Tracking Troubles--Upgrade or Setup?

Doug's helped me alot, and Doug usually has all the bases covered, but sometimes everybody cannot "guess" what the malady is?

I can only say to hold everything suspect. The Shure, while known to be a good bang for the dollar Cartridge could be at fault? Possibly you "might" think you're at the prescribed VTF-VTA settings but might be off?

I've read a few reports where the Shure was flawed, not made right, cockeyed Stylus, etc. These south of the border Cartridges might not be made with the same precision that Shure was known for many moons ago.

With a MM Cartridge, you should be probably looking at maximum 40db gain with the Cambridge. And of course,the default 47K ohms Loading.

As well, where is your analog system placed? Hopefully you're not blasting at wake the dead levels with the Turntable inches away from speakers. Isolation is paramount with ANY analog system. It certainly is no good having a $10K Turntable, admist a rotten base-stand, poor flooring, poor isolation.

I'd check everything, Go through all systematically, to nail down the fubar. Hope this helps. Mark

I've been waiting to follow-up here till I have some time later in the week to check things out in detail, so more leads are much appreciated. Isolation wise, the table's on a side wall well away from the speakers, resting on a DIY platform; listening levels are moderate and I hear the same thing on headphones, so it can't be room interaction. I am going to double check my cartridge setup, though--this is my second stylus on the Shure, and both have been crooked, so I've lined up the cantilever, not the cartridge body: doesn't build confidence, though! Doug, your low RPM test is a great one, and I'll definitely run that with some of the suspects. Any other input appreciated!

Andrew

Ablang -- Any updates? I experience the same thing at times, and I'd be very interested to hear how you resolve the problem.

-Dusty

I experience exactly the same thing, and have (by process of elimination) come tome the conclusion that occasional mistracking definitely occurs. Often, when I simply lift the arm and put it back it helps. I don't want to go any heavier if I can avoid it, and since this is very sporadic, I live with it with no harm to the LPs.

Thanks to Doug's advice this seems more clear. However I have a question for Doug: should I try a little more tracking weight? I have a Rega rb300 arm, admittedly not a high end arm, but gets the job done on my Linn LP12. Thus I prefer less weight/force if I can get away with it. What do you think?

Chashmal,

When "mistracking noises" ("MN's") are heard then actual mistracking, vinyl damage and phono stage clipping are all possible culprits. The next step is to diagnose.

If MN's occur on multiple LP's, both old and new, we can probably eliminate vinyl damage.

Next question, are the MN's in one channel or both?

If the MN's are all (or nearly all) in one channel, you probably have mistracking. Try tweaking antiskating. Increase AS to eliminate R channel MN's, reduce AS to eliminate L channel MN's. If this doesn't affect the MN's, keep reading...

If the MN's occur about equally in both channels or if AS adjustment has no effect, try increasing VTF in .1g increments (until you reach the maximum VTF for your cartridge). If this materially reduces/eliminates the MN's you've found your (a) culprit. Try playing your rig just barely above the VTF needed to prevent MN's. Many cartridges perform very well at that point, which balances the downforce needed to prevent vinyl damage against freedom from unnecessary or excessive cantilever damping.

If none of the above eliminates the MN's, try a different (better) phono stage. Inexpensive phono stages often clip high amplitude signals at certain problematic (to them) frequencies. This can sound so close to mistracking that even expert ears can't tell the difference.

There's also the slow play test to be doubly sure you're not hearing damaged vinyl. "Play" a suspect passage by spinning the platter by hand at VERY SLOWWWWWWWWWW RPM's. The music should sound like a low frequency growl. Any vinyl damage will be much quicker and higher in pitch, very noticeably different from the music. If you hear that the record is to blame and there's no cure. New vinyl can have flaws that this test will reveal, as can old, damaged vinyl.

Oh, you wanted the short answer? Yes, try more VTF! Why not?

:-)