2. analog
  3. 180677-89202

What a difference a setting makes.

I recently got a new turntable (Feikert,) Arm (Origin Live,) and cartridge Hana ML.) A whole new analog setup. I talked myself into thinking the sound was good, although I had doubts when I compared the SQ with the sound I was getting from the digital side. It was really great on some records (the equal of digital,) but the majority of discs were mediocre. Finally, I decided that with such good equipment I should be doing better. So, I contacted my salesman/advisor for help. He had initially recommended that I set the preamp with the gain at 58 and the load at 100 (evidently the standard for the Hana cartridge.) I kept it on that setting for several weeks.  
When I called him he suggested that I increase the load to 200. 
All of a sudden everything opened up! Almost everything I played had a presence it lacked before. The proverbial veil was lifted.  Records really did sound wonderful!  
I can’t help but think, that if I hadn’t had enough with the old sound I would be blissfully ignorant of what my set was capable.

 

128x128rvpiano

Showing 4 responses by millercarbon

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

1k would be quite a bit snappier, dynamic and extended. Loading is big changes. VTA is more subtle fine tuning.

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

When you do adjust VTA make very small adjustments. Pulling the lever towards you rotates clockwise and increases VTA. This raises the arm which results in a thinner more detailed presentation. Pushing the lever away rotates counter clockwise which lowers the arm for a fatter fuller sound.

Don’t listen for crude tone changes. That’s big VTA moves. This is fine-tuning. Assuming the arm is already close to where it should be.

But even if the arm is way off this is still the best approach. Let’s say the arm is way too high. But you have no way of knowing. 50/50 coin toss you guess right and pull the thing towards you lowering the arm and it sounds better. More body yet still plenty of detail. In that case you keep on going. Eventually one tiny adjustment (they should all be very fine adjustments) instead of getting fuller and better is ever so slightly bloated. Then back off half of whatever the last move was.

Then go back and forth smaller and smaller until either you run out of patience or stop hearing improvement.

But remember, 50/50. If by chance you lower and right away it sounds more bloated and sluggish then you went the wrong way. Same process only this time very small increases in VTA, which on your adjuster is counter-clockwise. At least according to the manual I read when you said what you have.

The main thing being this is all done by ear.

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

The Silver is a nice arm. Comes with infinitely adjustable VTA, just not on the fly. With your Cearaudio VTA lifter however you now have on the fly VTA. 

If correctly set up and already ballpark settings then you should be able to fine tune using the little VTA adjuster lever. Have you tried this?

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

Cartridge loading has that effect. "Loading down" to 100ohms is very low impedance and gives a nice round warm full bodied sound but can go to far and be fat and congested. Increasing to 200 opened it up by in effect asking for less current from the cartridge. When you fall in love, stop. If you want even greater dynamics, detail, and presence you might want to risk increasing even a bit more. No harm no foul and you can always go back.

Once you're happy with that, which Origin Live arm do you have? If it has VTA on the fly you can get really amazing improvement dialing that in. 

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