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How to test a cartridge?

Yesterday, while listening to some LP's, I lost the entire left chanel. I swapped out the pre-amp, the phono-pre, took the step-up transformer out of the chain, changed turntables, changed interconnects, changed speaker cables, and the result remained the same (dead quiet on the left chanel).

Today I put an ohm meter to the contacts on the cartridge (it is the only one I have, so I can't swap it like the other stuff) and got equal resistance readings for both chanels.

What am I missing? This one has me stumped.

Thanks in advance, Dave.

BTW, the digital front end works fine.
consttraveler

Showing 3 responses by consttraveler

consttraveler OP
250 posts
 
Thanks for the quick responses!

Edle: I did switch the pre-amp leads which resulted in the sound moving to the left channel, and the right channel dying. That's when I hooked the ohm meter to the cart.

Detlof: I removed the cart from my Rega P-25 (thinking I might have a problem with the Regas' connection. I then installed the cart. in my Thorens TD520 / SME 3012R, that also has a brand new set of cart. leads installed in the headshell. Same result, no left channel sound, not even background noise when the volume is cranked.

After all that, I removed the cart., checked it with the ohm meter and got approximately equal resistance on both channels. I then re-installed the cart in the headshell and checked the resistance at the connections on the downstream end of the headshell. Same result, equal resistance on both channels.

Zaikesman: I am going to try swapping channel leads to the back of the cart., as you suggest. If it is the cart. I should get music on the left channel only, correct?
consttraveler OP
250 posts
 
OK, here is what happened.

I changed all four leads from the headshell to the cartridge, left channel & ground to right side, and right to left. I still have music from the right channel only!

BTW, I double checked all interconnects and speaker wires and every thing is connected correctly (right to right, left to left, etc.).

I'm at a loss! Anybody have a suggestion?
consttraveler OP
250 posts
 
Zaikesman:

Befor I got your last response I started doing exactly what you suggested. Last night about 10 pm I found out what must have happened.

When I swapped Phono-pre's the first time I also must have swapped interconnects at the same time (lesson #1, only try one thing at a time!). Last night, I found that the left channel in the Herron Phono-pre is dead, and one of my interconnects I had on my Coph Nia (left channel of course) is dead.

As it turns out, every thing is working fine with the exception of the left channel of the Herron. Probably a tube, so I'm going to swap some tubes around (see lesson #1 above) and see what happens.

Thank you all for your help.
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