Is there a problem with my Lyra Delos cartridge?

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

Jonathan, I was able to get to Audioquest thru the Lyra site via the Distributor link and have already heard back from them. I sure didn't see any of that going thru the Audioquest front door, but I could have missed a link.

I'm sure everybody says this, but I was extremely cautious with VTF settings and handling in general. It's a dainty little thing and just looking at it lets you know it's not going to take any punishment.

When I first read of a "low rider" Delos here I thought to myself, "Man, I'm glad mine has the correct ride height!" But it just kept creeping ever lower.

I have contacted Audioquest who responded quickly and professionally. Alasdair was helpful and my Kleos has been sent to Japan for warranty repair. Thanks to you and Audioquest for following up. My cartridge should be returning shortly.

I just started having this same issue with my Delos yesterday. bursts of what sounds like mistracking, randomly through an album side, very intermittent and lasting a couple of seconds, then fine, then on again. I checked all my connections and they are fine. Played the record on another table and it was fine. I am using a Sota Cosmos IV with SME 309 arm. VTF is at 1.8g.
Love the cartridge, but these bursts of noise are annoying, almost like a tweeter breaking up. Doesnt happen with CD or my other table though.

Manitunc....sorry to hear about your alarming experience.
One possibility is that given your max VTF, if the VTA is "tail down" the Washi paper could be skimming the warps on the disc(?)
Carts with an "undercarriage" tend to register disc contacts as loud thuds but the Lyra, whose stylus is mounted through the front panel, might instead just hash the high frequencies and sound mis-tracked whenever it touches down? Once friction gets going you might find an accumulation there too?
Just out of curiosity are you loading the cart "fully open" or with a fairly low resistance?