When the second of my B&O RX2 turntables gave it up, after a fair amount of research, I ordered a Mofi Studiodeck because I knew I would need complete adjustability to mount the Soundsmith SMMC1 B&O cartridge on another turntable. In that price range, the Studiodeck seemed to fit the bill. Only after the turntable shipped did I learn about potential compliance issues, and that the total 1.5 grams of my Soundsmith high compliance cartridge and adapter were an impending catastrophic mismatch for the heavy arm on the Mofi Studiodeck. Certainly just waiting to happen is some horrible sonic way. I read forum threads I did not understand about resonant frequencies, analogies to car suspensions on trucks, or vice versa, and debates about physics and formulas, without figuring out how the mismatch was supposed to manifest in the sound I would hear.
I closely followed the cartridge alignment instructions on the Soundsmith website, paying particular attention to anti-skate (had to remove some of the weight from the thread) and azimuth, and tinkered with VTA with some albums suggested on these forums so that the highs were not sibilant and base not flabby. I have yet to hear any ill effects of the guaranteed mismatch. In fact, I would not have believed that a change in turntables could have made such a difference, particularly in surface noise. I am listening to albums I had pretty much given up on.
There might be sonic gremlins that my system is not resolving enough to uncover. If that's the case, fine. Meanwhile, I'll let the Ohm Walsh 4's and REL subs kick some Talking Heads throughout the house.
Steve
I closely followed the cartridge alignment instructions on the Soundsmith website, paying particular attention to anti-skate (had to remove some of the weight from the thread) and azimuth, and tinkered with VTA with some albums suggested on these forums so that the highs were not sibilant and base not flabby. I have yet to hear any ill effects of the guaranteed mismatch. In fact, I would not have believed that a change in turntables could have made such a difference, particularly in surface noise. I am listening to albums I had pretty much given up on.
There might be sonic gremlins that my system is not resolving enough to uncover. If that's the case, fine. Meanwhile, I'll let the Ohm Walsh 4's and REL subs kick some Talking Heads throughout the house.
Steve