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.
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.