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Clearaudio Emotion lacks dynamics

I just received a used Clearaudio Emotion with Virtuoso cart. I've realigned the cartridge using the provided alignment card, and that appears to be normal (alignment and overhang). I've used a stylus pressure gauge to ensure that I'm tracking around 2 grams (the suggested tracking for the Virtuoso Wood). However, the seems to be lacking bass and dynamics. Everything sounds flat, dynamically. One thing I have noticed is that the back end of the tone arm (the end with the counterweight) seems to be LOWER than the end with the cartridge while playing albums. Could this be the source of my problem? This is the one thing I haven't tried to adjust so far, mainly because it seems like it's the most difficult to do.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
jwglista
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Yes it could. Its called VTA vertical tracking angle and it can have significant impact on the sound.
jwglista OP
206 posts
 
Well my concern with adjusting this is that there is a screw on the tonearm base that lines up with a hole in the right side of the plinth. I'm not quite sure how to raise the back end of the tonearm without causing that screw to become misaligned with the hole in the plinth. Anyone out there with a Clearaudio Emotion/Satisfy Tonearm that can advise?

Thanks
audiolui
295 posts
 
You can also call Musical Surroundings. They are the distributor for Clearaudio.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
What is the load impedance on your phono section?
roblanger
117 posts
 
If the tonearm setup with the Emotion is the same as the Marantz TT-15 (which I think it is), simply keep one hand on the base of the arm while you loosen the set screw a bit. Raise the arm up through the plinth a bit and then re-tighten the screw.

I think that a good idea would be to use a machinist's ruler to measure where the arm is at before you make an adjustment, just to have a baseline. I measure from the bottom of the block of the tonearm lift to the plinth. With the Marantz, they have you place the tonearm weight under the block to set the height of the arm. I think that I measured this out to be about 22/32nds. I'm assuming that you're using a Clearaudio cart - If not, that could be another reason your arm might appear "off" as some carts are taller than others. If you are using a mat, you'll also need to compensate for that.

By following the directions that came with the Marantz, I also found the arm to sit a bit low on the tail end as you described. I experimented with raising the arm a bit higher, trying to get the armtube parallel to the record. In the end, I think that I ended up splitting the difference between that setting and the manufacturer's recommendation.

Is the cartridge broken in yet?

I have not found my Marantz/Clearaudio combo to have as much going on in the bottom end bloom as my Linn Lp-12/Basik/10x5 setup, however I do feel that it has a flatter response with more detail in the top end. I picked up the Linn as a 2nd TT because I felt that the Marantz was missing "something", but going back and forth between the two tables and listening did help me to fine tune the VTA on the Marantz a bit.

Hope this helps.
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