VPI Classic and ZYX 4D

right....I saw your post here and I was referring to you.

A question though:

I assume that sme has an antiskating system on the arm.
Do you have it down to zero or set?

I personally start thinking that ZYX are so particular that they are meant to be this way.
Nevertheless after I got the 12dB right and increased tracking force to 2.15gr I don't hear any mre noticeable mistracking..but all in all I have been listening to it for few hours.

I will definitely keep you guys postet on the eventual progress.

BTW speaking with Mike from VPI he told me that I should be able to get the 14dB and 16dB's one..but I don't know if he was being optimistic or what :)

I will find that out hopefully next week.

@Mark: I'm using the ZYX Omega-S Gold LO cartridge right now in a VPI JMW10.5i arm with no problems at all.

@Stefanoo: How many hours do you have on the cartridge? I've found with most new cartridges that they don't track real well until they have at least 50 hrs of playing under their stylus.

Hi,

it has little hours.
Something like 15-20hrs.
I personally don't think the brake in is going to make that difference though.
Also because, Hfisher has the same problem on SMEV and I suppose cart is fully broken in.

My question is: have you checked the tracking with a LP test and oscilloscope?
Or if you don't have an oscilloscope but you do have a LP test, you are able to listen through your speaker and discern whether the cart is tracking or not.

By chance, do you have the mechanical antiskate on?
If not, have you untwist the lemo connector a couple f turns to increase antiskate or you installed it as it comes and that's it?
Last question: what do you use to align your cart? Mint LP or normal jig and what is the tracking forec you have set?

I just want to outline an incredible pressing that you guys can look into as very hard test for your analogue system:

Carmina Burana volume 2 - Version originale & intégrale

When I put this record on, you can tell the incredible dynamic of it.
The only problem with my configuration is that I hear distortion on the most engaging parts and now I know it is the tracking abilities of the system that starts bothering me since there is a $4500 on cartridge and almost $4500 TT (Classic, SDS, Peripheral, HRX Clamp) plus there are even more so in cables (Mit Magnum Phono and Magnums M3.3 interconnects and Shotguns S1 BiWire speaker) and more in electronics and speakers.
All in all this tracking thing starts getting into my nervs because I personally don't expect tracking problems from such hi-end system.

The sound is really great and I bet since the price of the items, but technically speaking something better can be done!

Just a question to users of VPI and ZYX: do you have stainless steel armtube or Aluminum?
I actually don't know if my armtube is aluminum or stainless steel, how can I distinguish which one I have?

If anybody owns the record I outlined (Carmina Burana Harmonia Mundi HM336) and can tell me if they hear distortion or not I would appreciate.
I would like to work this out as there is no way that VPI and ZYX are designed so poorly.

a little update.
I have reached out the 14dB track.
In order to do that I had to untwist the external wire a lot and there are only few twists left therefore I won't go any further.
I am wondering whether I am ruining the external wire by doing that or not.
I don't see any other way to get up there without doing so.

The next track i.e. the 16dB is unreachable though and I can't even have the needle laid a second because I see such a bad distortion on both ch that I am afraid for it.
So I think this is it.

yet, my old rega 300 and the cheap 103 where able to easily step up to 16dB.

Now I am curious to check, after this adjustment, if I can still hear distortion on the carimna burana's one.