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New cartridge, now some adjustment questions.

I recently purchased a Shure v15mxr cartridge on closeout and mated it to my music hall mmf-2.1 table. There has certainly been an enormous improvement in sound quality. Just this week my back-ordered Hi-Fi News test record came in, and after running its tests, I can hear that my cartridge is not tracking all the test tracks perfectly. So I have a few questions.

1) It has some difficulty tracking the 300hz test tone tracks on side 2. On all three tracks there is at least slight distortion at some point in the track. I tried re-aligning my cartridge, but got no signifigant change. What factor is typically at fault here? Is it cartridge adjustment, or some other factor?

2) On the bias setting (anti-skate) tracks, it tracks the first two perfectly, but starts to break up slightly on 3, and terribly on 4. My table has limited anti-skate adjustment, (weight on a string). I made it better with some adjustment, but given that these are also 300hz test tones (as the tests above), I assume the two are related.

This seems to be a very helpful record, except they don't give many suggestions as to fixing the problems you find! Suggestions would be much appreciated!
jed

Showing 5 responses by jed

jed OP
10 posts
 
I am running it at 1.5 grams, as measured by a shure force gauge.
jed OP
10 posts
 
Viridian,
The instructions that came with the sure indicated that VTF be set at 1.5 grams, and if the brush was down, actual tracking weight would be 1 gram. I have not been using the brush, as even before I had the test record I could hear the effect it had on the music and the noise floor. With the brush down on the test record, the cartridge does not track well at all. So you are saying I should try 1 gram, without the brush?
jed OP
10 posts
 
Ok, I have set the VTF to 1 gram, without using the brush. I have run some of the test tracks again, and the break-up is more on the left channel, although fairly constant on both. (For the 300hz test tones on side 2). I will spend some time listening tonight, and report back. Thanks for the help so far.
jed OP
10 posts
 
Ok, the problem is showing up in the music as well. After listening last night, I have a problem with a low frequency breakup in the left channel. It seems to be centered at one frequency, higher than a drum or bass, as those are sharp and defined, but somewhere in the low-midrange I'm getting distortion. I tried varying the anti-skate, but with no improvement.

What next?

Viridian--yes, the table is level- to the extent that my bubble level is within the innermost ring at any point on the platter. The platter itself seems to be the limiting factor now.
jed OP
10 posts
 
Thanks for all the responses. It's definitely not acoustic feedback - I should have mentioned that all of my listening is through headphones. I increased tracking force 1/10 gram at a time last night, and listened to music. At 1.5 grams, the breakup is gone. At that tracking force it also tracks the test tracks nearly perfectly, especially as I spent some more time adjusting anti-skate. So, is there any problem running at 1.5 grams? (although I'm not sure I want to know, as it definitely sounds best at that weight!)

Viridian- I'm using the turntable basics mirrored alignment gauge, and aligning the cartridge body square to the grid lines. To the best of my current ability, the stylus also looks square, but it's pretty hard to see. Is this what you meant?
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