Is there a problem with my Lyra Delos cartridge?

Hi Montgomery. If there is a problem with your Delos, we will be happy to check it and correct any problem that exists.

Experience tells me that the problem is likely not with the cartridge. If the Delos does have a problem, it would almost certainly be a stretched suspension. You will be able to tell if this happens by the fact that the belly of the cartridge will ride closer and closer to the LP surface, which can be temporarily cured by reducing the tracking force. But once this happens, it is a one-way street - the suspension will not revert to normal by the simple act of lifting off the cartridge and lowering it again on the LP. And this is why I doubt if the problem is with the Delos.

You may want to look over the tonearm for areas that have sticky or uneven action. I would in particular investigate the anti-skating mechanism, the counterweight, height of the armlift bar, and also if the headshell leads are possibly touching the LP surface. I would also check the levelness of your platter and tonearm with a machinist's level, to make sure that gravitational effects are not acting as an unintended skating/anti-skating mechanism. Sometimes the tonearm output lead can also hamper rotational movement, although this doesn't normally affect tonearms that use the JIS-standard 5-pin cable socket (which I believe describes the PT-6)

If you and/or your dealer can check your tonearm and turntable and give them a completely clean bill of health, feel free to send your cartridge back to us for a check-up.

BTW, please don't contact Immedia for this or any other Lyra-related service issue - Audioquest is our official US distributor, and they have given us their word that they will coordinate servicing for all Lyra cartridges, including those originally sold through Immedia.

hth, jonathan carr

Applying proper VTF should result in the cantilever assuming a 90-degree angle in relation to the red front magnet carrier.

My recommendation for Montgomery is to isolate whether the tonearm or cartridge is at fault by having the Delos installed (accurately) in a different tonearm and seeing how it performs.

hth, jonathan

BTW, one more variable to consider is room temperature and humidity. Temperature should be about 22~23 degrees celsius, humidity around 55~60%. These operating conditions have a bearing on tracking ability and sound quality.

hth, jonathan carr

Hi Jake: If you are in the US, I recommend that you or your dealer call or email Audioquest - probably Alasdair Patrick.

Alternately, if you send me an email through the Audiogon system, I will be happy to facilitate the contact with Alasdair.

kind regards, jonathan

Jake, Jr_w, and anyone else: You can contact the Audioquest personnel in charge of distributing Lyra in the USA from here:

http://lyraanalog.com/

And if you go to:

http://www.lyraaudio.com/

and click on the "Distributors" link, you can send us an email. My email addy is c-o-n-n-l-y-r-a-AT-g-o-l-dot-c-o-m (delete the hyphens and replace AT and dot with the symbols)

I agree with Moonglum that a few millimeters is too much rather than too little, but let's not quibble (smile). First, however, I request that you measure the tracking force at the same exact level of the LP's playing surface. Sometimes the counterweights of a tonearm will gradually (or suddenly) slip, causing the VTF to increase. Also, the geometry of the Moerch tonearm will cause the tracking force to change, depending on how high the cartridge is in relation to the tonearm bearing, so the tracking force must be measured at the LP surface, and if the cartridge VTA is changed, you should re-measure the VTF.

If the VTF at the LP's playing surface measures 1.75 grams maximum and the Kleos rides too close to the LP, send either myself or Audioquest an email and we will try to get you sorted. It is probably just as well that you contact Audioquest rather than me, since they are close to you in the US while I am far off in Japan, and it will probably be Audioquest who sends us the Kleos across the Pacific, in case it needs to be readjusted.

But if there is any misunderstanding or problem in the initial communications, I will be happy to step in and help in any way that I can.

kind regards, jonathan