2. analog
  3. 1313770444

Who tweaks VTF too?

I can't say why it took many years for me to suddenly arrive at this point -- although I can identify the precipitating occurance as actually being mistake I made (as I suppose is often the case with many discoveries, large and small) -- but I've recently opened my ears to the practice of tweaking VTF for each record played, to very worthwhile effect. Generally within a range of up to about +.15 above the upper limit of the cartridge manufacturer's recommended setting of 1.35g-1.5g for my medium-compliance, line-contact MC cart -- i.e., up to 1.65g or anywhere in between, depending on the record being played, in about .025g increments.

Tracking a bit heavier accentuates the lower frequencies and tames the higher ones, for records that could use more weight or solidity and/or a reduction in gleam or glare or airy-fairyness, while tracking lighter does the opposite for records that sound overly thick or could use some opening-up (within the bounds of maintaining good groovewall contact, of course -- I never even run in the bottom half of the recommended range, much less below it). This minor revelation has helped significantly to increase my listening satisfaction with records I formerly would've just chalked-up as being slightly but irretrievably problematic, whether that problem might have been a subtly annoying touch of glassiness or peakiness or lightness in the loafers.

Each recording seems to have its own sweet spot balancing control, tonality, timbre and texture (within my system context), and after doing this individual fine-tuning procedure for a few weeks I've now started to intuit appropriate setting adjustments as needed, based on a record's initial sound and my growing experience with the outcomes. So I've definitely crossed over the proverbial Rubicon regarding tracking force and no longer regard the recommended range as inviolable, or VTF generally as a set-and-forget, one-size-fits-all proposition whose 'correct' value is predetermined, to be temporarily increased only in the event that dynamic-trackability difficulties are encountered. It's another thing to be tweaked! But also one of the easiest and quickest to do (at least with my tonearm -- I guess with some others maybe not so much). Anybody out there with me on this?
zaikesman
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
So I think Tketchum hit it. VTF effects others so which is it that you're really
hearing? I do adjust VTA for 120, 180, 200 gr records. I've arrived at 3
settings that are easy and simple to change on my triplanar.

Past this i just dig the tunes vs worrying (well for the most part :)

What arm (cart and table to pls) are you using?
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Dan_ed: I'm no expert, but I would differ with that take. My own (completely unscientific) opinion would be that a change in VTA, however small or large (within real-world limits), is virtually only a change in SRA, and for all practical purposes not a meaningful change in VTF. A change in VTF, however, could certainly produce a meaningful change in SRA, epecially with line-contact stylus profiles, as posters have pointed out. Still, as I said, I believe the changes I'm hearing when I make small changes in VTF are primarily the result of tracking force rather than rake angle, but both must be involved.

I don't change VTA on-the-fly, but I can change both VTA and VTF quickly and precisely with the tonearm secured. But as I mentioned, I tend to set and forget VTA (for any one cartridge). Then again, my collection is pretty much all standard-thickness original vinyl, not 180/200g audiophile reissues.

Jfrech: My table/arm is a Technics SL-1200 (modified, including with a fluid arm damper, but I don't believe that affects this parameter). The arm has calibration scales for both VTA and VTF so settings are repeatable, and neither requires tools to adjust. The VTF setting is quite accurate, even when adjusted multiple times, as I confirmed recently when I got a digital VTF guage in order to double-check my newfound preference for slightly heavier than recommended tracking forces with the vdH Condor XGM-MO cartridge. The fact that I upgraded my phonostage last winter (to an EAR 324) probably has something to do with this newfound fetish however; I doubt I would have noticed or at least cared about these small changes through my previous phonostages.
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
Funny about new equipment :), I've noticed that to. I tweek settings, speaker positioning etc....I totally see your point here !
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Well, just shy of 300 views and no concurrences, I guess I'm alone here, and kind of surprised about it! Bet if I'd asked about VTA, instead of VTF, many would have said they tweak it record-by-record, at least sometimes...
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Zaikesman, the correct VTF for a given cartridge can't be "tweaked", as it co-determines the correct - i.e. symmetrical - position of the coils/magnets in the magnetic field.
In other words: - there is only ONE correct value for a given cartridge's (individual sample that is) VTF under given climate conditions (temperature, humidity).
As long as the VTF can be "tweaked" in the sense that the sound improves, one just hasn't reached the correct VTF yet.
With change of conditions and/or advanced age of a cartridge ( resulting often in change of velocity of rubber/damper) there might be need for adjusting VTF to the changing parameters.
Cheers,
D.
More to discover