New TT/cart question


I just hooked up, finally, a new Music Hall MMF7.1 with the stock Goldring Eroica high output moving coil cartridge. Here's my question. In previous years of TT use, I never could hear the music from the cartridge. I can hear the music playing from the cartridge when I turn the volume down. Is this normal with this cartridge, or is there a problem, ie VTF, etc? Most all my past experience has been with Shure carts.

Any advice/ideas welcome.
128x12804rdking
I swapped the cables at the tt, and the dominent sound changed to the right side. The tonearm wires are in the correct position on the cart. So, either

1) the cartridge channel balance is off
2) the tonearm wires are out of phase at the rca connectors
3) the arm/cart is not setup properly
don'cha just love them little dumb mistakes. Especially when you figure them out.
The left channel on my cartridge was wired backwards, which put it out of phase. (My bad.) This made the left channel sound more dominant, and put the sound way outside the left speaker. Switched the wires, and all is well.
Pied, All the drivers in the Proac's are working just fine. The tubes in the PL have just been replaced with quad matched SED winged C KT88's. Had a tube go bad on me.... I've changed the tubes in the Pro-ject with some Mullards that the previous owner of the PL had. Sounds much smoother than the stock tubes. The cdp, yeah, I know...., still a work in progress, sound is balanced. If I were to swap the cables at the tt, the right side should be more dominant if it's a tt/cart issue. If it stays the same, then it would be downstream, correct?

I know these things are setup at the factory, but...... how well are they really tweaked in? My guess is not very...
Could be azimuth. It could also be a tube issue either with the Pro-Ject or the Primaluna. Also, check that all the drivers are working in your Proacs by putting your ear close to each one with music playing.
Thanks all. Here's a new question. The setup only has about 15hrs on it so far, but it seems that the left channel is more dominant. Could this be from improper azimuth adjustment? Should I give the cart more break-in time before I start adjusting things?

For what it's worth, here is the setup:

Music Hall MMF-7.1
Pro-Ject Tube Box SEII
Primaluna Prologue II
Proac D15's

and, last, but not least......
Sony Discman........
I have a music hall MMF-2.2 which does the same thing. With the factory set goldring cartridge I could hear music coming from the cartridge, often quite loudly. I was told that this is normal. I didn't find that adjusting VTF or realigning the cartridge helped at all. I recently changed to a shure m97xe and the 'problem' pretty much disappeared. I can still hear a little bit if I put my ear very close to the cartridge. I think this is a characteristic of goldring cartridges. They seem ring/resonate. I notice this on a friends rega arm/goldring cart setup also.
Johnnyb53, Yes, I am using the record clamp...

Markphd, yes, the shure's were MM.

I'm guesssing there is nothing wrong, just not use to hearing the sound from the cart. I need to play with the vta even though they say it's setup. bass seems weak...
Not quite sure what you mean. You're supposed to "hear music from the cartridge". That's what they do. However, the output is low so that we send the signal into an amplifier. I don't mean for that to sound sarcastic. I'm assuming your old Shure cartridges were MM. Your Goldring is an MC and is probably lighter, with less mass to block vibrations from coming out to your ear. Just a speculation. As long as nothing is loose on the cartridge so that nothing other than the cantilever is moving, I wouldn't worry about it.
Are you using the record clamp? Maybe Goldring's Pocan body isn't "all that" when it comes to resonance control.
I have a basis turntable. AJ's claim to fame is that you can't hear music from the tonearm. I think it has to do with the make up of the arm. I maybe wrong but you are hearing vibration which in effect is noise. I am sure people will weigh in but it is not good. Which maybe why you did not hear in years past. Good question I will follow this thread to see what people think. In any event I don't thinks it's your cartridge it's your table. Check with friends that have turn Tables and see if they have the same problem. My TT is dead quiet.
I am not familiar with your setup but it is not uncommon to hear the music from the cartridge. Nothing is wrong.