Recent retip(canti also) Dude where did my soundstage width go

Hey Thanks ya'll. I'm still learning about set up and how precise it needs to be. I'm using a Feikert and a Fozgometer. I was getting strange readings with insane azimuth adjustments that were clearly not right. I realized then how sensitive the alignment of cantilever needs to be.n That was a revelation. The lines on the Feikert are decent but when your talking about movements the width of a silk thread or smaller it's little better than ballpark. It was using the Foz that strangely caused me to question alignment with the initial absurd readings.  Sensitive and great tool. It's probably still not as good as it can be. I've gone through set up it twice now and I'm done for now. Channel balance/azimuth is within a couple ticks on the Foz. I look forward to getting the Mint. Still the issue remains with the width. I'll continue letting it break in. It's a tortuous but interesting process. My toe is tapping though a bit more now. It's really recording dependent. My Grado really made almost everything sound good with a big old soundstage although it glossed over some detail Im finding out. 

Well, your assuming I can't or that just because somebody goes the route I have they can't. Thats quite a leap. I like to tweak what I have getting the most out I can and this goes for other things in life also. Not to knock anybody else's consumer consumption.  I really like my cart and if this baby doesn't open up more I will replace it with exactly the same one and chock it up to a valuable learning experience. Peace out invictus.

Lewm, thanks for the heads up on a difference between crosstalk and channel imbalance. I did eventually do just as you suggested and set cart by eye and used the Foz to get left and right readings off the test record as close as I could before the tedium wore through me. I achieved it by aligning cartridge in head shell with the lines of the Feikert and then checking with Foz output readings. This not the way it's supposed to be used but it makes sense that if the cantilever is not dead on there will be a channel imbalance or is it crosstalk, I'm not clear on that. I concur on the battery needing to be fresh it makes a difference. 

At this moment I do hear a change in regards to stage width especially when I turn it up. I was wondering if stylus profile is behind the wider presentation of my Grado. Anyhoo all is now much more clear above where I would usually stop on the volume knob. This is really allowing the music to fill up my space. Is the crosstalk right - I've long thought my room played a role in a perceived imbalance. Maybe it's been cross talk and an improperly aligned cantilever(?) or azimuth. I can say the width is coming and along with it a joy. I'm having to get up way to quick to flip a side or change a record. Good stuff. 

@terry9 
Thanks for your input. 
is is there a correct amount of torque to put on head shell screws? Do you remember where you saw the soundsmith article?

back to the music

Awesome @terry9. Tightening down the bolts and then loosening just enough so as not to completely throw off what progress toward the goal was really awkward and is what I imagine a zen excercise in composure and patience. Or analog bucket to hell. Anyway enjoying the ride. Can see why streaming is so appealing from this perspective. 

Can an you provide a link or point me in direction toward a site you like for the German screwdriver. Be really nice to have that business of cartridge mounting a bit less haphazardish. 

Will ll look up other on Soundsmith site. Thanks 

You guys are nuts fo sure ; )  lubed or not. Man those torque tools ain't cheap but neither is anything else as I chase the dragon higher. I might just invest in a really nice mission appropriate flat head. I like the idea of a tiny bit of lube. It was difficult getting em sunk and then awkward to loosen and then tighten. I've accepted it in the past but if this enables a little more finesse and control I'm in. What kind @terry9 

Lew, yep I actually did end up setting without regard to the Foz! With that said I'm not sure about the unit. Maybe I'm missing something. Soundstage width was coming along nicely and with the improvements in the finer detail department I'm good with the outcome as it stands. I'm still under 30 hours as well. 

I was thinking about @lewm mentioned about crosstalk and as I was looking at the pins, thinking that maybe there was something back there that might be the culprit, I noticed the right pin wire had broken through the outer sheath and in I fact noticed a stray little wire. A wire only really observable with a magnifying loop. Not a complete seperate on of the whole thing but maybe that's enough to disrupt everything. Gotta be the culprit right?

Lewm, it's cool, I'm all about being lighthearted and trying not to take too much too seriously. So anyway, nah it wasn't touching anything(the little wire). And yes I did set Azimuth in relation to surface of an LP.  My thinking about the exposed hot wire and the stray strand was that the minuscule little signal may not be transferring 100% as well as it could be either through some oxidization of wire and/or signal loss from a broken strand. Lastly "wider" at this point is still not as I had it and the more I listen I'm not sure the retip is as successful as I'd previously imagined. But, more time will tell. 

I have to say my experience retipping absolutely confirms the above. I was optimistic it would be a nice nudge upward sound quality wise. Truthfully there are the improvements there that I wanted but it's at the expense of other facets of my Grado that I loved. Those improvements do not tip the balance in my opinion toward a favorable final outcome. Live and learn. I have since decided that the 2 series makes a lot of sense with the upgraded cantilever. That in addition to Grado's new winding machine support my desire to continue with a company's sound I love. In addition with a new phono stage I'll finally be able to go with a Statement output level and have it loaded correctly and with appropriate gain. 

I gave it my best but I couldn't get it to go. New Ref. Statement v2 on the way. Retip exp. big fail

Yes Invictus you were right. Feel better now. I can honestly say I won't go that route again but I also realize there are plenty of satisfied owners of retipped carts out there in vinyl playback land. Maybe it has something to do with Grado carts possibly not being candidates based on their construction. Who knows. 

@noromance I've been at it all evening and Ill take the risk early in  and state the new cart is pretty dang spectacular but I do want to give it some time before I make an overstatement. But so far from the get go it's really... I think I said wow 3 or 4 times if that tells you anything. I'm really very very happy. 

@invictus005, I almost went with The Statement V2 but at that price way too much to replace right now even at the $2350 exchange price. I can handle a grand seems very fair ya know for the enjoyment that we get from music.