBL Speakers, and a Sunfire MK-IV Sub to boot, I know I can have that Stylus fly off the record as if I dropped a brick on the Table, with such wake the dead volume. lol
Mark
headsnappin's avatar
headsnappin
295 posts
 
You can also slam your car door if you like.
jtimothya
612 posts
 

... watching the needle through a mag glass and seeing it mistrack with certian responses with the speaker.

... When I lowered the volume some, did the same process, no mistracking.

... my speakers, for the time being are maybe 5 inches feom my table.

It kinda sounds like you diagnosed your own question.

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