Ortofon MC A90 Cartridge VTF

no negative affects with either of my A90's with VTF's still around 1.80 grams. one is on a Reed 2P and the other on a Talea. they sound great.

I want to chime in here!

Jonathan:

Did you began by making sure SRA was set to 92 degrees preferably using a USB based microscope? Correct SRA is critical to this extreme stylus profile. I thought I was 'locked in' doing it by naked eye and listening until i got the USB microphone and I was way off...after getting it set using microscope the sound was hugely improved.

In fact Ortofon's specified VTA (were you to use the cantilever angle to set VTA) does not yield the correct result.

And of course you must use the rear edge of the Replicant stylus not the shank as the reference for the 92 degree angle.

In my experience tracking significantly lighter or heavier than recommended by the people who design these products may result in different sound but never better, particularly if you don't compensate for the SRA change made by changing VTF!

In this case, less than a gram will probably result in less than a degree change in SRA ASSUMING YOU WERE AT OR VERY CLOSE TO 92 degrees to begin with but still, you may be hearing that and not VTF change....

My motto: when in doubt play by the rules and stay within the manufacturer's recommended settings.....

BTW: I was involved in an A90 set up this weekend. Replacing a Dynavector XV-1t. The Ortofon is far superior IMO.....right out of the box

Grooves, two friends from Houston came up and convinced me that I should try 2.02 grams. I could not hit that exactly but 2.01 did sound better, but when I raised the VTA, it was clearly better. When I then raised it a hair more, it was not as good. I have played it there since with great satisfaction. I am using a Bergman Sindre turntable and arm. I suspect that you are right about the 92ºs, but I think you can find it by ear.

Hi Grooves

How far above parallel is the tonearm/headshell to get to 92 degrees, for the folks like me without a microscope.

Do you find that 92 degrees works better for LP's set for 180gms or 120 gms - ie which is teh best compromise if you don't want to change the height every LP.

cheers

Hi all, I ain't getting a microscope. I have enough gizzmos as it is.

The A90 is a top shelf cartridge no doubt and i would suspect that tracking this puppy at a lower VTF then recommended by Ortofon (2.3g), you would have to raise the back of the arm quite significantly to obtain the 92 degrees SRA Mickey is referring to. So much so that you may run out of travel play at your arm's pivot if you track your A90 at let say 1.8 or even lower.
Tracking at 1.8g or lower with the arm parallel to the record surface i bet that you would be around 88 degrees SRA. Less than ideal sonically but some may prefer the sound at those settings.

Very good question downunder. For those without a microscope, If we track at 2.3g, how should the back of the Phantom be at from parallel?