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Newbie Issues: Grace F9 with Micro Seiki DD-40

Hey all - total newbie here. I’ve only been researching phono setups for a few months. I ran into some serious playback issues after trying to replace my cart. Wondering if anyone can tell me what is causing it?

A friend actually gave me a DD-40 with original MA 505 tonearm (14 g effective mass) and stock headshell. So I have been thrown into this (awesome) world of hifi in an effort to live up to this amazing gift. The DD-40 came with a Stanton 681eee cart and I immediately replaced the broken stylus with an LP Gear replica as a placeholder before upgrading. To my ears it sounds really really good after calibrating it properly (I am an entry level digital audiophile but this is my first analog experience). 

Because my setup is MM for now I have fixated on the Grace F9 series as my first cart upgrade. I bought a used F-9 L on ebay from someone with great reviews and an easy return policy. The problem is the playback is absolutely horrid:

- distorted muffled sound
- incessant skipping
- needle gets stuck between tracks

I have recalibrated and readjusted many many times including starting from scratch and calibrating the entire TT and tonearm setup. Every time it still sounds the same. While doing the same steps but going back to the Stanton cart works just fine. I even replaced headshell wires and have nice cables (Kimber Kable and Van den Hul) and a Furman power conditioner. It’s running through the phono input of a Pioneer SX 838. 

When I increase the tracking force beyond the recommended range for the Grace the skipping issue gets a bit better but not really. And the sound always remains distorted and muffled - that never improves.

Visibly the cart, cantilever and stylus look totally fine meaning not bent or broken. But again I’m just a newbie and have not put anything under a magnifying glass.  

So all that said, with the issues I described above, what do you all think is the problem?

1) Worn out needle?
2) Bad / bent cantilever?
3) Busted cart?
4) Bad newbie calibration?
5) Cartridge / tonearm mismatch?
6) Something else?

Any help would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

YL
hauie88

Showing 3 responses by rauliruegas

rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear @hauie88 : In the lis of today manufacturers I posted for you all of them have cartridge models inside your budget.

In the other side:  ""  you had any experience buying from Reverb?  ""

it can't because he is a seller too through internet and forums.

R.
rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear @hauie88 : Is a damage you can't see at sigth. All cartridges are very sensible and can damages easy. Just think that the VTA value is at around 0.75grs. to 2.5grs. So if you by accident grace with your finger or sweater the stylus or even when you are cleaning the stylus tip with a brush a little more pressure than it need it makes the damage. I expericed these kind of " accidents " several times in my audio life.

In the otehr side, just forgeret about those vintage cartridges think on this: there is no original parts as cantiler/stylus assemble, from where you will found out the original when you need it in the future? a vintage cartridge that an audiophile use it a couple hours a day for how many hours he could follow playing it before the vintage cartridge suspension collapse?  could last for 400 hours or 50 hours: you can't know about and no one can gives you a warranty of change after those hours. The money is yours so is up to you.

R.


rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear @hauie88 : Return that cartridge to the seller for the refund because that cartridge has damaged its suspension.

Now, what you have to do is to buy a new today cartridge that comes with a ! warranty " that will runs with out trouble.

You can look to: Ortofon, Nagaoka, Audio Note, Goldring, Garrot, Clearaudio, Audio Technica and many more and all have very good options at different price levels. Don't buy again vintage cartridges from no one even if the cartridge is in NOS condition. You are lucky here that can recovery your money. Again, several today top cartridge manufacturers that will give you warranty of everything in their products including new/original stylus when your need it in the future.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

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