tracking ability definition

Dear Fadeawayman: +++++ " would i be right in assuming that this means the stylus makes good contact with the groove therefore better reading the recorded sound and playing it more accurately, with more detail? " +++++

+++++ " As I understand it, the tracking ability of a cartridge is the ability of the cartridge to maintain the stylus in the groove of a record in order to extract the maximal information. " +++++

That is all about in plain terms.

IN two cartridges with similar performance I will choose the one with better tracking ability.
There are several parameters that define the better or worse tracking subject, between them: compliance and kind of cartridge suspension, tip mass ( stylus ), kind of stylus and tonearm matching. Normally the high compliance/low tip mass are the best trackers.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Viridian: +++++ " tracking ability in modern cartridges has more to do with the compatibility of the arm and cartridge, and correct alignment geometry, than in any specific tracking problems of the cartridge itself, " +++++

Your statement it is not exactly true, the cartridge itself is the first subject on the tracking ability issue.

Take any 5-6 modern cartridges, each one matched with the tonearm and make a test of tracking ability ( usually in a test record at 315 Hz ) and you will find that each one has different tracking ability: 70um, 80um, 100um, etc etc.

The tracking ability subject is a critical issue and the cartridge designers take care in extreme about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Marty: +++++ " but most of the modern cartridges that I have used in a sympathetic arm will track all modern, undamaged, records without tracking distortion " +++++

I agree. However this is true at low recording velocities. Where the tracking ability is really showing is on those tracks or part of a track where was recorded at higher velocity, maybe ( till today ) you never put serious attention on it but I can asure you that ( between some limits ) you can perceive changes in the sound reproduction between two cartridges because the tracking distortion, those changes usually are not evident but exist, usually like sound " colorations ".

This tracking ability is like a car on the road: any car can track very well almost any road at 60 mile/hour but tracking that same road at 100 mile/hour is different, maybe two differents cars could track but certainly there will be differences ( because the car suspension and tires type ) on how well each one do the tracking. You know what I mean?

The tracking ability on a cartridge is of great importance and many of us don't think about to often but for the cartridge designer is one of his more important targets. Remember, at the end, that the very hard/critical/delicate task of any cartridge is that: tracking a record, this ability ( at any recording velocity ) is of paramount importance for the quality sound reproduction.
The cartridge tracking ability has to handle not only the low or high velocities but the instant changes in velocity that was on the recording, like I say: very hard task!!!!.

Btw, thx for your kind words.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Fadeawayman : I think that the KAB people know-how about cartridge tracking ability is near cero, let explain me:

the Ortofon Pro S40 measure a tracking at 90um!!!!!. This measure is on the high value about cartridge tracking. Usually a MC cartridges stay between 70 and 90um and only a few on the 100um!!!!!.

So, the Pro S40 is the way to go. No question about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Fadeawayman : I think that with these two high tracking ability values you can't have any problem about tracking distortion with any standard LP but the Telarc 1812, at least I'm sure you can't heard it through your today system.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.